Quotes from Chief Joseph

We soon found that the white men were growing rich very fast, and were greedy.

The earth was created by the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as it was. The country was made without lines of demarcation, and it is no man's business to divide it.

An Indian respects a brave man, but he despises a coward.

You might as well expect rivers to run backwards as any man born free to be contented penned up.

Look twice at a two-faced man.

My father was the first to see through the schemes of the white man.

It required a strong heart to stand up against such talk, but I urged my people to be quiet and not to begin a war.

A man who would not love his father's grave is worse than a wild animal.

The white men told lies for each other. They drove off a great many of our cattle. Some branded our young cattle so they could claim them.

I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of white men by my people.

We ask to be recognized as men.

We did not know there were other people besides the Indian until about one hundred winters ago, when some men with white faces came to our country.

I hope that no more groans of wounded men and women will ever go to the ear of the Great Spirit Chief above, and that all people may be one people.

Treat all men alike. Give them the same law. Give them an even chance to live and grow.

War can be avoided, and it ought to be avoided. I want no war.

I pressed my father's hand and told him I would protect his grave with my life. My father smiled and passed away to the spirit land.

General Howard informed me, in a haughty spirit, that he would give my people 30 days to go back home, collect all their stock, and move onto the reservation.

I saw clearly that war was upon us when I learned that my young men had been secretly buying ammunition.

We had good white friends who advised us against taking the war path. My friend and brother, Mr. Chapman, told us just how the war would end.

If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace.

We gave up some of our country to the white men, thinking that then we could have peace. We were mistaken. The white man would not let us alone.

Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work.

It required a strong heart to stand up against such talk, but I urged my people to be quiet and not to begin a war.

I saw that the war could not be prevented. The time had passed.