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inmans. claiming tnat uniei unanot naa surrendered the rights of the Saleeshes to that valley, when he had not. Early day commissioners sent out to treat with the Nez Perces made a treaty with subchiefs and head men who did not by any means represent the entire nation.It was this plan of pursuing the course of least reslstence—a plan too much In vogue by commissioners endeavoring to make a name for themselves In those days—that was the direct cause of the Nez Perce uprising. A group of subchiefs were cajoled into signing away the rights of the entire Nez Perce nation: and when the matter was reported to the tribe, the greater portion of the tribesmen resented It bitterly.Broken Promises Governor Isaac N. Stevens of Washington territory negotiated the first treaty with the Nez Perces in 1855. It was a liberal treaty confirming the rights of the Indian nation to hunting grounds in Idaho, Washington and Oregon. A second treaty was made in 1863. By this agreement, the fertile valleys of the Wallowa and Imnaha were relinquished by the Indians. The valleys in question were occupied by a tribe of the Nez Perce nation of which Joseph I. was chief, as had been his father before him. Old Joseph and his followers who were the ones who should have been consulted. refused to recognize the treaty. They were the original owners of the land. The government held that the agreement with the whole nation was binding on Joseph’s Nez Perces. On the other hand, the old warrior leader held that the Indians not under him and not residing in the valleys which the treaty ceded to the United States had no right to sign away the rights of his people.Chief Joseph Chief Joseph is represented as being a royal blooded Indian, whose forebears had held high place in the council of his nation, for many generations. The dissatisfied Indians rallied around him. The land that had been clandestinelybpirlt had made the earth complete, and that it was sinful to disturb it by cultivation. The Dreamers, it is said, were also opposed to churches and schools as disturbing the natural conditions of things. They also believed that a leader would come who would show them how to resist the encroachments of the whites, which had long ago begun to alarm the Indians. This leader was to be endowed with divine power, and would bring the spirits of all the dead Nez Perces back to life, to help the nation fight for their rights, if necessary.Too-IIul-HuI-SoteThe head or this religious order was a fierce old medicine man named Too-hul-hul-sote. He had come into power since the trouble had arisen between the Nez Perces and the government. As high priest of the order, he was the implacable foe of the whites. Their ascendancy meant, of course, that his cult would go to pieces, and he was always for war. Most of the Nez Perces believed in him and his doctrines were held sacred. He had almost as much power as did Chief Joseph.General O. O. Howard was sent out to try and placate Joseph. He took the position that the Wallowa valley was a legitimate possession of the United States; that the army would protect the settlers and force Joseph and his followers to go to the reservation allotted to them. Then came the order that the non-treaty Nez Perces must vacate the valley within one year. Joseph finally became convinced that the only thing for the Indians to do was to submit to the whites. He arrived at this conclusion very reluctantly, because he loved the fair land in which his people had always lived, and because his fa»her and his mother were buried there. He set about to arrange for the removal of the tribe.Settlers AggressiveThe white settlers began aggressions. Three of Joseph’s Indians were killed. The murderers were tried in white courts and given their liberty. The relatives of
Newspaper Details
Bozeman Courier
Bozeman, Montana, US
Fri, May 13, 1927
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Geri L.
NA, 10 Jul 2024
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