Indian Reserves

Chief Joseph was a leader of the Nex Perce Indians, who lived in the north western part of the US in the 1800s. When the United State Government wanted to move them out of their homeland in Oregon, Joseph and his tribe decided to resist. Since the indian warriors were outnumbered by the army, the Nex Perces decided to retreat to Canada where they could live in peace. The government wanted the Nez Perces confined to a reservation. The tribe was captured just short of the border. "From where the sun now stands," Joseph told his captor, "I shall fight no more forever." And he kept his word. He also kept his dedication to his people. He worked for their welfare on the new reservation to which they were confined. In 1879, he told his view of indian-white relations to a boston magazine.The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clarke. They also brought many things that our people had never seen. They talked straight, and our people gave them a great feast, as a proof that their hearts were friendly. These men were very kind. They made presents to our chiefs, and our people made presents to them. We had a great many horses of which we gave them what they needed, and they gave us guns and tobacco in return. All the Nez Perces made friends with Lewis and Clarke and agreed to let them pass through their country and never to make war on white men. This promise, the Nez Perces have never broken....

Next there came a white officer (Govenor Stevens) who invited all the Nez to a treaty council. After the council was opened he made known his heart. He said there were a great many white people in the country, and many more would come; that he wanted the land marked out so the Indians and white men could be separated. If they were to live in peace it was necessary, he said, that the indians should have a country set apart for them, and in that country they must stay. My father, who represented his band, refused to have anything to do with the council, because he wished to be a free man. He claimed that no many owned any part of the earth and a man could not sell what was not his own... We than lived quitely, but this could not last. White men then found gold in the mountains around the land of the winding water. They stole horses from us and we could not get them back because we were Indians... The Indians were not happy they wanted to be free like the white people, they wanted the same laws, the same punishments and everything a white man shall have... Chief Joseph a lead of the Nex Perce Indians tried to avoid conflict with the Americans but failed... The tribe was confined to a reservation but Chief Joseph continues to fight for their welfare. Most of the tribes did survive but even today many are the victims of poverty.