I would give up everything rather than have the blood of white men upon the hands of my people.

I labored hard to avoid trouble and bloodshed. 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. They drove off a great many of our cattle. I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty. The white men told lies for each other. Treat all men alike. All … Our people could not talk with these white-faced men, but they used signs which all people understand. The earth is our mother. Some branded our young cattle so they could claim them. I am tired. [...] The earth and myself are of one mind. The time had passed. I will fight no more forever. Governor Isaac Stevens of the Washington Territory said there were a great many white people in our country, and many more would come; that he wanted the land marked out so that the Indians and the white man could be separated. But this could not last. I am tired. Treat all men alike. My father smiled and passed away to the spirit land.

I am tired of talk that comes to nothing. . They brought many things that our people had never seen. My father smiled and passed away to the spirit land. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever. .

I only ask of the government to be treated as all other men are treated. My father was the first to see through the schemes of the white man. I never said the land was mine to do with as I chose. Then the Great Spirit Chief who rules above will smile upon this land and send rain to wash out the bloody spots made by brothers' hands upon the face of the Earth.”, “We were like deer. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more, forever. An Indian respects a brave man, but he despises a coward. But this could not last. “From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more, forever.”, “Hear me, my chiefs. Good words will not get my people a home where they can live in peace and take care of themselves. We were mistaken. Perhaps you think the Creator sent you here to dispose of us as you see fit. “Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to … He had no right to sell the Wallowa 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.

I have heard talk and talk, but nothing is done. We were like deer. . I would give up everything rather than have the blood of white men upon the hands of my people. An Indian respects a brave man, but he despises a coward. The Great Spirit Chief who rules above all will smile upon this land... and this time the Indian race is waiting and praying. I pressed my father's hand and told him I would protect his grave with my life.
We gathered all the stock we could find, and made an attempt to move. Then the Great Spirit Chief who rules above will smile upon this land and send rain to wash out the bloody spots made by brothers' hands upon the face of the earth. „Treat all men alike. We can not be made over again. They drove off a great many of our cattle. I claim a right to live on my land and accord you the privilege to live on yours. You might as well expect the rivers to run backward as that any man who was born free should be content when penned up and denied liberty to go where he pleases. The white man would not let us alone. Perhaps you think the Creator sent you here to dispose of us as you see fit.

The earth was created by the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as it was. [...] I see the whites all over the country gaining wealth, and see their desire to give us lands which are worthless.
If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace. We shall be all alike - brothers of one father and mother, with one sky above us and one country around us and one government for all. War can be avoided, and it ought to be avoided. If I thought you were sent by the Creator I might be induced to think you had a right to dispose of me. They were not; and would change the rivers and mountains if they did not suit them.”, “The earth and myself are of one mind. Say to us if you can say it, that you were sent by the Creative Power to talk to us. A chief called Lawyer, because he was a great talker, took the lead in the council, and sold nearly all the Nez Perce country. I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty. The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clark. The Earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.......Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade....where I choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself, and I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty. My heart is sick and sad. It does not require many words to speak the truth. Our chiefs are killed. Whenever the white man treats the Indian as they treat each other then we shall have no more wars. Our people could not talk with these white-faced men, but they used signs which all people understand. For a short time we lived quietly. All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. When an Indian fights, he only shoots to kill. I see the whites all over the country gaining wealth, and I see the desire to give us lands which are worthless. The measure of the land and the neasure of our bodies are the same”, “With few words one can speak the truth.”, “The earth was created with the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as it was. We shall all be alike-brothers of one father and one another, with one sky above us and one country around us, and one government for all. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. 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. A man who would not love his father's grave is worse than a wild animal. When the last deer disappears into the morning mist, When the last elk vanishes from the hills, When the last buffalo falls on the plains, I will hunt mice for I am a hunter and I must have my freedom. These men were very kind. If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace.....Treat all men alike. If I thought you were sent by the Creator, I might be induced to think you had a right to dispose of me.

The measure of the land and the measure of our bodies are the same. Good words will not give my people good health and stop them from dying. We do not want churches. My father... had sharper eyes than the rest of our people. We do not want to learn that. My friend and brother, Mr. Chapman, told us just how the war would end. White men had found gold in the mountains around the land of winding water. I did not want bloodshed. All men were made by the Great Spirit Chief. If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace.

Hear me, my chiefs! They are all brothers. The media glorified this war between the two rivals, Joseph and the Nez Perce, which became highly sought-after in various newspaper and magazines. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. My heart is sick and sad. The little children are freezing to death. Various theatrical adaptations have been attempted while paying tribute to Joseph and his speeches. For this time the Indian race is waiting and praying.

You are as you were made, and as you were made you can remain. We may quarrel with men sometimes about things on this earth, but we never quarrel about the Great Spirit. All men were made by the Great Spirit Chief. — why should one try to cheat the other ? White men had found gold in the mountains around the land of winding water. My father was the first to see through the schemes of the white man. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, That All People May Be One People, Send Rain to Wash the Face of the Earth, Surrender Speech of Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce. They brought many things that our people had never seen. Good words do not last long unless they amount to something. It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and the broken promises. The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it. We are going by you without fighting if you will let us, but we are going by you anyhow! We had good white friends who advised us against taking the war path. We had a great many horses, of which we gave Lewis and Clark what they needed, and they gave us guns and tobacco in return.

Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work. My people have no blankets, no food. We damaged all the big guns we could, and carried away the powder and the lead. Let us go through some of the most enthralling quotes and sayings from this legendary rebel in history of United States, giving us an insight about his thoughts, work and life. We gave up some of our country to the white men, thinking that then we could have peace. We are all sprung from a woman, although we are unlike in many things.

If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace. They do not pay for my country, now overrun by white men. I do not believe that the Great Spirit Chief gave one kind of men the right to tell another kind of men what they must do. . We were contented to let things remain as the Great Spirit Chief made them. My heart is sick and sad. This developed the stature of Joseph as a renowned humanitarian and peacemaker.

“The Earth was created by the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as it was.