COUNCILS AND COMMISSION REPORTS
1856 COUNCILS
"Affairs of the Department of the Pacific," pp.
330-415. In U. S. House. 35th Congress, 2d Session. Annual Message from the President
and Report of the War Department, 1858 (H.Ex.Doc.2, Vol. 2, Pt. 2). Washington: James
B. Steedman, Printer, 1858. (Serial Set 998)
Rough Notes of a Talk Held with the Nez Percés Band, Under the Command of the Spotted Eagle, pp. 178-180.
MILL CREEK, July 11, 1856.
After Colonel Shaw had made some remarks and explained why the governor had not come into their country at the time appointed, and had expressed the governor’s satisfaction at their peaceable and friendly conduct, and had also explained that the hostile tribes would be warred with until the murderers and instigators of the war were given up, the chiefs were then invited to speak, whereupon several of them delivered themselves as follows:
SPOTTED EAGLE.—A year ago Governor Stevens spoke to us on this council ground, and asked us, the chiefs, to go to the Blackfoot council with him. Many did not go; but I wanted to go and see the people that I always liked to fight with. Then I saw them, and both parties talked as if we had always been friends. There we heard that Ka-mia-kin and the Americans were fighting, and started from there and came to our own country. Then we heard that the Cayuses were fighting with the Americans.
The Cayuses were my friends and relations; we ate and drank, played and were merry together. I thought of them; if it is your heart to go to war, it is not mine. I will not follow you. I will never raise my gun to an American. No one has ever seen my hands bloody with the blood of an American. My forefathers were always friendly with the Americans and French; so will I be. I thought I would look on and see you fight. The white chiefs told me to keep them out of my country; and, therefore, when they came I told them to go away, and that is the reason I have sat and watched my country. You and the Cayuses are fighting; but keep the disturbances out of my country. My own people tell me that the Cayuses are mad at me. It was not I who fixed my heart against them; it was their own bad conduct. I hear that they say that they will kill us. I don’t want to see them do it. My own people tell me I am not a chief any more, and I don’t call myself such any more. If they kill William (Craig,) then I will die too. My own people tell me that I am no longer a chief.
COLONEL SHAW answered that the white people recognised him as a great chief, and respected him as such. That Governor Stevens had been bred up a soldier, and that all the white chiefs then present had been private volunteers.
JOSEPH.—I have heard what you have said; you have spoken on the right side; those who speak right don’t shed blood; those who talk left (sinister) shed blood. I make my children talk right. I am glad to hear that you have not come to shed the blood of those who talk right; those you have come to seek talk left, and are bad men.
TIMOTHY.—From my own heart I have nothing to say, but I talk for the Lawyer. Lawyer says, "my children, I am a cripple, and can’t go to meet American friends. When you see our friends from Governor Stevens, you will greet them for me. I can’t travel now, but when I can I will." I heard what the Lawyer said, and hear what you say, and my heart is glad. We saw last year the laws the President sent us, and we then adopted them with all our hearts, and have kept them since.
BILLY.—I have heard my chiefs speak, and that is our heart. We are a poor people, and when we have no one to think for us we are poor. We are in hopes that you will go straight by what you say. The President has sent us word to be friendly, and we will do so. We have one man to tell us what to do, and we will do it. We have our horses, cattle, and country as we have always had, and they are ours as they always have been. If we follow the bad people it is just the same as if we gave everything away. We are glad to have you talk thus; we are a poor people, and you have pity on us.
WE-OS-KUS.—Every little country has its chiefs; the little country I come from has no chief. Gov. Stevens made the Lawyer the big chief; we, therefore, listen to him. When the big chiefs speak, I listen, and say "yes." I took my gun to guard the white people, and ‘tis the reason why the Cayuses killed my horses. I have listened to what the older men have said, and agree with them.
JOSEPH, again.—I have no heart to say anything; I listen, and say "yes." One has spoken, and on that account I speak; it is no one here, however. It is not on account of the young men here that I speak. (Col. Craig here explained that he alluded to something which had been said by another member of the tribe who was absent.) I never talk when the white chiefs talk. Why should I? If I should speak, it would be about taking care of my children. (Col. Shaw here explained that he alluded to the reservation to be formed.) I will speak of my children some other time.
TALKING TOBACCO.—I can only say , "thank you." What you say comes as if from the President, and I am glad to hear it. I heard what the governor said before, and I said yes to it. He showed us the laws, and I have had them ever since. I have heard what the white chiefs say; they speak as if we had one body and one soul with the Americans. We are poor. They give us the laws, and we are thankful.
COL. SHAW.—If the Cayuses give up the instigators of the war, to be dealt with according to law, we would make a treaty with the rest. The best way would be for the tribe to deliver them up. However, it makes no difference in the end. We will hunt them out whatever time it takes. It may take a month, a year, five years, but we will hunt them out; and it would be better for the tribe to give them up, and thus avoid the loss and destruction which a war always occasions.
TIMOTHY.—There were many who expected the governor to come over and see them this season. There were many of the Nez Percés at the time of the council over the mountains. These people expected to hear this season all about the council from the governor himself. The winter set in very hard and no express could reach them; that it was only this summer that they heard the news; that it was only this time that they heard that those who had stopped to guard Craig and the government property would be fed.
There being no one else disposed to speak, the council adjourned.
Speeches of Several Nez Percés Chiefs at a Council Held at Lapwai, Nez Percés Country, Washington Territory, in Presence of Captain Robie, July 14, 1856, pp. 180-183.
THE MAN-WITH-THE-ROPE-IN-HIS-MOUTH.—I was on the other side of the mountains; I was listening on both sides; I was looking to the east, then I looked in this direction, and the chiefs of this country were looking at me. Then I heard from the chiefs of this country. I did not know what they were doing; it was like they were bitten by mosquitoes; and I did not know what was biting my chiefs. The news passed by letter, and I heard they were hanging people in this country; and I said here the wives and children should come and hear him speak, for I expected that it was I that was the cause of them being hanged. I knew white man. I speak from a paper. The people are not that put white man to death. I heard that they were paid for hanging them. I would like for the people that hanged them to be here and hear what I say. I believe that the people that hanged them, their blood will be sold; that the children of those people, their blood will sold also. These things all come to me as if on paper. The Great Spirit is all around us; the earth is the Great Spirit; the light is the Great Spirit. Children are not to be punished for the offences of their parents. Those who say the children must be punished have to live without law. See these people; the laws bear them down; it is as though a heavy load lay on them; they can’t stand under it. I will show the reason before I am done; he that is the cause will burn by and by. In the east there are seven stars; they talk to one another, and collect together, and they sent one of them down on the earth; that star was sent on the earth to take charge of the people, that their bodies will never return to dust again; and that star is the chief that takes care of the bodies of the people; that told them to be patient and wait for good counsel; that is the reason why I say, why do the Americans trouble a civil people about their country? In heaven, and far beyond there is light, and my brothers cannot lead me about by their laws. The Americans cannot take a bird off my head. I will take hold of the bird and put it on my head; in that way I would lose my life. That is the reason why I have nothing to say about the people, and they have nothing to say to me. The Great Spirit will speak his own mind. This is all I have to say.
EAGLE FROM THE LIGHT.—I am anxious to hear my people speak their hearts. We met last night, but it was too late. We kept our friend here to-day to here us tell our hearts. When I was on the other side of the mountains, I heard of three of my people being killed and hanged. That has been on my mind ever since. At one time I heard of a relative of mine being killed, and another hanged. The man who was killed was a near relative of mine. The man who was hanged at Red Wolfe’s ground, was also a relative of mine. I learn that he was hanged for burning a house. I am ignorant whether he did so or not. Property is not equal to a man’s life, therefore the man should not lose his life for burning a house. Another man for some reason was hanged. I understood that Gov. Stevens said at the council that our bodies (lives) should all be on an equality. There was no council held between the Indians and whites about the hanging of these men—it was only among the whites. I do not know what these people were put to death for. I heard that four of the Americans disputed as to which of them killed the Nez Percés last fall. I don’t hear the Americans say: Fetch out these men and have them hanged; nor do I say that they should be hanged. Last year we all talked in friendship; but it is since that talk that this blood has run. The death of those three men, I consider, has broken the treaty; and I say to the Americans, move off. This is what I say. The death of those three men has broken the treaty with the United States, and the Americans had better move off. Our country is as though no treaty had been made. No council was called to try these three men. The law is, a council should be held to make law; but no council was held to make law to kill these three people. I am here to attend such councils; but there was no council about it; and this can never be made straight. There were chiefs on the other side of the mountains, but they were not called to the council. I have always thought a great deal of the Americans, and I thought they would do everything justly and by council; but I now know the hearts of the whites, and I now wish them to know my heart. That is the reason why I wish the Americans to stay away and not come to my country. The President sent his talk to us, and now I wish to go to the President. I don’t wish to do anything in an underhanded manner. That is all I have to say.
RICHARD.—The Looking-glass orders me to speak. These councils that have been held, and the governor and the people that held them, I have seen none of them. The governor has spoken to us and called us his friends. He spoke about our lives and our country. The council was held as though by only one-half of the people. I want Governor Stevens and the American people to think of us a poor people. The American laws are that we meet always without guns, and in that way we can always have friendship. I want to see Governor Stevens himself, and not his people. I am afraid, and that is the reason I want to see him in person. I like his talk when he said he liked my people. It is about that one thing I should like to hear one word from him, and then we could meet and rejoice. I don’t just speak for myself, but for my people, that all might hear him talk. I am friendly to the Americans, and I don’t like to hear of blood being shed in our country. We are a poor people. I would like the Americans to look upon us as a people, and not shed blood in our country. We don’t want to see it. I am showing my heart, and if they will have pity on a poor people, I will be thankful. That is all I have to say.
STIKAS.—Last year all these people were at the council by the treaty there made. They were all bound, and from it we have not gone astray. Now the young men think of the proceedings at the council. From that time we have not had a chance to see our chief. That is the reason we don’t know how to act. Since that time our bodies have been laid on the prairies. Now I can turn round and see the people, and it is time to help one another. I have spoken; I don’t know whether it is right or not; perhaps I have spoken too quick—without thought. I am just as though I was alone here—alone by myself. That is the reason why I speak to my children, to have strong minds—to look at me. I am walking about without anything to eat. Although I am naked, I have not thought of going to war. My whole mind is to do what is right. I am just speaking as though I was speaking in the rain. It is dark all around. Things are just as dark all around as ever they were. This is all I have to say.
SPEAKING EAGLE.—All the people sitting here know that I still live and listen to the laws. I have not lost my faith in them. Although I am bad, I have the same forefathers that the rest have. I am from the same place. When the laws came from the President they taught what was right and what was wrong; and when I heard what the governor had said, I said amen to it, although I was not present. Things are not now going right. When will they be made straight again? I call for my chief, Governor Stevens, to come here and make them straight again. That is all I have to say. There is my chief, the Lawyer, he talks for me.
ESCOTA.—Last year, when we were talking, the Lawyer was our head man. We then listened to what was said. It was from afar that the commissioner was sent to us. I told them you would talk right. Then our head man told them what Ellis had told them. He (Ellis) told them that they must listen when a big chief came to speak to them; they must respect him, and they would hear what he had to say. But I find a great many things have not been respected that were given to us. Our head chief, before the laws came, gave us laws about our bodies and our country. He told us to always respect our friends and take care of ourselves. That is the reason why I speak for Governor Stevens and keep things straight, and the people (all not being present) cannot, or do not, understand it. The time has about expired when I was to hear from Governor Stevens, and he promised to come and see us this spring. It is different with the whites; they have the laws and they know them. When these people came from the other side of the mountains they asked me if the time was not out when Governor Stevens should have been here. Perhaps Governor Stevens thinks these people all know, but they don’t. I never hear the Lawyer call his children together and tell them the laws. The news that we hear from the President all comes to Governor Stevens first, and then we hear it from him by Mr. Craig. That is all I have to say.
EUTES-A-MELICAN.—I will speak to my chief from the east. He has given me talk. It is not from any thing I know of myself; it is what I have been taught. I have heard that all that has been told me has come straight; he said for us to appoint a head chief among us; he has given me laws, and I am not going to throw them back to him. I like them, and when I hear news from them I believe; I do not doubt; I am not one who always doubts. Governor Stevens has given us laws, and we have not followed them straight; he has also given us an agent who is now present. That is the reason why I cannot give him back the laws; he has given them to us, and I can’t give them back. When I heard that he was sending some things to this country, I said yes, I am glad of it, I am not a man that doubts these things. I told my children to speak straight, and tell their hearts. And now I have spoken my heart.
Talk of the Nez Percés Chiefs to Colonel B. F. Shaw, as Taken by Colonel Wm. Craig, At Lap[wai], Nez Percés Country, July 28, 1856, pp. 184-185.
FROM LAWYER, head chief.—Governor Stevens knew our hearts when he came here last fall. When he left here the chiefs from both rivers went with him, and I rejoiced when I heard he had got to his own people in Whitman valley. I know Governor Stevens has not forgotten us, and I am thankful to say my people have not forgotten him. All the people, even the Blackfeet, are thankful to know he got home safe, and he is our friend and chief. I am speaking to my friend Colonel Shaw, although I never saw him; but Governor Stevens knows me, and I am anxious to see Colonel Shaw. He asks our chiefs what they mean by such talk, and I am glad to hear them say they will talk so no more; they will have just one heart with their chief. Although there are some of our chiefs absent, yet I know their hearts; they are not different from those of us who are present. This day we speak with one heart and one voice.
Your friend, LAWYER.
FROM THE TALKING OWL.—Yes, my chief, you ask me to speak my heart, and I will do it straight. It is good to ask questions and answer them straight. My friend, I have never taken my gun to fight the whites, nor ever will. I do not differ from my chiefs. If I have said anything bad I am sorry for it; I now speak from my heart. I say no more bad things. If Governor Stevens has any provisions for us, I am thankful to receive them, or anything else. I am glad to say that we take hold of others hands and hold them—not to let them go. Colonel Shaw tells me it is right. Although we are far apart, our hearts are together, and we say yes to all our chiefs, and to Colonel Shaw and Governor Stevens.
Your friend, TALKING OWL.
FROM EAGLE FROM THE LIGHT.—Yes, my friend, you have asked me some questions which I think are right, I answer them truly. We are a poor people; tell us what to do, and we will do it. The meaning I had in saying no more provisions to come, and for the whites to stay where they were, was because they are at war in the country between us and Governor Stevens, and I thought they had better stay away until peace was made. If I said wrong, I am sorry for it, for I know Governor Stevens, and he is my friend. We are all of the same flesh and blood, and why should we have different hearts. We have all one heart.
Your friend,
TIPPE-LANNA-COWPA,
(Or, Eagle from the Light.)
FROM THE LOOKING-GLASS.—Gov. Stevens knows my heart. It is the same as I have told him; it is not changed. He has spoken of his children; he pitied them. I have done all I could to get them to go and give up, and not act as they are doing. It is all false if any person has said that I had any notion to ever take my gun in hand to fight the whites.
A friend,
LOOKING-GLASS.
FROM THE THREE FEATHERS.—Last fall I talked with Gov. Stevens, and my heart has not changed. I know of no one that wishes to take his gun. If there is any, he’s not known to me.
A friend to the white man,
THREE FEATHERS.
FROM HOWLISH-WON-POOL, a Cayuse chief.—Now that I hear the chiefs speak with one heart, I come to listen to them; and I am glad they have but one heart, and my heart is with them. I heard them speak myself, and they all talk straight. I know their hearts are right; and we all send the same talk to Col. Shaw. I know him to be the friend of all good people. This is all I have to say to our friend, Col. Shaw.
HOWLISH-WON-POOL.
From: Report of Colonel George Wright, 9th Infantry, to Major W. W. Mackall, Assistant Adjutant General, Headquarters, Department of the Pacific, pp. 231-233.
HEADQUARTERS, COLUMBIA RIVER DISTRICT,
Camp at Fort Walla-Walla, O.T., October 31, 1856.
MAJOR: I have the honor to submit to the major general commanding the department the result of my visit to this place.
In accordance with the instructions from department headquarters, I have seen and talked to the chiefs and headmen of the tribes in this region.
Yesterday we assembled in council at noon; there being present the chiefs Red Wolf, Eagle from the Light, Howlish Wampum, Tintonmetey, and Stickus, also two sons of Looking-Glass, besides several sub-chiefs and headmen of the Nez Percés and Cayuse nations.
I stated to them that I wished to have a full and frank expression of their feelings and dispositions towards the white people; the causes which brought on the war, &c.
The chief, Howlish Wampum, said: "I was at the Dalles when I first heart it intimated that the commissioners were about proceeding to Walla-Walla for the purpose of making a treaty for the purchase of our lands. I came up here; I found the commissioners in council with the Nez Percés. Subsequently the Cayuses were invited to come in. Beef was killed and presents offered; we would accept of nothing; the Cayuses did not want to sell their land; but when we wished to speak the Nez Percés forbid us. It was Lawyer and his people who sold the country. Our hearts have been crying ever since. The hearts of the Indians were bad from that time. The first drop of blood that was shed was caused by that treaty. We had thousands of horses and cattle; the hills and valleys were covered with them; where are they now? Not an animal is to be seen over this wide expanse. Between the hostile Indians and the whites we are stripped of every thing.
The speeches of the other chiefs amounted to the same thing in substance. They all denounced the treaty; both the Cayuses and the Nez Percés were very severe on Lawyer and his party, whom they accuse of having been bought over.
"Eagle from the Light" was sent by Looking-Glass as his representative. He is the sense-bearer and mouth-piece of Looking-Glass. He is a man of much character, and destined, I think to reach the chieftainship of all the Nez Percé nation. His views of the treaty were the same as those of the other chiefs; to it he attributed the first shedding of blood. He said he understood that I came here to "straighten out things;" he wished to know whether the "bloody cloth" was to be washed, to be made white, and all that is past forgotten; or whether the war was to be continued between the white and red man. For his part he was for peace. He desired to see the good talks of the white chiefs and the Indians planted in good soil and grow up together. He desired to live in peace and harmony with the white people.
I remarked to the chiefs and people that the "bloody cloth" should be washed; not a spot should be left upon it. That the Great Spirit had created both the white and red man, and commanded us to "love one another." That all past differences must be thrown behind us. That the hatchet must be buried, and that for the future perpetual friendship must exist between us. That the good talks we had this day listened to should be planted and grow up in our hearts, and drive away all bad feelings, and preserve peace and friendship between us forever. I told them to put what I said in their hearts, and when they returned to their homes to repeat it to all their friends.
I have not pretended to give, verbatim, all that was said by the chiefs or myself, only the substance of our talk, but sufficient to enable the General to understand their feelings and wants. I am fully satisfied with all that has been said. Peace and quiet can be easily maintained. The Indians are perfectly satisfied with the establishment of a military post here. All they want is quiet and protection. . . .
I must express my decided opposition to the treaty of Walla-Walla. I pray it may never be confirmed. All the chiefs in this and the Yakima country, whom I have seen, are violently opposed to it. Give them back those treaties and no cause for war exists. They proclaim that unfair means were used; whether so or not, the Indians will not be contented until those treaties are restored. . . .