Quotes by Chief Joseph

"I will speak with a straight tongue."

"From where the sun now stands I will fight no more."

"When an Indian fights, he only shoots to kill."

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

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

"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."

"For a short time we lived quietly. But this could not last. White men had found gold in the mountains around the land of winding water."

"I am tired of talk that comes to nothing."

"The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clark. They brought many things that our people had never seen. They talked straight. These men were very kind."

"I believe much trouble would be saved if we opened our hearts more."

"The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it."

"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."

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

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

"I said in my heart that, rather than have war, I would give up my country."

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

"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."

"It does not require many words to speak the truth."

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