Chief Joseph

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.

Let me be a free man; free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I chose, free to chose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to trade and think and act for myself, and I will obey every law or submit to the penalty.

We do not want churches because they will teach us to quarrel about God. . . .

Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. >From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.

Our chiefs are killed. . . . The little children are freezing to death. . . . My people have no blankets, no food. . . . My heart is sick and sad. . . . I will fight no more forever.

It does not require many words to speak the truth.