Chief Joseph is arguing against the injustice of his band of Nez Perce indians being forcibly removed from their land in Oregon. He asserts that no group of men has the right to tell another what to do and that land cannot be owned like an object, saying that any person can go where he pleases. The Wallowa Chief appeal to his audiences emotion by reminding them that the land they are being forced to leave has been their home for generations; it is where they were born and where their ancestors are buried. He also describes the admirable qualities of his father, the Chief before him, and tells of his honest, peaceful struggle to remain on the land. He uses his calm and peaceful attitude to show that though he has faced negative experiences with white men, he remains accepting and simply hopes to use logic to fight his case. This article is very historically significant because it is a clear example of how the Willowa people sought only peace in finding an alternative solution to the demands of relocation they were faced with. It serves as evidence for the alternate route that was not followed before a deadly battle. The author makes a logical argument for peace and was able to win certain concessions for his people, however, it was mostly ineffective because he did not get the harmonious neighbor relationship with white settlers that he believed was possible. He never truly addressed the real issues of those he was opposing. They did not want to live amongst natives and wanted full control of the land.
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Great analysis! This speech was a heart-felt, emotional appeal from a man who truly desired peace and would attempt to avoid war at all costs. I think you hit on the main issue quite well when you identified the reason for the speech's lack of effectiveness as the attitudes of the settlers. No matter what he had said, the reception and end-result would have been the same, the settlers and the U.S. Government would settle for nothing short of total control of the land. The white settlers could not imagine a world in which they could co-exist with the Native Americans, and the Nez Perce could not imagine one in which they could not.
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis Dominic! I found this speech to be a very emotional and to me a straight from the heart speech. You can tell it was not just made up words to get what he wanted. He truly desired peace and wanted nothing to do with war. It is unfortunate that regardless of what he said the end result did not change. Freedom was not going to be granted to him or his people. The settlers only wanted complete control of the land and seemed to care less about anything other then that.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the comment by the last person who commented on your post where they said "The white settlers could not imagine a world in which they could co-exist with the Native Americans, and the Nez Perce could not imagine one in which they could not." - so true yet so sad!!
All he wanted to accomplish was to be free! To be free to travel, to work, to trade, to think, to talk, to act for himself and in return he would obey each and every law. I agree with the text very symbolic and heroic!
Great summary.Chief Joseph was a great man who only wanted to maintain what had been free to his people for generations. They were a self-sustaining people for hundreds of years before the white man came along. His speech was emotional and straight to the point. No man would want to just turn over what had been in his care for generations to anyone. The government and the white man was determined to have the land no matter the cost. The indian was not looked upon as human beings. Their men were not seen as men. They were seen as savages, animals that did not deserve to keep their homes. The Chief's father could see that the white man was greedy and wanted to own something that according to him belonged to the "Great Spirit" not to man. I agree with the comment that it didn't matter what he said in his speech to white people, the result would have been the same. They were intent on taking the land and driving Chief Joseph and his people out to live in small reservations of land. This is speech is very significant to history because it gives voice to the many native indians who were misunderstood and mistreated. The white man's greed and beliefs of superiority nearly wiped out a whole nation of people.
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