A History of Oregon, 1792-1849 Part 62

threatened attack upon Fort Nez Perces (Wallawalla).

That part of Mr. Douglas's letter relating to Mr. Rogers' supposed statement to the Indians, the brother (still living) has requested Mr.

Douglas to explain; but no explanation has been given. We know, from the depositions given, that Mr. Douglas made the statement without evidence of its truth; and it is evident he is too stubborn or proud to acknowledge or explain his error.

There is one other fact in connection with this transaction that looks dark on the part of Sir James Douglas.

It is shown in the dates of the several letters. Mr. Hinman's is dated December 4; Mr. Douglas's, December 7; that to the Sandwich Islands, December 9. Now, between the 4th and 7th are three days. In a case of so much importance, and professed sympathy,--as expressed in his letter,--how is it, that three, or even two days were allowed to pa.s.s without sending a dispatch informing Governor Abernethy of what had happened, and of what was expected to take place? which last he had left out of his letter, and the copy of McBean's; but does inform him of the threatened danger to Fort Nez Perces, as coming from McBean.

Mr. Douglas is prompt to urge the removal of Mr. Spalding, but unreasonably slow to send an express twenty or thirty miles to notify the American settlement of its danger.

We wish to say, once for all, that we are not giving the private history or character of any man or set of men. Their public conduct and proceedings are a part of our history. Mr. Douglas was, at the time we are writing, the acknowledged head of the Hudson's Bay Company, and, as such, acted and controlled the movements of its members. Bishop Blanchet was the acknowledged head of the Roman Church, and, as such, acted with Mr. Douglas; for while not one Roman priest, or a servant of either of these two parties were disturbed or harmed in the least, all Protestant missionaries and American citizens were either killed, or driven from the upper country by order of that company. As Robert Newell a.s.serts, under date of October 25, 1866: "_And they could not have remained in the country a week_ without the consent and aid of that company, nor could any mission, in my opinion, in those days have been established in this (Wallamet) or that (Wallawalla) valley, without the aid and influence of the Hudson's Bay Company, nor could the settlers have remained in the country as they did up to 1848, for the same reasons."

This statement is made by a gentleman who professes to know more of, and has been (without a question) more favored by the Hudson's Bay Company than any other American in the country. If his statement is true, which we have no doubt he believes it to be, then who is responsible for all the murders of American hunters, trappers, missionaries, immigrants, and settlers on their way to our country and in it. But we will not risk our conclusions upon the statement of an individual, who is totally ignorant of the policy of the company he undertakes to defend. We have, in addition, the sworn statement of Sir James Douglas as to the power and influence of his company, one year previous to the cutting off of the missionary settlement at Wailatpu.

He says, under oath: "Their posts were so arranged as to practically enjoy a monopoly in the fur trade, and they possessed an extraordinary influence with the nations west of the Rocky Mountains." (Answer to interrogatory in claim Hudson's Bay Company _v._ United States.)

That this influence was exerted to destroy that mission there can be no question; and that the same influence has since been exerted to spread, far and wide, statements originated by them and their a.s.sociates to blast the character of the dead, and destroy the influence of the living in the cause of truth, is equally true.

We find it stated in Brouillet's narrative that the most friendly and cordial relations existed between the Hudson's Bay Company and his mission; so much so, that he is present by special invitation at Mr.

Ogden's council for arranging the purchase of the captives. He informs us, on page 69, "Protestantism in Oregon," that Mr. Ogden told them that "the Hudson's Bay Company had never deceived them; that he hoped they would listen to his words; that the company did not meddle with the affairs of the Americans; that there were _three parties_; the _Americans_ on one side, the _Cayuses_ on the other, and the _French_ people and the _priests_ in the middle; the company was there to trade and the priests to teach them their duties; 'Listen to the priests,'

said he, several times; 'listen to the priests; they will teach you how to keep a good life; the priests do not come to make war; they carry no arms,--they carry but their crucifixes,[15] and with them they can not kill.' He _insisted particularly_, and at several times, upon the _distinction necessary_ to be made between the affairs of the company and those of the Americans."

[Footnote 15] The Oblates, who constantly carry a crucifix on their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, were present.

The company's interests must not be interfered with. The professions of sympathy found in Mr. Douglas's letters are all explained, when the facts are fully developed. The complaint of the company, as stated in the memorial presented to the commissioners, April 17, 1865 (Hudson's Bay Company _v._ United States, page 19), states that "among these circ.u.mstances may be specified the aggressive acts and the general conduct of American citizens, and of persons acting under the authority of the United States, commencing shortly after the 15th of June, 1846, and continuing from year to year, by which the rights of the claimants under that treaty were violated and denied, and their property and possessions were, in some instances, usurped and taken from them, and, in others, were necessarily abandoned. This course of conduct was, perhaps, to be expected, from the anomalous position in which the company was placed,--a foreign corporation exercising a _quasi_ sovereignty and exclusive rights over territory transferred to a power whose policy in dealing with such territory was diametrically opposed to that which the company pursued, and from which they derived their profits."

This complaint demands careful consideration at the present time. The statements of Mr. Ogden to the Indians, the memorial of the company, and the testimony it has produced in support of its claims, the statements and correspondence of the Jesuit missionaries, all go to prove the settled policy of the company to maintain its "_quasi_ sovereignty" and exclusive a.s.serted claims to the country at the time of the Wailatpu ma.s.sacre.

That company, with less than half its then powerful influence and capital, had compelled the more powerful and active French-Canadian Northwest Company, numerically stronger than itself, to yield and accept its terms of a union in 1821.

They had driven from the country all American traders. They had, as they vainly imagined, secured an influence in the provisional American government sufficient to control all danger from that source, while they were ready to let loose the Indians upon the settlers, and prepared to supply them with the means to destroy or drive them from the country.

CHAPTER LXI.

Preliminary events of the Cayuse war.--Message of Governor Abernethy.--Journal of the house.--Resolutions.--a.s.sembling of the people at the call of the governor.--Enlisting of men.--Names of the volunteers.--Names of the officers.--Their flag.--Their departure.--Letter to Sir James Douglas.--His reply.--Commissioners return.--Address to the citizens.--Public meeting.--Report of commissioners to the Legislature.--Messenger sent to Washington.--Memorial to Congress.--Champoeg County tax.--Strength of the settlement called for.--Bishop Blanchet's letter to Governor Abernethy.

_Message of Governor Abernethy._

OREGON CITY, December 8, 1847.

GENTLEMEN,--It is my painful duty to lay the inclosed communications before your honorable body. They will give you the particulars of the horrible ma.s.sacre committed by the Cayuse Indians on the residents at Wailatpu. This is one of the most distressing circ.u.mstances that has occurred in our Territory, and one that calls for immediate and prompt action. I am aware that to meet this case funds will be required, and suggest the propriety of applying to the Hudson's Bay Company and the merchants of this place for a loan to carry out whatever plan you may fix upon. I have no doubt but the expense attending this affair will be promptly met by the United States government.

The wives and children of the murdered persons, the Rev. Mr. Spalding and family, and all others who may be in the upper country, should at once be proffered a.s.sistance, and an escort to convey them to places of safety. I have the honor to remain, gentlemen,

Your obedient servant,

GEORGE ABERNETHY.

To the Honorable Legislative a.s.sembly, Oregon.

_Journal of the House, December 8, 1847_

At two o'clock the house met. The sergeant-at-arms announced a special communication from the governor, which was read by the clerk. It consisted of letters from Messrs. Douglas and McBean, of the forts on the Columbia, announcing the horrid murder of Dr. Whitman's family and others, accompanied by a letter from the governor, praying the immediate action of the house in the matter.

Mr. Meek moved the reference of the communications to a committee of the whole house, which was lost. Mr. Nesmith offered the following, which was adopted:--

"_Resolved_, That the governor be, and is hereby, authorized and required to raise, arm, and equip a company of riflemen, not to exceed fifty men, with their captain and subaltern officers, and dispatch them forthwith to occupy the mission station at the Dalles, on the Columbia River, and hold possession until re-enforcements can arrive at that point, or other means be taken, as the government thinks advisable."

Messrs. Nesmith, Reese, and Crawford were appointed a committee to wait on the governor and inform him of said resolution.

The communications concerning the Indian depredations were referred to a committee consisting of Messrs. Ford, Rector, and White.

The committee appointed to wait on the governor concerning the resolution for raising a company of riflemen, reported that they had discharged their duty, and received, in answer, that the governor will use his utmost endeavors to accomplish the object.

The governor called the people together in the evening, and, after the statements of the object of the meeting, some forcible and earnest remarks from Judge Nesmith and Messrs. Lee, Barlow, and others, the enrollment of the first company of Oregon riflemen commenced.

The following true and n.o.ble-hearted men sprang to arms, and, in fifteen hours from the time they had enrolled their names as defenders of Oregon, were on their way to protect their own and their countrymen's lives from Hudson's Bay Company, Jesuitical, and Indian savagism.

We will give the names of this n.o.ble little band a place in the history of the country they were so prompt and ready to defend. They are as follows:--

Joseph B. Proctor, J. S. Rinearson, H. A. G. Lee, Thomas Purvis, J. Magone, C. Richardson, J. E. Ross, Isaac Walgamoutts, John G. Gibson, B. B. Rogers, Benjamin Bratton, Samuel K. Barlow, Wm. Berry, John Bolton, George Moore, Henry W. Coe, William Buckman, S. A. Jackson, Jacob Witchey, John Fleming, A. C. Little, A. J. Thomas, George Westby, Edward Robson, Andrew Wise, D. Averson, J. H. McMellen, John C. Danford, W. M. Carpenter, Lucius Marsh, Joel McKee, H. Levalley, J. W. Morgan, O. Tupper, R. S. Tupper, C. H. Devendorf, John Hiner, C. W. Savage, G. H. Bosworth, Jacob Johnson, Stephen c.u.mmings, George Weston.

Forty-two as n.o.ble and true men as ever breathed. They were soon organized under a set of energetic and brave young officers, who feared no danger, and were ready to meet in open fight the combined enemies of their country's rights upon the sh.o.r.es of the Pacific or in the mountains or valleys of Oregon. Their officers were:--

_Captain_, H. A. G. Lee.

_First Lieutenant_, J. Magone.

_Second Lieutenant_, J. E. Ross.

_Commissary_, C. H. Devendorf.

_Surgeon_, W. M. Carpenter, M. D.

_First Sergeant_, J. S. Rinearson.

_Second Sergeant_, W. Savage.

_Third Sergeant_, Wm. Berry.

_First Corporal_, Stephen c.u.mmings.

_Second Corporal_, J. H. McMellen.

"At twelve o'clock on the afternoon of Tuesday, the company a.s.sembled at the City Hotel, where they were presented with an appropriate flag, by Judge Nesmith, in behalf of the ladies of Oregon City, with an appropriate address. (No record of that address or of the names of the donors can be found.) Captain Lee, on the part of the company, made an exceedingly happy reply upon receiving the beautiful token of the patriotism of the lovely donors."

In two hours after, the company started, amid the firing of cannon and the cheers of the a.s.sembled citizens. It speaks well for our city, that in less than twenty-four hours this detachment was raised and had started for the scene of action.