A History of Oregon, 1792-1849 Part 63

It is to be regretted that the editor of the Oregon _Spectator_, at the time these deeply-interesting events were occurring, should fill the only public journal on the coast with accounts of personal piques, and allow the remarks of Judge Nesmith and the reply of Captain Lee to pa.s.s with the meager notice we have quoted; that the deeply-stirring events respecting the murder of his countrymen should find so small a place in his editorial. He tells us in this same paper that he means to keep us posted in the war news, but the next paper is filled with a personal war between himself and the directors of the Printing a.s.sociation, about some political resolutions that did no good or harm to anybody, except to show the party spirit then existing in the country, in which he is foolish enough to engage, and degrade his n.o.ble position as a journalist and editor, which compels us to look to other sources for facts relative to the history of those times.

Our little army of braves were accompanied by Governor Abernethy and three commissioners to Vancouver, where they completed their outfit before proceeding to the Dalles.

They arrived at Vancouver on the 10th of December. On the 11th, the commissioners addressed a letter to Mr. Douglas, requesting him to furnish supplies, as follows:--

FORT VANCOUVER, December 11, 1847.

_To James Douglas, Esq._:

SIR,--By the inclosed doc.u.ment you will perceive that the undersigned have been charged by the Legislature of our provisional government with the difficult duty of obtaining the means necessary to arm, equip, and support in the field, a force sufficient to obtain full satisfaction of the Cayuse Indians for the late ma.s.sacre at Wailatpu, and protect the white population of our common country from further aggression.

In pursuance of this object, they have deemed it their duty to make immediate application to the Honorable Hudson's Bay Company for the requisite a.s.sistance.

Though clothed with the power to pledge, to the fullest extent, the faith and means of the present government of Oregon, they do not consider this pledge the only security of those who, in this distressing emergency, may extend to the people of this country the means of protection and redress. Without claiming any especial authority from the government of the United States to contract a debt to be liquidated by that power, yet from all precedents of like character in the history of our country, the undersigned feel confident that the United States government will consider the murder of the late Dr. Whitman and lady as a national wrong, and will fully justify the people of Oregon in taking active measures to obtain redress for that outrage, and for their protection from further aggression.

The right of self-defense is tacitly accorded to every body politic in the confederacy to which we claim to belong and in every case similar to our own, within our knowledge, the general government has promptly a.s.sumed the payment of all liabilities growing out of the measures taken by the const.i.tuted authorities to protect the lives and property of those residing within the limits of their districts.

If the citizens of the States and Territories east of the Rocky Mountains are justified in promptly acting in such emergencies, who are under the immediate protection of the general government, there appears no room to doubt that the lawful acts of the Oregon government will receive a like approval.

Should the temporary character of our government be considered by you sufficient ground to doubt its ability to redeem its pledge, and reasons growing out of its peculiar organization be deemed sufficient to prevent the recognition of its acts by the government of the United States, we feel it our duty, as private individuals, to inquire to what extent and on what terms advances may be had of the Honorable Hudson's Bay Company, to meet the wants of the force the authorities of Oregon deem it their duty to send into the field.

With sentiments of the highest respect, allow us to subscribe ourselves,

Your most obedient servants, JESSE APPLEGATE, } A. L. LOVEJOY, } Commissioners.[16]

GEO. L. CURRY, }

[Footnote 16] Mr. Douglas's reply to the above was, in substance, _a refusal to advance the means asked for in consequence of the stringent rules laid down for his government by the home company_. He, however, upon the security of the governor and two of the commissioners, advanced the amount necessary to fit out the first company of Oregon riflemen, $999.59.--(See report of Loan Commissioners, _Oregon Archives_, p. 323.)

Captain Lee's company received their outfit as per arrangements through the governor, Mr. Applegate, and Mr. Lovejoy, and proceeded to the Dalles. The commissioners returned to Oregon City, and on the 13th December, 1847, addressed the merchants and citizens of Oregon as follows:--

GENTLEMEN,--You are aware that the undersigned have been charged by the Legislature of our provisional government with the difficult duty of obtaining the means necessary to arm, equip, and support in the field a force sufficient to obtain full satisfaction of the Cayuse Indians, for the late ma.s.sacre at Wailatpu, and protect the white population of our common country from further aggression. In furtherance of this object, they have deemed it their duty to make immediate application to the merchants and citizens of the country for the requisite a.s.sistance.[17]

[Footnote 17] The paragraphs here omitted are the same as those addressed to the Hudson's Bay Company.

Though the Indians of the Columbia have committed a great outrage upon our fellow-citizens pa.s.sing through their country, and residing among them, and their punishment for these murders may, and ought to be, a prime object with every citizen of Oregon, yet, as that duty more particularly devolves upon the government of the United States, and admits of delay, we do not make this the strongest ground upon which to found our earnest appeal to you for pecuniary a.s.sistance. It is a fact well known to every person acquainted with the Indian character, that, by pa.s.sing silently over their repeated thefts, robberies, and murders of our fellow-citizens, they have been emboldened to the commission of the appalling ma.s.sacre at Wailatpu. They call us women, dest.i.tute of the hearts and courage of men, and if we allow this wholesale murder to pa.s.s by as former aggressions, who can tell how long either life or property will be secure in any part of this country, or what moment the Wallamet will be the scene of blood and carnage?

The officers of our provisional government have n.o.bly performed their duty. None can doubt the readiness of the patriotic sons of the West to offer their personal service in defense of a cause so righteous; so it now rests with you, gentlemen, to say whether our rights and our firesides shall be defended or not. Hoping that none will be found to falter in so high and so sacred a duty, we beg leave, gentlemen, to subscribe ourselves, your servants and fellow-citizens,

JESSE APPLEGATE, } A. L. LOVEJOY, } Commissioners.

GEO. L. CURRY, }

On the evening of the 13th December, 1847, a public meeting of the citizens was called, and a public loan effected, and subscriptions commenced for the equipment and supply of the army, as will be seen by the following report of the commissioners:--

_To the Honorable the Legislative a.s.sembly of Oregon Territory:_

The undersigned commissioners appointed by your honorable body for the purpose of negotiating a loan to carry into effect the provisions of an act ent.i.tled "An Act to authorize the governor to raise a regiment of volunteers," etc., have the honor to inform you, that, fully realizing the heavy responsibilities attached to their situation, and the peculiarly difficult nature of their duties, they at once determined to act with promptness and energy, and to leave no fair and honorable effort untried that might have a tendency to a successful termination of their undertaking.

They accordingly proceeded to Fort Vancouver on the 10th instant, and there addressed a communication to James Douglas, chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company, a copy of which is already given. The commissioners had antic.i.p.ated the unfavorable reply of Mr. Douglas, as agent of the Hudson's Bay Company, and its only effect was to heighten their zeal and to occasion them stronger hopes of a more satisfactory reliance upon the citizens generally of our common country.

However, two of the commissioners, with the governor, became responsible for the amount of the outfit for the first regiment of Oregon riflemen, being $999.59.

Not at all disheartened by the unsuccessful issue of their mission, the commissioners returned to this city on the 13th instant, and at once entered into negotiations, the revelation of which herewith follows. The commissioners, through a public meeting held at Oregon City, on the night of the 13th instant, addressed the "merchants and citizens of Oregon," at which meeting, from citizens generally, a loan of about one thousand dollars was effected.----The commissioners are happy to state that they have succeeded in negotiating a loan of sixteen hundred dollars from the merchants of Oregon City, with, perhaps, a likelihood of a further advance. The commissioners feel well a.s.sured, from the interest manifested by our fellow-citizens in the matter, and the prompt action they have proposed to take in the several counties in the Territory to a.s.sist the commissioners in the successful discharge of their duties, that the government will ultimately succeed in negotiating an amount adequate to the present emergency of affairs.

The commissioners would beg your honorable body, with as little delay as possible, to appoint appraisers, whose duty it shall be to set a cash valuation upon produce and other property, which may be converted into means to a.s.sist government in its present operations.

Therefore, gentlemen, as we believe we can no longer be useful to our fellow-citizens as a Board, we hope to be permitted to resign our trust into the hands of the proper accounting officers of this government.

We have the honor to remain,

JESSE APPLEGATE, } A. L. LOVEJOY, } Commissioners.

GEO. L. CURRY, }

It will be seen by reference to this last report of the loan commissioners, and the answer to their letter of the 11th December, 1849, that Sir James Douglas had made up his mind to enforce "the _stringent rules_ laid down for his government _by the home company_."

In other words, the time had now arrived to allow the Indians and half-breeds in the country to destroy the missionary settlements that were beginning to extend beyond the Wallamet Valley; and in case they succeeded in defeating the provisional troops, the settlement in the Wallamet would become an easy prey to the combined Indian forces, while the Hudson's Bay Company would pursue its accustomed trade without any further interference from American settlements.

In addition to the proceedings above referred to, the Legislative a.s.sembly, on the 10th of December, on motion of Hon. J. W. Nesmith,--

"_Resolved_, That in view of our critical situation with the powerful tribes of Indians inhabiting the banks of the Columbia, and with whom we are actually in a state of hostilities, it is the duty of this Legislature to dispatch a special messenger, as soon as practicable, to Washington City, for the purpose of securing the immediate influence and protection of the United States government in our internal affairs."

On the 11th December, Cornelius Gilliam was elected by the Legislative a.s.sembly, Colonel Commandant; James Waters, Lieutenant-Colonel; H. A. G.

Lee, Major; and Joel Palmer, Commissary-General, in compliance with the bill pa.s.sed on the 9th, authorizing the governor to call for one regiment of not to exceed five hundred men.

On the 13th, Mr. Nesmith presented a bill to provide for sending a special messenger to Washington.

On the 14th, on motion of Mr. Crawford, "_Resolved_, That a delegation of three persons be appointed by this house to proceed immediately to Wallawalla, and hold a council with the chiefs and princ.i.p.al men of the various tribes on the Columbia, to prevent, if possible, their coalition with the Cayuse tribe in the present difficulties."

On the 15th, it was "_Resolved_, That the commodore of the United States squadron in the Pacific Ocean be solicited to send a vessel of war into the Columbia River for our relief, and to send such other a.s.sistance as may be in his power."

A motion was adopted to appoint a committee of five to prepare a memorial to Congress.

On the 16th, an act was pa.s.sed appropriating one thousand dollars to defray the expenses of J. L. Meek, special messenger to Washington.

On the 17th, Mr. Meek resigned his seat in the Legislative a.s.sembly, preparatory to leaving for the United States with dispatches and a memorial to Congress.

As to what those dispatches were, we have no copy or public doc.u.ment that gives us any information, but we presume he carried a copy of Mr.

McBean's mutilated letter, and one of Sir James Douglas's, such as we have already given; and also the following:

_Memorial to Congress._

"To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress a.s.sembled:

"Your memorialists, the Legislative a.s.sembly of Oregon Territory, would respectfully beg leave once more to lay before your honorable body a brief statement of their situation and wants.

"Having called upon the government of the United States so often in vain, we have almost despaired of receiving its protection, yet we trust that our present situation, when fully laid before you, will at once satisfy your honorable body of the great necessity of extending the strong arm of guardianship and protection over this remote, but beautiful portion of the United States domain.