The Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society Part 22

THE OREGON.

The editor of the _New York Commercial_ has read letters from the Oregon Territory, brought overland and mailed at the extreme western frontier of the United States. They are as late as June 17th, from the Methodist missionary station at Willamette. The Rev. Mr. Gary, who was sent out by that missionary society, had arrived at Willamette _via_ the Sandwich Islands, himself and wife in good health. Mr. Gary had been but a short time in Oregon when an opportunity offered of sending a communication to the Board of Missions by a small party who were about to return to the United States. He had, however, seen all the mission family, except Rev. Mr. Perkins, who was at a distant post. The missionaries and their families were in good health at the date above mentioned. No event of special interest regarding the mission had taken place since last previous advices. Mr.

Gary concurs, with several missionaries who have returned from that far country, in the opinion that the natives are a degraded race of beings, and that there is little prospect of doing them permanent good by any ministerial labor which may be expended among them.

From the _Weston Journal_, January 18, 1845.

OREGON AND CALIFORNIA.

A gentleman well qualified for the task has prepared a pamphlet, called a guide to Oregon and California, which will probably be published during the present winter. The readers of the _New Era_ will recollect several well written communications on that subject published during the past year, which emanated from the same pen. The writer has lived in Oregon and California, has traveled different routes to and from those regions, and is well qualified to give full and satisfactory information to emigrants and other persons.

Success to his efforts.--_New Era._

From the _Weston Journal_, January 25, 1845.

OREGON.

(Editorial.)

Congress may provide for the occupation of it--for the formation of a territorial government--they may establish posts and a military road across the mountains, and encourage emigration in every possible manner, and the whole will not contribute so much towards its settlement as the negotiations of a treaty with China, opening to us a market for our products in that country. If the one now before Congress has done so, Great Britain may set her claim to the Columbia--it will be a claim for but a short time. Our shipping, farmers, merchants, and tradesmen will soon find a road to a country possessing the advantages the west side of the American continent would possess, in that event, and but a short time would elapse before China would be supplied by American skill and industry, from the mouth of the Columbia, with all she would admit.

The _Weston Journal_, March 1, 1845, under heading, "Oregon Territory," speaks of a bill introduced into the Senate proposing that Oregon include: All the territory lying west of the Missouri River south of the forty-ninth degree of north lat.i.tude and east of the Rocky Mountains, and north of the boundary line between the United States and Texas, not included within the limits of any State, and also over the territory comprising the Rocky Mountains, and country between them and the Pacific Ocean south of fifty-fourth degree and forty-nine minutes of north lat.i.tude, and north of the forty-second degree of north lat.i.tude, etc. [!!!]

From the _Weston Journal_, March 1, 1845.

RAILROAD TO OREGON.

The _Philadelphia Ledger's_ Washington correspondent says that Mr. Whitney, of New York, contemplates the construction of a railroad from the western sh.o.r.e of Lake Michigan, in a direct line through to the Columbia River, covering the distance of some 2,100 miles, which shall be the point of debarkation to China.

The cost of the road, when completed, is estimated at fifty millions of dollars, and twenty-five years would be required to perfect the scheme. Eight days would be about the traveling time from New York City to the terminus of the road, and if [steamship?] facilities were employed, some twenty-five more would convey one to Amoy, in China, so that by this short cut, a journey across the globe might be accomplished within the narrow limit of a single month.

By the establishment of this means of communication, we should be enabled to command the Chinese market, and to extend our commerce with South America, Mexico, India, and other parts.

And, in addition to the vast results that would necessarily ensue from this work by the force of circ.u.mstances, we should secure the transportation of the English trade on account of the great shortening of time.

All the cooperation and a.s.sistance that Mr. Whitney asks the government is a grant of sixty miles wide of the public land, from one terminus of the contemplated road to the other, for which a full consideration would be given in carrying the mails, and transporting ammunition stores, soldiers, and all public matters free of cost.

From the _Weston Journal_, March 15, 1845.

OREGON EMIGRANTS.

Preparations are making on the whole frontier, by the Oregon emigrants, to leave at an early day. One company goes from Savannah, another from some point between that and this, and the company from this county, we understand, will leave at Fort Leavenworth, or its neighborhood. One of the emigrants who goes with the Savannah company informs us that not less than one hundred families will leave at Elizabethtown, and thirty families from the other points. The number from this county we do not know. * * * A committee has submitted some rules and regulations for the intending emigrants. They have not yet had a meeting to adopt them, but they no doubt will do so. They go about it in the right way, and the rules and regulations are such as to secure order and method. They expect to leave about the first of April, if the gra.s.s is sufficient, or as soon thereafter as it is.

REPORT

Of the committee appointed to draft a const.i.tution for "Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company."

Whereas, in order the better to prepare the way for and to accomplish our journey to Oregon with greater harmony, it was deemed advisable to adopt certain rules and regulations; and whereas the undersigned, having been appointed a committee to draft and prepare said rules and regulations, and having given the subject that attention which its importance demands, beg leave respectfully to report the following as the result of their deliberations, viz:

-- 1. This a.s.sociation shall be known by the style and name of the "Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company."

-- 2. Any person over the age of sixteen may become a member of this company by subscribing to this const.i.tution and paying into the treasury the initiation fee of one dollar.

-- 3. No person under the age of twenty-one years can become a member without the consent of their legal guardian.

-- 4. No person shall be admitted whose intention is obviously apparent to avoid payment of his debts.

-- 5. A majority of the members shall have power to expel any member for good cause.

-- 6. The officers of this company shall consist of a president, commandant captain, lieutenant, secretary, treasurer, and executive council of thirteen, the commandant being one thereof, and such other inferior military officers as the executive council shall determine.

-- 7. The president shall be elected on the adoption of this const.i.tution, and shall continue in office until the commandant captain shall be elected, when his functions as presiding officer shall cease.

-- 8. The secretary shall be elected on the adoption of this const.i.tution, and shall continue in office until the completion of the objects of this company; and he shall keep a record of the transactions of the company, and perform such other duties as usually pertain to his office.

-- 9. The treasurer (ditto as to election) shall collect and safely keep, and at the direction of the commandant shall disburse all moneys belonging to the company.

-- 10. The commandant captain, lieutenant, and such other military officers as the council shall determine, shall be elected when the company shall a.s.semble at rendezvous preparatory to a final start; and they shall hold office until the completion of their journey, and shall perform such duties as usually appertain to military officers of their respective grades.

-- 11. The executive council, to consist of twelve men, beside the commandant, shall be elected when a.s.sembled at the rendezvous, and shall have general superintendence of the affairs of the company, and perform such other duties as may be a.s.signed to them.

-- 12. The company shall elect, at least one month before the rendezvous, three inspectors (not members of the company), whose duty it shall be, after taking oath, to perform all duty faithfully, to inspect the wagons, teams, cattle, and provisions, and report to the executive council, who shall determine upon their report as regards the outfit of all members of the company; said inspectors to be paid a sum not exceeding one dollar for every day actually engaged in such services.

-- 13. The funds of the company shall be faithfully applied for contingent expenses in furthering the objects of the a.s.sociation.

-- 14. The necessary outfit shall consist of 150 pounds of flour, or 200 pounds of meal, and 60 pounds of bacon for every person (excepting infants) in the company.

-- 15. The wagons shall be expected to be able to carry double the amount of their loads, and the teams to be able to draw double the amount the wagons are capable of bearing.

-- 16. All cattle, excepting teams in use, shall be considered as common stock; an inventory of age, brand, kind, and number, shall be handed in by the contributor to the secretary, and at the termination of the journey the company shall account to each contributor for the amount inventoried.

-- 17. The number of cattle thus inventoried and put in shall never exceed fifty to one driver.

-- 18. No ardent spirits to be taken or drank on the route, except for medicinal purposes, and if smuggled in shall, when discovered, be destroyed under the control of the commandant.

-- 19. Every person over the age of sixteen shall furnish himself with a good and sufficient rifle, ---- pounds of powder, and ---- pounds of lead, to be inspected by the inspector, and reported on as in other cases.

-- 20. All members of this a.s.sociation shall a.s.semble at ----, and on the ---- day of ----, 1845, and organize for the final trip.

-- 21. * * * This const.i.tution may be altered or amended at any time by a vote of two thirds of the members present at any regular meeting of the company, or at any special meeting called by the commandant.