Dr. John McLoughlin, the Father of Oregon Part 9

_Rev. Jason Lee's visit to the Eastern States in 1838; and his Report to the Missionary Board at New York in 1844._

On arriving in the Eastern States in 1838 Rev. Jason Lee seems to have become imbued with the zeal and fervor of an evangelist in regard to christianizing the Oregon Indians, and the necessity of more missionaries in Oregon. Rev. Dr. Hines in his _Missionary History of the Pacific Northwest_, p. 194, says: "Mr. Lee devoted the winter of 1838 and the summer of 1839 to traveling and delivering missionary addresses in the cities and larger towns of the Atlantic states. He was accompanied in his journeys by the two Indian boys, Wm. Brooks and Thomas Adams, brought with him from his missionary school in Oregon, whose presence and intelligent speeches added greatly to the popular enthusiasm. Lee's appeals were irresistible. The fire of his zeal caught on the altars of the church everywhere. Oregon and the Oregon Mission fired the heart of the church as no mission ever did before. The age of apostolic fervor seemed to have returned, and Lee was in the eye of the church like the great Apostle to the Gentiles building on no other man's foundation. The thought of distant wilds, where uncounted red men waited and longed for deliverance from the darkness of heathenism that had wrapped all their race for all these ages became an ever present vision to the church of the United States." In this _History_, p. 195, Dr.

Hines also says: "Poverty donated its little; wealth gave its 'gold, frankincense, and myrrh.'... The culture of Boston responded; the pride of New York cast its jewels into the treasury. The staid sobriety of Philadelphia wept and shouted and gave. Baltimore out-did the renown of her ancient missionary fame. Lee, erst the lumberman of Canada, later the pioneer missionary, who had dipped his banner in the spray of the Pacific was the hero of the hour." But in his oral report to the Missionary Board in July, 1844, after quoting the following from the letter of a complaining fellow missionary who went to Oregon on the Lausanne: "And indeed they [the Indians] have no life or energy and are a melancholy, doomed race," Jason Lee said: "I think this is in part true, the Indians on the Willamette will become, as a distinct race, extinct. But I think there will be more Indian blood through amalgamation, running in the veins of white men a hundred years hence, than would have been running in the veins of the Indians, if they had been left to themselves."

In July, 1844, Rev. Jason Lee made an oral report to the Missionary Board in New York. This report was not reduced to writing in full but a brief statement of it was made. A copy of this report, as reduced to writing, corrected by, and in Jason Lee's handwriting, is in the possession of the Oregon Historical Society. The princ.i.p.al serious charges made against Jason Lee, and which caused his summary removal as Superintendent of the Oregon Methodist Mission, had been made secretly, and without notice to him, by members of the Oregon Mission. Lee answered these charges in detail, occasionally with some indignation.

These charges against Jason Lee were: using the Mission's funds for speculation for his own use; misuse of Mission funds; and failure to report concerning the property of the Mission.

In this report Jason Lee said of certain Methodist missionaries:

"In one of Bro. Abernethy's letters, he tells you that the Superintendent [Jason Lee] refused to send the report of the state of the property home. There is some error in this. I cannot, I will not, believe that A. intended to charge me with opposing the sending of that report.

"Before I had left Oregon I was aware that Bro. Hines had written to the Board. He had read part of his communication to some persons, who had hinted to me about it. He started from Oregon with me, and I was in hopes we should have met face to face before this Board. He returned, however, from the Sandwich Islands to Oregon.

"Bro. Kone complains of my treatment of him, and professes to know my secret reasons for wis.h.i.+ng to keep all in the field. I never had any _secret_ reasons.... Bro. Kone by his injudicious remarks caused great excitement among the laymen, and made much difficulty.

"He considered Dr. Richmond his enemy because he had so declared himself, and sent word to him [Mr. Lee] that he was his antagonist. And he hoped as they had heard his enemy they would hear him.

"Of Bro. Frost I cannot say much. He has made no thorough effort to bring sinners to G.o.d. I mean such an effort as would render it probable that these Indians could not be benefited by the Gospel."

In this report Jason Lee also spoke of some other Methodist missionaries who had made charges against him, without giving their names.

As the Board seems to have exonerated Jason Lee from all charges, it must have found that these charges made in Oregon were untrue, or unfounded, or not justified. Exonerating Jason Lee was, in effect, condemning those persons who made the charges, and finding that their charges were false. In this report Rev. Jason Lee also said: "When the Board sent out its last large reinforcement, its object in my view and I believe in theirs was that Methodism should spread throughout Oregon; for what purpose else, I ask, did so large a number of laymen go out? If it was only to form one or two stations, it appears to me that both the Board and myself as their agent must have taken leave of our senses. If my a.s.sociates had stood firm to their post, and persevered willingly in the work consigned them, I have not a doubt but far more favorable accounts would have reached you from that distant country. The plans I a.s.sert were well formed and had I been sustained the object would have been accomplished. A great mistake was made in selecting some of those who were sent out. I allude not to the number but the qualifications of certain individuals. I forewarned the Oregon Committee that if the persons who applied for situations were not examined by a proper committee the plan would fail. Such proved to be the case. As proof I aver that we had not reached our first stopping place in South America, before some desired to return to the United States, and even after touching at the S. [Sandwich] Islands before we had reached Oregon one wanted to return and secure the Chaplaincy at the Islands. I have had much to contend with, and I regret that men of more steadfast minds had not been chosen. Such persons do more injury to a distant Mission than they do good, and no one knows the difficulties I have had to pa.s.s through."

In this report Rev. Jason Lee said further: "He [Dr. McLoughlin] is a Catholic. Previous to the Priests going there, I was his intimate friend,--his confidant. Such was my influence with the Canadian part of the settlement, that they would have been pleased to give me their church and have no Priest come. Since my return I have not time to instruct their children as we used to do, and the Priests have taken them."

DOc.u.mENT F

_Excerpts from Narrative of Commodore Charles Wilkes, U. S. N., published in Philadelphia in 1845._

Commander Charles Wilkes of the United States Navy, (afterwards Commodore) had charge of an exploring expedition during the years 1838-1842, which came to the Oregon Country in 1841. His squadron consisted of six vessels, which arrived at Puget Sound in 1841. He left his s.h.i.+ps at Puget Sound and came overland to Vancouver in May, 1841. In his narrative of his exploring expedition, published in 1845, Wilkes says, (vol. IV, p. 327): "He [Dr. McLoughlin] is a tall fine-looking person, of a very robust frame, with a frank, manly, open countenance, and a florid complexion; his hair is perfectly white. He gave us that kind reception we had been led to expect from his well known hospitality. He is of Scotch parentage, but by birth, a Canadian, enthusiastic in disposition, possessing great energy of character, and extremely well suited for the situation he occupies, which requires great talent and industry. He at once ordered dinner for us, and we soon felt ourselves at home, having comfortable rooms a.s.signed us, and being treated as part of the establishment." And on page 331 he says: "The liberality and freedom from sectarian principles of Dr. M'Loughlin may be estimated from his being thus hospitable to missionaries of so many Protestant denominations, although he is a professed Catholic, and has a priest of the same faith officiating daily at the chapel. Religious toleration is allowed in its fullest extent. The dining-hall is given up on Sunday to the use of the ritual of the Anglican Church, and Mr.

Dougla.s.s or a missionary reads the service.... Messrs. Griffith and Clarke were entirely disappointed in finding self-support here, and had it not been for the kindness of Dr. M'Loughlin, who took them in, they would have suffered much. They were advised to settle themselves on the Faulitz Plains, where I have understood they have since taken land, and succeeded in acquiring quite respectable farms."

June 3, 1841, Wilkes left Vancouver to make an exploring trip up the Willamette Valley. In his account of this trip he says in his narrative, (vol. IV, pp. 343-344): "We reached the falls about noon, where we found the missionary station under the charge of the Rev. Mr. Waller.... There was a petty dispute between Mr. Waller and the [Hudson's Bay] Company, and he complained of them. It seems that the Company refuse to buy any beaver-skins, except from the hunters and trappers; and he accuses them of monopoly in consequence. The Company, on the other hand, say that they have no idea of selling goods out of their own stores, for the purpose of enabling others to enter into compet.i.tion with them; and that they will spare no expense to keep the trade, as long as they can, in their own hands. This is certainly not unfair. I cannot help feeling it is quite unsuited to the life of a missionary, to be entering into trade of any kind. To embark in traffic must, I think, tend to destroy the usefulness of a missionary, or divert his attention from the great cause in which he is engaged. I am very far from attaching any blame on this account to the missionaries, whose avowed object is to teach the arts of civilization, as well as the Word of G.o.d, and I have no doubt that they are doing all in their power to promote the latter object; but I am disposed to think, that any complaints against the Hudson Bay Company for endeavouring to keep the trade in their own hands, comes with an ill grace from the members of a Mission who are daily receiving the kindest attentions and hospitality from its officers." In vol. IV, p. 351, he says: "The lands of the Methodist Mission are situated on the banks of the Willamette river, on a rich plain adjacent to fine forests of oak and pine. They are about eight miles beyond the Catholic Mission, consequently eighteen miles from Champooing, in a southern direction....

We had the expectation of getting a sight of the Indians on whom they were inculcating good habits and teaching the word of G.o.d; but with the exception of four Indian servants, we saw none since leaving the Catholic Mission. On inquiring, I was informed that they had a school of twenty pupils, some ten miles distant, at the mill; that there were but few adult Indians in the neighborhood; and that their intention and princ.i.p.al hope was to establish a colony, and by their example to induce the white settlers to locate near those over whom they trusted to exercise a moral and religious influence."

In vol. IV, p. 352, he says: "The next day the gentlemen of the Mission proposed a ride to what they term 'the Mill,' distant about nine miles, in a southeast direction.... We reached 'the Mill' by noon, which consists of a small grist and saw mill on the borders of an extensive prairie. They are both under the same roof, and are worked by a horizontal wheel.... From the number of persons about the premises, this little spot had the air and stir of a new secular settlement; and I understood that it is intended to be the permanent location of the Mission, being considered more healthy than the bank of the Willamette.

The missionaries, as they told me, have made individual selections of lands to the amount of one thousand acres each, in prospect of the whole country falling under our laws."

On page 355 of the same volume he says: "I am aware that the missionaries come out to this country to colonize, and with the Christian religion as their guide and law, to give the necessary instruction, and hold out inducements to the Indians to quit their wandering habits, settle, and become cultivators of the soil. This object has not been yet attained in any degree, as was admitted by the missionaries themselves; and how it is to be effected without having constantly around them large numbers, and without exertions and strenuous efforts, I am at a loss to conceive. I cannot but believe, that the same labour and money which have been expended here, would have been much more appropriately and usefully spent among the tribes about the Straits of Juan de Fuca, who are numerous, and fit objects for instruction." And on page 356 Commander Wilkes says: "Three years since, O'Neill came to the valley with only a s.h.i.+rt to his back, as he expressed it; he began by working part of this farm, and obtained the loan of cattle and other articles from Dr. M'Loughlin, all of which he has, from the natural increase of his stock and out of his crops, since repaid. He has bought the farm, has two hundred head of stock, horses to ride on, and a good suit of clothes, all earned by his own industry; and he says it is only necessary for him to work one month in the year to make a living; the rest of the time he may amuse himself. He spoke in the highest terms of Dr. M'Loughlin, and the generous aid he had afforded him in the beginning."

The Peac.o.c.k, one of the vessels of the squadron, was wrecked July 18, 1841, on a spit near Cape Disappointment on the north side of the entrance to the Columbia River, ever since known as Peac.o.c.k Spit. The vessel was a total loss. Commander Wilkes says that the crew of the Peac.o.c.k were supplied with clothing through the kindness of Dr.

McLoughlin and the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company. Wilkes further says that "every facility has been at all times extended [by Dr.

McLoughlin] to newcomers and settlers; it is sufficient that they are of good character, and the use of cattle, horses, farming utensils, and supplies, is invariably extended to facilitate their operations, until such time as they are able to provide for themselves." At the time of the wreck of the Peac.o.c.k, there was lying at Astoria the American brig Thomas H. Perkins. She was under charter to the Hudson's Bay Company.

Dr. McLoughlin readily agreed to surrender the charter party for a small consideration, if the goods he had on board were delivered at Fort Vancouver. This Wilkes agreed to and purchased the brig. He changed her name to the "Oregon." In August, 1841, the Oregon was taken to Fort Vancouver to be repaired and outfitted. In the meantime Wilkes proceeded slowly up the Columbia River in the naval gun-brig Porpoise, of two hundred and thirty tons, making a survey of the river. The Porpoise arrived at Fort Vancouver August 28, and remained there until September 14, 1841. The expedition was treated with kindness and courtesy while at Fort Vancouver.

Fresh beef seems to have been scarce even in 1841. Wilkes in his narrative says that on September 27, 1841, the Porpoise was at Puget's Island, near Cathlamet. Here he was joined by Michel La Framboise, in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company, "who brought a supply of fresh beef for the crew, which they were much in need of." On leaving the Columbia River, Wilkes addressed a letter from Baker's Bay, dated October 5, 1841, to Dr. McLoughlin and James Douglas as Chief Factors of the Hudson's Bay Company, giving thanks "for the important aid and facilities which you have afforded the Expedition on all occasions, for carrying out the object of our visit to this part of the world;" and saying, "be a.s.sured it will prove a very pleasing part of my duty to make a due representation of it to my government." And also saying: "Your personal kindness and friendly attention to myself and officers, from our first arrival, and also to Captain Hudson and his officers after the wreck of the Peac.o.c.k, have laid me under many obligations which I trust it may be at some future day in our power to return."

(Vol. V, p. 147).

DOc.u.mENT G

_Letter from Henry Brallier to Frederick V. Holman of October 27, 1905._

Since I delivered my address on McLoughlin Day, I have received the following letter. The persons referred to are probably a small party, who came to Oregon prior to 1840. There were several small parties of immigrants to Oregon, who came prior to 1842. Robert Shortess came overland in 1839 and 1840 to Oregon with one of these parties.

"Seaside, Oct. 27, 1905."

"Mr. Frederick V. Holman, "Portland, Oregon.

"Dear Sir: In the Sunday _Oregonian_ of the 15th of this month I see an interesting account of Dr. McLoughlin, but one act of his that showed his human kindness, I have never seen in print.

This a man by the name of Marech.e.l.l told me. He was an old Hudson's Bay man who died here in his eighty-sixth year. He could not recollect the exact year, but it was a year or two after Wyeth came, the emigrants got lost in the head waters of Snake River, and would have all perished but the Indians brought word from one tribe to another about them being there, until it reached Fort Vancouver. When the Doctor heard it, he rushed around like one wild and called, 'Where is Marech.e.l.l!

Where is La Framboise.' He started them with a lot of provisions in their canoes, with some others to help to the Cascades, there to pack them over, then get them in their canoes again, take them to The Dalles, and there they got ponies to pack them on their journey to the emigrants, a weary trip. And after some two weeks' trip, they found the emigrants encamped in a small valley, there still to live a short time and then starve to death. He said if ever it tried a man's soul, then it did his. The poor women came running to him, fell on their knees, hugging them and crying. Men crying and blessing them and the Doctor for sending them. I often think if there is an upper seat around the throne of G.o.d, that the Doctor and some of those men that were so kind to others, are there now.

"This man Marech.e.l.l came with the Hudson's Bay Company, when he was 12 years of age, with his father. As near as he could tell he was about 22 years of age when he took the trip to find the emigrants.

"I came to the Coast in early '52; to Oregon in '58; to Astoria in '63, and to Seaside soon after. So I knew Marech.e.l.l well, and did see La Framboise a number of times. So what Marech.e.l.l told me I believe is true.

"Beg pardon if this intrudes on your time and patience.

"Respectfully, "HENRY BRALLIER, "Seaside, Oregon."

DOc.u.mENT H

_Shortess Pet.i.tion; excerpts from Gray's "History of Oregon" relating to Shortess Pet.i.tion; and excerpt from speech of Samuel R. Thurston in Congress, December 26, 1850, as to author of Shortess Pet.i.tion._

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

"We, the undersigned, settlers south of the Columbia river, beg leave respectfully to represent to your honorable body:

"As has been before represented to your honorable body, we consider ourselves citizens of the United States, and acknowledge the right of the United States to extend its jurisdiction over us; and the object of the present memorial is to ask that the protection of the United States Government may be extended to us as soon as possible. Hitherto, our numbers have been small, and the few difficulties that arose in the settlement were speedily and satisfactorily settled. But as our settlement increases in numbers, so our difficulties increase in number and importance; and unless we can have laws to govern us that will be respected and obeyed, our situation will be a deplorable one. Where the highest court of appeal is the rifle, safety in life and property cannot be depended on.

"The state of the country, its climate, resources, soil, productions, &c., has already been laid before your honorable body, in Captain Wyeth's memoir and in former memorials from the inhabitants of this place.

"Laws are made to protect the weak against the mighty; and we feel the necessity of them in the steps that are constantly taken by the honorable Hudson Bay Company, in their opposition to the improvement and enterprise of American citizens. You have been apprized already of their opposition to Captains Wyeth, Bonneville, and others; and we find that the same spirit dwells with them at the present day. Some years ago, when the Hudson Bay Company owned all the cattle in Oregon, they would not sell on any conditions; but they would lend their cows to the settler--he returning to the company the cows loaned, with all the increase; and, in case of the death of a cow, he then had the privilege of paying for it. But, after the settlers, at great risk and expense, went to California, and purchased cattle for themselves, and there was a fair prospect of the settlement being supplied, then the Hudson Bay Company were willing to sell, and at lower rates than the settler could sell.

"In the year 1841, feeling the necessity of having mills erected that could supply the settlement with flour and lumber, a number of the inhabitants formed themselves into a joint stock company, for the purpose of supplying the growing wants of the community. [Many of the farmers were obliged to leave their farms on the Willamette, and go six miles above Vancouver, on the Columbia River--making the whole distance about sixty miles--to get their wheat ground, at a great loss of time and expense.] The company was formed, and proceeded to select a site.

They selected an island at the falls of the Willamette, and concluded to commence their operations. After commencing, they are informed by Dr.