A History of Oregon, 1792-1849 Part 29

Moss, Gustavus Hines, George W. Le Breton*, Daniel Girtman, C. T.

Arrendrill, A. Touner, David Carter*, J. J. Campbell*, W. Johnson*, John Edmunds, W. Hauxhurst, W. A. Pfieffer, J. Holman, H. B.

Brewer, William C. Sutton. Sixty-five in all.

* It is understood that the persons whose names are marked with an asterisk (*) are now dead; the balance are supposed to be still living.

The foregoing are all the names which appear to the pet.i.tion printed as Senate doc.u.ment 105, and presented to the Senate at the first session of the twenty-eighth Congress.

W. J. MCDONALD, Princ.i.p.al Clerk of Sec'y Senate.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C., Jan. 5, 1866.

Mr. George Abernethy declined to sign this pet.i.tion through fear of injuring the Methodist Mission in its secular or business relations with the Hudson's Bay Company.

Hugh Burns would not sign it because he did not wish Congress to be asked to confirm his t.i.tle to lots and improvements.

Jason Lee, though he thought it right to pet.i.tion Congress for protection, yet on account of his position as superintendent of the Methodist Mission, and the influence of the company against them should he sign it, thought it best not to give his name.

Dr. I. L. Babc.o.c.k refused, because, by signing, he would lose his influence with the company.

Walter Pomeroy, ditto.

Dr. Bailey _did not wish any protection from the Congress of the United States_.

Rev. H. K. W. Perkins was _ashamed_ of the pet.i.tion. "What does Congress care about measuring wheat? or a contest between two milling companies?"

George Gay did not care any thing about it. Congress might do as it pleased; he did not want its protection.

The people in Tualatin Plains did not have an opportunity to sign or refuse for want of time to circulate it in that section. The bearer of it, William C. Sutton, was on his way to the States across the Rocky Mountains. Through the influence of Dr. White, who had clandestinely procured a copy of the pet.i.tion and the names attached, and had made an effort to prevent its reaching Mr. Sutton, it had been delayed, but through the perseverance and promptness of Robert Shortess and A. E.

Wilson, it was sent by Davis and Johnson and some Indians in an express canoe, and reached Mr. Sutton before he left the Cascades. For this service to his country and the persevering efforts of Mr. Shortess to maintain the rights of American citizens in it, he was early placed under the ban of the Hudson's Bay Company, and, it may be added, the Methodist Mission; and reports prejudicial to him have been freely and persistently kept before the public mind, as also against any others that have taken an active part against the infamous and despotic course of that company. This is to weaken their testimony, and to render them powerless to prevent the present proposed robbing of our national treasury. Instead of paying one dime to that company for doing all they dared to do to prevent the settlement of Oregon by Americans, a pension should be paid to Robert Shortess and many others who dared to maintain the rights of the American people to this western coast. Whitman periled every thing and lost his life to save the country. Shortess has periled all, and worn himself out in struggling under an influence that took the life of Dr. Whitman and many others, for which this Hudson's Bay Company are now to receive pay.

It is unnecessary for me to make a single remark in reference to this pet.i.tion. It is a history in itself of the times and events then occurring. Mr. Hines refers to it as of little moment, and on page 150 says: "Not being one of the authors, but merely a signer of the pet.i.tion, I did not come under the ban of the company; consequently, I obtained my outfit for the expedition, though at first there were strong indications that I would be refused."

We would infer from this, that the Hudson's Bay Company did not regard it as a serious matter, but in the next line he tells us: "We remained at the fort over night and a part of the next day, and, after a _close conversation with the gentlemen in command_, were treated with great courtesy."

This lets us into the whole mystery of the affair. The gentlemen in charge of the fort had become satisfied that Mr. Hines in his visit among the Indians would not interfere with their arrangements already made with McKay and White; in fact, that Mr. Hines approved of Dr.

White's policy of uniting the tribes in the interior to accomplish the one great object of the company. The doc.u.ments that follow are given to show the fact stated in the pet.i.tion, as also the high-handed measures of the company and Dr. McLaughlin.

A.

Notice is hereby given to all whom it may concern, that those who have obtained grants of lots in Oregon City, will be expected to call upon L.

W. Hastings, my authorized agent at Oregon City, and obtain a bond for a deed or deeds, as the case may be. Those who hold claims to any lot, and who comply with the above requisite, on or before the first day of February next, will be ent.i.tled to their lot or lots; otherwise, the lots upon which they hold a claim will thereafter be subject to any disposition which the undersigned may think proper to make of them.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN.

January 18, 1843.

OREGON CITY, March 27, 1843.

We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that the above notice of John McLaughlin was posted up in the most public places in this town.

R. SHORTESS.

A. E. WILSON.

B.

_Deed--John McLaughlin to Walter Pomeroy._

Know all men by these presents, that I, John McLaughlin, of Fort Vancouver, in the Territory of Oregon, for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar, to me in hand paid by Walter Pomeroy, of Oregon City, of the Territory aforesaid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have this day, and do, by these presents, remit, release, and forever quit claim unto the said Pomeroy, his heirs and a.s.signs, all and singular, the following piece, parcel, and lot of land, bounded and described as follows, to wit: Commencing at the northeast corner, running thence southerly sixty-six feet to a stake, thence easterly one hundred feet to a stake at the place of beginning, being lot number four, in block number three, in the town of Oregon City, in the Territory of Oregon, which will more fully appear from a reference to the map and plan of said town:

To have and to hold the same, together with all and singular the privileges and appurtenances thereunto in any wise appertaining or belonging unto the said Pomeroy, his heirs, executors, administrators, or a.s.signs, forever.

And I, the said McLaughlin, for myself, do vouch and declare that I am the true and proper claimant of and to the said premises and lot of land, and that I have in myself full power, good right, and sufficient authority to remit, release, and quit my claim in and to said lot and premises, in manner and form aforesaid.

And I, the said McLaughlin, do hereby covenant and agree to warrant and defend the said premises, together with the privileges and appurtenances thereunto appertaining or belonging, to the said Pomeroy, his heirs and a.s.signs, against all lawful claims of all persons whomsoever, _the claims of the government only excepted_.

In testimony whereof, I, the said McLaughlin, have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, this the 2d of March, A.D. 1843.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN. [L. S.]

Per L. W. HASTINGS, his agent.

We, the undersigned, do hereby acknowledge that the above is a true and correct copy of the original.

R. SHORTESS.

A. E. WILSON.

C.

_Bond--John McLaughlin to Albert E. Wilson._

Know all men by these presents, that I, John McLaughlin, of Fort Vancouver, in the Territory of Oregon, am held and firmly bound unto Albert E. Wilson, of Oregon City, in the Territory aforesaid, in the full sum of five hundred dollars, federal money; for the punctual payment of which, well and truly to be made, I bind myself, my heirs, executors or administrators, firmly by these presents.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto below set my hand and affixed my seal, this the 26th day of December, A.D. 1842.

Now, know ye, that the condition of the above obligation is such, that whereas the said Wilson hath this day, and doth by these presents, purchase of the said McLaughlin all and singular the following pieces, parcels, tracts, and lots of land, namely: Lots Nos. four and five, in block No. two, in the town of Oregon City, in the Territory of Oregon, as is more fully shown by the map and plan of said town, and hath, and by these presents doth agree to build upon and improve each of the lots within the term of one year from the date of these presents. In consideration of which, the said McLaughlin hath, and doth by these presents covenant and agree to make the said Wilson a good and sufficient quit-claim deed for and to all and singular the above-mentioned pieces, parcels, tracts, and lots of land, whenever he, the said Wilson, shall have complied with the above conditions on his part. Now, if the said McLaughlin shall well and truly make, or cause to be made, the said deed to the said Wilson, upon the said Wilson's complying on his part with the above condition, then, and in such case, the within obligation shall become entirely void and of no effect; otherwise to be and remain of full force and virtue.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN. [L. S.]

Per L. W. HASTINGS, his agent.

We, the undersigned, do hereby acknowledge the above to be a true and correct copy of the original.