A History of Oregon, 1792-1849 Part 38

Brewer, and Dr. Babc.o.c.k, had all become dissatisfied, and thought they had found a plausible excuse for leaving. A simple statement of a man in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company had more influence with them than their missionary vows and obligations to the churches that sent them out.

They were not satisfied with leaving themselves, but made charges against the purest and best man of their number, simply because that, while he was absent from Oregon in 1838-9, influences were brought into the country by the company, with the intent to defeat them, and destroy all Protestant missions,--applying the same policy to destroy the harmony and usefulness of the American missions, that they had used to destroy the power and influence of the Indian tribes; which was to divide them up into factions, and get them to quarreling among themselves, as in the case of Rev. J. S. Griffin and party. This would destroy their influence, and help to break up their settlements.

The Rev. Mr. Hines, with all his wisdom, sound judgment, and experience, became, unwittingly, an important instrument and apologist in this deep-laid scheme to rid the country of Protestant missionaries and American settlements. He was led to join his influence against his truest and best friend, who is called home and superseded, and the mission stations abandoned and broken up.

Mr. Hines, on pages 236-7 of his book, says: "With regard to the objections against Mr. Lee, arising from his not furnis.h.i.+ng the Board with the desirable report concerning the disburs.e.m.e.nt of the _large appropriations_, it should be observed that no such charge of delinquency appears against him, up to the time of the appointment of the great re-enforcement." Dr. White was known to be a bitter enemy of Rev. Jason Lee, and a willing tool of the Hudson's Bay Company. Mr.

Hines, as his book, and the letters he wrote to Dr. White and the Indian Department at Was.h.i.+ngton, show, was favorable to the proceedings and policy of Dr. White and the Hudson's Bay Company.

We understand, through Rev. Mr. Geary, that Mr. Hines attributed to Mr.

Lee's advice expenditures for buildings that were the pet objects of Mr.

Hines himself; and thus Rev. J. Lee, to gratify the wish of others, yielded his own convictions of right, and in this way became an object of censure, which was the cause of his removal. The "changes inconceivably great with respect to the Indians of Oregon," which, Rev.

Mr. Hines says "took place betwixt the time the great re-enforcement was called for, and the time of their arrival in the Columbia River," were brought to bear, and had their influence and effect, upon _him_, in his Umpqua missionary trip, in his trip to the interior, in his representations to his Missionary Board, in his opposition to the provisional government, and had their influence upon his missionary brethren. These men, Mr. Hines included, instead of studying the true interests of the country,--their obvious duty to the churches that sent them out, and the cause they represented,--were flattered and cajoled by the artful members of a foreign monopoly, and made to believe they had talents superior to the field in which they were placed by the influence and advice of the superintendent, Mr. Lee, forgetting the changes above intimated, and having no suspicions that a secret foreign influence was working to bring about the utter failure of their Indian missions; nor supposing that the brightest and best talents would secure the most attention, and the surest effort to render them dissatisfied.

The whole statement about Mr. Lee's recall, and the reasons a.s.signed, appear to us to be unjust (though, perhaps, not intended) to the character of Mr. Lee. It was after the great re-enforcement spoken of, that the large expenditures referred to were made; hence, Mr. Hines'

excuse confirms the charge, and he only attempts to change the responsibility to another; while Mr. Lee, like Dr. McLaughlin, is suffered to fall by the influence of his professed friends.

The Jesuit priests, co-laborers with the Hudson's Bay Company, did not hesitate to poison the minds of all who would listen to them against the Protestant missionaries and all their efforts; neither did they hesitate as to the means, so long as a certain object was to be accomplished. Le Breton, Lee, and Whitman must fall by their influence. The character of others must suffer by their malicious slanders and false statements. See Brouillet, pages 20 and 21, in which he attempts to show that Dr.

Whitman and others were in the habit of poisoning melons to prevent the Indians from stealing them, while the fact is, the Doctor encouraged the Indians to come and get melons to eat freely, in order to induce them to cultivate for themselves; and we are certain that no one at the station at that time thought of putting poison into melons.

As we said, we are reading thoughts by words and acts, so as to arrive at a correct conclusion as to the thought that caused the act.

The American missionaries and settlements must be driven from the country. To do this, the Indians that have heretofore been kept at war among themselves, must now be united. Some changes must be made; Grant, of the Hudson's Bay Company, must occupy Fort Hall, and do all he can to turn immigrants to California, and rob such as persist in coming to Oregon.

General Palmer says in his journal, page 43: "While we remained at this place (Fort Hall) _great efforts_ were made to induce the immigration to pursue the route to California. The most extravagant tales were related respecting the dangers awaiting a trip to Oregon, and the difficulties and trials to be surmounted. The perils of the way were so magnified as to make us suppose the journey to Oregon almost impossible. For instance, the two crossings of Snake River, and the crossings of the Columbia and other smaller streams, were represented as being attended with great danger. Also, that no company heretofore attempting the pa.s.sage of these streams, succeeded but with the loss of men, from the violence and rapidity of the currents, as also that they had never succeeded in getting more than fifteen or twenty head of cattle into the Wallamet Valley.

"In addition to the above, it was a.s.serted that three or four tribes of Indians in the middle regions _had combined for the purpose of preventing our pa.s.sage through their country_. In case we escaped destruction at the hands of the savages, that a more fearful enemy--famine--would attend our march, as the distance was so great that winter would overtake us before making the Cascade Mountains. On the other hand, as an inducement to pursue the California route, we were informed of the shortness of the route when compared with that to Oregon, as also of the many other superior advantages it possessed."

It is not our intention to go into the history of California, but give what strictly relates to Oregon and her people in those early times. In the paragraph we have quoted from General Palmer's journal, the reader will see a fiendish, a d.a.m.ning policy; and if our language has any severer terms to express evil motives and intentions, let him use them, as belonging to the course pursued by that organization yclept Honorable Hudson's Bay Company, in attempting to prevent the settlement of Oregon, and sending whole families to starve and perish, and become cannibals in the mountains of California, rather than tell the truth, and aid them in getting to Oregon; as will be seen by the following extract from the _Gold Hill_ (Nevada) _News_, concerning the horrible sufferings of "The Donner Party:"--

"The world perhaps never produced a sadder and a truer story, nor one which will be so long remembered by many whose fortunes were cast on the Pacific slope in the early days of its settlement by the Americans. We personally knew one of the families that perished among the Donner party, and on reading the interesting letter in the _Union_ it awakened in our memory a little incident in connection with this sad calamity, which happened in the State of Illinois twenty years ago last April. At that time we were publisher of a newspaper in Putnam County, Illinois. Oregon and California were beginning to attract the attention of the Western people; and in the spring of 1846 a party of about fifty persons, farmers with their families, and young men, was made up in that county destined for Oregon. When the day of departure arrived, the whole party a.s.sembled in a village called Magnolia to agree upon camp regulations, appointment of officers, etc. As a journalist, we attended that meeting and published a full account of its proceedings. Among the party was 'Uncle Billy Graves' and his family, consisting of father, mother, two daughters, and a son, the ages of the children ranging from fifteen to twenty years. Uncle Billy Graves was a well-to-do farmer, with every thing comfortable about him; and, having already reached the age of threescore, it was a matter of surprise to many that he should sell his farm and start off to make a new home in such a far-off and wild country as Oregon then was. But the country in Illinois was getting too thickly settled for the old man, and he longed for the wild adventures of the far west. He pleaded and persuaded us to go with him, and to bring our office along, as Oregon would some day be a great country, and we would have the credit of having been the first to publish a newspaper in it. But circ.u.mstances over which we had no control prevented us, although we certainly had the will and the wish just as Uncle Billy Graves advised. We remained in Illinois, and the Graves family joined with the overland party for Oregon. Letters written by the party during the summer were published in our paper. The last one written by any of the Graves family was dated at Fort Laramie, and this was the last heard of the old farmer. He joined the Donner party, which separated from the emigration to Oregon at Fort Hall, near the headwaters of the Columbia, and wending his way westward toward California, before its gold-fields were known in the world, he perished in the mountains, and his good old wife perished with him.

The son and daughters of the Graves family were among the persons who were rescued by the relief party of sailors and others who were sent out by the benevolent Americans at Sutter's Fort and San Francisco. A long letter written by one of the Graves girls was published in our paper in the year 1847, and which contained a full and sad account of the awful sufferings of the party. We shall never forget the ma.n.u.script of the letter. It was blotted all over with the tears which the poor girl shed while describing the sufferings of her famis.h.i.+ng parents, their death, and the flesh of their dead bodies furnis.h.i.+ng food for their starving children! Horrible!

horrible! Let the bleached bones and skulls of the Donner party be gathered together and decently buried, for they once belonged to good Christian people."

The Indians also have become deeply interested in their schemes to prevent the settlement of the country.

We are told by Mr. Hines, on page 143, that they sent one of their chiefs on snow-shoes, in the winter of 1842-3, to excite or induce the Buffalo Indians to join them to cut off the immigrants that were expected to come to the country with Dr. Whitman.

Mr. McKinley, a professedly warm friend of Dr. Whitman, was removed from having charge of Fort Nez Perces, and William McBean, who (Mr. Roberts, an old clerk of the Hudson's Bay Company, says) "is one of the d----dest scoundrels that ever lived," put in his place.

The reader will not forget that we are speaking of events and movements in a country where an Indian in a canoe or on horseback or snow-shoes was our swiftest messenger, and that its boundaries included what is now the State of Oregon, the Territories of Was.h.i.+ngton, Idaho, and Montana, besides Vancouver Island and British Columbia.

The Hudson's Bay Company was a powerful and unscrupulous monopoly, and the only representative of a vast empire on this western part of our continent. To possess the whole, or a valuable part of it, was an object worth using the influence they had spent years of labor and thousands (not millions, as they claim) of dollars to secure.

The time has now arrived when all is at stake. _The American missionary societies have accomplished what American commerce and fur traders have failed to do._ The trouble is now between a "_squawtocracy of British skin traders_" and Italian and Belgian Jesuits on one side, and American missionaries and settlements on the other. The traders and Jesuits have nearly overcome the American missionary influence. The settlements are organized. The old policy to get rid of all opposition fur traders, destroy Indian influence, and break up missions, must be tried, to prevent and destroy the settlements.

The thoughts expressed in this chapter have carried us in advance of the date of culminating events; hence, we must return, in order that we may bring them in the order of their occurrence.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

1844.--The settlements alarmed.--Indian attack.--Death of G. W. Le Breton.--Meeting at Mr. La Chapelle's.--Volunteer company formed.--The _Modeste_ in the Columbia River.--The Legislative a.s.sembly.--Names of the members.--Peter H. Burnett.--Mr. David Hill.--Oregon social standard.--M. M. McCarver.--"Old Bra.s.s Gun."--A. L. Lovejoy.--Daniel Waldo.--Thomas B. Keizer.--Black act.--Prohibitory liquor law.

1844.--March 9th of this year found our settlements alive and in great alarm. The Indians in the vicinity of Oregon City had made an attack upon the town on the 4th instant, and three white men had been wounded and one Indian killed. G. W. Le Breton was wounded while attempting to take the Indian that commenced the attack, by a ball entering and breaking his arm, from the effect of which he died some twelve days after, and was buried at Vancouver, where he had been taken for surgical treatment. The other two received slight flesh wounds, although one proved fatal--probably made by a poisoned arrow. The Indians commenced the fight in open day, and continued it till their leader was taken by Le Breton, after his arm was broken.

The Indian was placed under guard, and, on attempting to make his escape, was killed. Those who were with him, and took part in the fight, fled into the thick wood back of the town, and escaped.

This account, which we have received from other sources, will be seen to differ slightly from the one already given by Dr. White in his letter to the Secretary of War.

A proclamation was issued by the Executive Committee, calling for an organization of the military forces in the settlement. It appears, from the record of those times, that but one company was organized in Champoeg District. The proceedings of that meeting, as noted by the writer, and signed by the secretary, gives the fullest account we have, and properly belongs to the history of the times. The attempt to destroy the people and town at Wallamet Falls was made on the 4th of March; the news was conveyed to the old mission and Salem on the 5th; notices were immediately sent to the American population to meet on the 9th, with arms, to organize for defensive or offensive measures. In the mean time, each individual and family took such precautionary measures as were thought advisable, keeping guard over their separate and individual possessions. Most of the French or Hudson's Bay Company's servants showed no alarm on the occasion, and very few of them turned out, or paid any attention to the military call, though the meeting was at the house of a Frenchman.

The citizens of Champoeg having met on March 9, at the house of Mr. La Chapelle, in accordance with the proclamation issued, the meeting was called to order by one of the Executive Committee, and the proclamation read.

Upon the suggestion of the executive, W. H. Wilson was chosen chairman of this meeting, and T. D. Keizer, secretary.

The object of the meeting was briefly explained by one of the Executive Committee, Hon. A. Beers, and the chairman. Information was called for concerning the depredations committed at Wallamet Falls on the 4th instant.

Mr. Beers presented an official letter from Hon. D. Hill, one of the Executive Committee, which was read. Statements were made by Mr.

Garrison respecting accounts received from other sources, and a letter was presented by the United States sub-Indian agent, from A. L. Lovejoy, Esq., respecting the affair of the 4th, which was read.

Statements were made by Hon. A. Beers concerning the steps they had taken, and the orders they had issued.

On motion, the United States sub-Indian agent was requested to give his views and advice on the subject. He accordingly related his proceeding in reference to the matter; said he was unprepared to give advice, or suggest what was best to be done in the present case. He was fully aware of the defenseless state of the colony and the dangers to which it was exposed. He knew the character of the Indian that was killed to be of the vilest kind, and that he had threatened and attempted the lives of citizens before. The agent said he had made an unsuccessful attempt to take him, and have him punished by the Cayuses, to avoid the danger that might result from the whites punis.h.i.+ng him themselves. This renegade had attempted to induce the Indians at the falls to burn the town; and, failing in this object, he returned across the river. The citizens attempted peaceably to take him, but in the affray three whites were wounded, and one Indian killed. The agent thought a more efficient organization of the Territory necessary.

Some remarks were made by W. H. Gray, and a resolution offered as follows:--

_Resolved_, That in view of the facts presented, we deem it expedient to organize a volunteer company of mounted riflemen, to co-operate with other companies, to bring to justice all the Indians engaged in the affair of the 4th of March, and to protect our lives and property against any attempt at future depredations.

Carried unanimously. Whereupon W. H. Gray presented some articles of compact as the basis of an organization of a volunteer company, which, on motion, and with warm expressions of approbation from the United States sub-Indian agent, were adopted, and immediately subscribed to by nineteen volunteers.

The articles of compact allowed the company to elect a captain, lieutenant, and ensign, as soon as twelve men should be enlisted, so the company proceeded, by nomination, to elect their officers, to wit: For captain, T. D. Keizer; first lieutenant, J. L. Morrison; for ensign, Mr.

Cason. The captain gave notice to the company of his acceptance of the appointment, requesting them to meet at the Oregon Inst.i.tute, armed and equipped, on the 11th inst., for company drill.

On motion, the following resolution was adopted, viz.:--

_Resolved_, That this meeting recommend to our fellow-citizens of this Territory, to organize volunteer companies in their respective districts forthwith; and to rendezvous at the Oregon Inst.i.tute, on Sat.u.r.day, the 23d instant, at 12 M.

Moved, that the proceedings of this meeting be signed by the chairman and secretary, and as much of them as is deemed proper be transmitted to other districts. Carried.

On motion, adjourned.

W. H. WILSON, Chairman.

T. D. KEIZER, Secretary.

It will be seen by Dr. White's statement, that the Indian killed was a renegade from the Cayuse or upper country Indians. He was doing all he could to excite the Indians and get them to join in a general combination to destroy the American settlements in the Wallamet Valley.

Dr. White, as he stated to the meeting, had now reached the utmost limit of his authority and influence. He knew not what to do. He was too big a coward to propose any bold measure, and too mean to be trusted by the settlers; hence, if the reader will carefully study the proceedings of this meeting, he will find a firm and steady influence, on the part of the settlers, leading on through all the dangers and excitements of the occasion. The proposed company was at once organized and elected its officers. Gray accepted the office of first sergeant in the company, which was soon filled up and drilled, and all were mounted on good horses. This soon became known throughout the settlements, and had the effect to frighten the Indians and keep them quiet, so that no further disturbance was made in the settlements of the Wallamet. It also had the effect to secure in the Columbia River the presence of the _Modeste_, a war vessel of the English government, which became _absolutely necessary_ (ironically speaking) to protect the property and interests of the Hudson's Bay Company from the threatened depredations of the Indians about their posts at Vancouver, as they were represented to be becoming far more hostile than formerly. The company had found that, since the Americans began to settle in the country, these Indians had become more dangerous and hostile to them; and as their people were scattered more extensively over the Indian country, it was absolutely necessary to have their princ.i.p.al depot more strongly fortified and protected, not against Indians, for they, by the course already pursued by that company, were fast melting away. Their country had been "hunted up" and made dest.i.tute of fur-producing animals by the advanced prices they had given in 1838-40, and now starvation was their only portion, unless the American settlers would share with them what they produced from the soil. This Indian difficulty was only an attempt to bring on an Indian war in the Wallamet to see how strong the settlements were, what means of protection they possessed, and what their offensive measures were likely to be.