The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-08-20
[Erom the Platte Argus of Aug. ID j

| [Erom the Platte Argus of Aug. I'd
| OREGoN--L LETTER FROM PETER H. BURNETT, Esq
The following letter was received yesterday by
citizen OF this county, from Mr. Burnet, by the way
| of Oahua, and forwarded by the American Consul
| The details will be deemed interesting by his ola
friends and neighbors, and are indeed OF importance
to all who take an interest in the affairs OF Oregon.
| FALATINE PLAINS, OREGON
| Nov. 4, 1874
IL The emigrants are now daily arriving,
and will all be here in few weeks at farthest, and
expect to receive other letters and papers, which
| am informed are on the way. have now an oppor-
tunity to write hasty letter, as one of H.. B. Cos
ships, the Columbia, leaves Vancouver in few
days for the Sandw ich Islands.
Our country is most beautiful, fertile and well
watered, with the most equable and pleasant climate
Our population is rapidly increasing, and the country
| is making great progress in wealth and refinement.
| | have never yet before population in
dustrlous, sober and honest as this. | know many,
very many young men, who were the verlest vaga-
bonds In the States, who here respectable and
| doing exceedingly well. Our crops the past year
| (lS44) have been most bountiiul, and we have
only full suppyiof wheaton consumption, but
| large quantity for expectation. Large numbers OF
cattle are raised here, which are never fed or
sheltered; Many men have from three to four hun
dred head OF cattle. Sheep can be had here in any
desirable number, as the III. b. Company have "a
large flock, and many private individuals have them
| Eye this reaches you, perhaps you will have learn
ed that we have regular government in most sue
cessfu operation In Oregon. When first reached
a
| at organization might be premature. | had not,
however, been here long, before il conceived
| that government OF some kind inevitable. II
grew out of stern, invincble necessity. Our COM
mercal and business transactions considerable
Difficulties were daiyoccnrring between individuals
in relation TO their claims, the est 4tes of deceased
persons were daily devoured, and helpless orphans
| plundered !; crimes were committed and the base
and unprnciped, the reckless and turbulent, were
hourly tramping upon the rights of the honest and
peaceable. A civilized population, numerous as we
were, could not exist without government The
! hing Was impossible. We, therefore, organized &
government OF our own.
We had no money, no means-I was member Of
! the Legislature had most Of the business to do
We passed tax bill, appointed assessor, and per-
mltted every not 10 pay tax, II he chose so to
do, but if he did not pay, being able, we debarred
4 hlm from SUNG In the courts plaintiff. AT the
same time we passed acts TO protect all bona tide
settlers IN their claims to the amount of $40 acres
| The tax bill operated like charm Nearly all the
whole population paid without hesitation. We
| selected tall East Tennessean, Joseph l.. Meek.
tor our sheriff. He had been in the mountains with
VIM. l.. Subette for eight or ten years, is exceed
ingly good humored very popular and as brave as
julius Caesar. The very first warrant he had de-
vered TO him, was issued for the apprehension of a
very quarresome and turbulent man, who resisted
Meek with a broad axe, but Meek, presenting a
cooked pistol, took the fellow, nOiens roiens. The
next, and only of serious resistance laws.
was the part of Joel Turnham of No. son OF
May Turnham, of Clay County. He had assaulted
an individual, and warrant was issued by Justice
OF the peace. Turnham was himself constable, and
John Edmonds was deputized to arrest him. Turn
ham resisted with large butchers knife; but Ed
monds had pistol with six barrels well charged =
lie shot Turnham four times, the last ball entering
above the temple, when he Immediately expired
These area the distractions TO the administration of
Justice we have had, and in Edmonds case, he was
fully iustllable in killing Turnham even il he had
| no warrant as T. assaulted hun first, and pursued
him with great violence to the last.
We have now i've counties, and two terms of the
circuit court in each county in every year. We have
but one luuge, who discharges the duties of probate
Judge, chancellor, and what not in fact we have
only yet circuit courts and justices OF the peace.
| Our government was intended only as provisional,
to exist until some regular government could be
| established We adopted the statute laws of Iowa,
where applicable to our condition and not modified
by our Legislature.
We are now waiting most anxiously for the result
OF Pakenham's mission, and ifthe two governments
have not settled the question between them the
moment that fact is known there will be unlver
sal movement made. Areguar convention viii be
held and q constitution adopted (republcan no
doubt,) and an independent government put in ope-
ration at once. Necessity will compel us to the
step The population Of this country are no doubt
DESTROYS to live under the government of the United
States, but If she will never do anything tor us, we
must and will do II for ourselves. The people here
are out by delay, and their condition becomes
every day more intolerabe. | speak 10 you with
great candor, for you know me, and know that
withhold nothing and disguise nothing We are well
satisfied that the L. = Government well Great
Britain could object, and would object if we
fom an independent government for ourselves,
situated as we Treaties must be made with
the Indians, and many other things of importance
must OF necessity be done.
Our population about doubles every year, and our
business rebles I'VE will soon have printing press
and paper OF our own we can then publish our
laws.
The practice OF the law has commenced and
have several important suits on hand.
have fine ''caim, perhaps among the best in
Oregon, situated in the centre of Of those most
beautiful prairies called the Faatine Plains am
in excellent health, contented and happy. Mrs Il IS
health has improved and my children are all WELL
fat and fine. Your friend,
Peter III BURNETT.
JEALOUSY, INSANITY AND MuRpER-The August
term of the Chenango, New lo k, Circuit Court
and Oyer and Terminer, commenced the 4th instant
Judge Edmonds presiding The case of James g. Crit
fin charged with the murder Of Erastus Co of Ostelic
the most important the calendar and no little in
terest felt for the prisoner from the fact that the wife
Of the accused the paramour of the murdered man.
and insanity pro iuced by jealousy supposed to be
the cause OF the crime The defence insanity, and
Griffin acquitted. An order made out by the