Democratic banner., 1845-08-23
From the Platte Argus of the 3D..
OREGON.
Letter from Peter II, Burnett. Esq.

'''I'h tbS tCttIi ~ fStCi'tu
yesterday, by a citizcvlH this eoun-
ty, from Mr.. Burn4t Linz say nf
Oahua, and forwafdedHthSaraeti.
can Consul. The dsnaE1@nl Be
deemed interesting .hEMGnd friends
and ~neIghhors, and siI.Gdeed Of i'm
p~ortance 10 all who t 1e.an interest
IN the affairs Of Oregon:
PALArIN, rAuss, Oregon, }
Nov. 844.
The emigrantS are
all arriving, and will be here ~ a few
weeks 1t lurthest, and | expect to
receive other letters & papers. which
| am Informed are on the way. !
have now m opportunity of writing
Il nasty letter, rs one of II. B. Cos.
ships. the Columbia, leaves Vancou-
yer in a Few days for the Sandwich
ls!anis.
Oar country is most beautiful. fer
tile, and wei! wa;erci. with the most
equab}e and pleasant climate. Our
population is rapidly increasing, and
the country is mixing great progress
in wealth and refinement. have
never yet before seen 4 population 50
Industrious. sober, and honest as this.
| know many. rymany young men,
who were the vericSt vagahOnds in
the States. who are here respectable
and dong exceedingly well. Our
crops the past year U8ll) have been
most bountiiuI. and we have not only
i Iui supply of wheat for our con-
sumption, but 4 large quantity for ex-
portatlon. Large numbers of cattle
are raised here. which are never fed
or sheltered. Many men have from
three 10 four hundred head of cattle.
Sheep can be had here in any desira-
bic number. as the II. i. Company
have Il large flock, and many private
individuals have j large quantity.
Ere tbs reaches you. perhaps you
will have learned that we have a reg
uIar government IN most successful
operation in Oregon. When | first
reached this region. about a year a
90, | thought any attempt n, or-ani-
zation might be premature. ! mad
not, however, been here long. before
it was conceived that Il government
OF some Kind WAS inevitable. Il
rev ont OF stern invincil le neccssi-
y. Oar commercial and business
Transactions were considerable
Difficulties we're daily occurring be
tween individuals in relation TO their
"claims.' the estates Of deceased
persons were daily devourcd. and
helpless orphans p'undered; crimes
were committed. and the base and
unprincjpicd, the reckless and turbu-
lent. were hourly trampiing upon the
rights OF the honest and pcacable -
\ cicili-ei population, numerous rs
We were. could not exist without
government. The thing was impos-
We, therefore, organized a
government Of our own.
We have no money, no means. |
a member OF the legislature
| had most of the business to do
We passeG a tax bill. appointed an
assessor, and permitted every man
not 70 pay a tax. if he chose so to do,
bat If he dill not pay. being able, we
debarred him from suIngn The courts
as plaintiff. At the same time we
passed acts to protect all bona fde
settlers in their claims to the amount
of Clio acres. The tax bill operated
ike a charm. Nearly all the whole
population paid without hesitation.-
We selected a tall East Tennessee
an, Joseph l.. Meek, for our sheriff.
He had been in the mountains with
VIM. l.. SubIctte, for eight or ten
years, is exceedingly good humored,
very popular. and as brave as julius
Cnsar. The very first warrant he
had delivered to him, was issued for
Tie apprehension OF Il very quarrel.
some and turbulent man, who resist.
ed Meek with a broad.axf, but Meek,
presenting a cooked pistol, took the
aoicnS roieaS. The next, and
only ease OF serious resistance TO our
was on the par, of Joel Turn
ham. of Mo, son of May Turnham.
Of Clay County. lie had assaulted
an individual, and Il warrant was IS-
sued by a justice of the peace
was himself constable, and
John Edmonds was deputized TO ar
rest him. Turnham resisted with a
butchers knife; but Edmonds
lad a pistol with SIX barrels well
charged. He shot Turnham A times.
ne last ball entering above the tenn
Die, when he immediately expired
These are all the distractions to the
administration of Justice we have