, 1856-07-25

O'NSV" tVilibVis. HhNc ihSu tHCTc uuI-
ing two years, and have felt as much inter
! est in the welfare and good name Of south
ern Oregon as any man could feel for bis
adopted country. yet hope to he proud
of the name Of one of its earliest settlers.
was there before the war commenced,
when it commenced; and for four months
afterwards; and | am familiar with the
causes which led to it. Aud l cannot hide
the anguish and feelings of disgust with
which have read the reports in the news
papers which have been sent on by Palmer
and Gov. Curry. Indeed l would not,
think, be doing justice to myself, or my
fellow-ctizens Of southern Oregon, if did
not refute these SANDERS 1t may be deem
ed the height Of assumption for citizen
without the cloak Of power to WELD the
pen against them; but when | reflect that
| am an American, and that my feliow-cit-
izens are unjustly branded with infamy, l
know that it is my right and my duty to
deny that there is any truth in the charges
against that people. Palmer says that The
war was forced on those people against
their will lie cannot point out single
instance to sustain him in his assertion.
The Indians wanted to fight long before
tho war commenced; but they could not
agree amongst themselves as TO the time"
This, Mr.. Speaker, is the language of
citizen of Oregon. lie feels deep mortif-
cation when he reads Gov. Curry's proc
lamation for, maintaining the friendly dis
position Of the Indians. lie censurcs Gov.
Curry because he is too humane to the In.
dians, while Gen. Wool holds him up as
robber and q murderer, and who makes
war for the purpose of depicting the treas
ury.
1t is due to Governor Curry that |
should here state, in vindcation of his good
name, both from the aspersions of General
Wool, and the censures Of my correspond
ent, that, when certain Indians were killed
by Major Lupton'S party, the intelligence
was brought to him that these Indians
were friendly and Observation-Disclosures
which proved afterwards to be incorrect.
1t was upon the false account given to him
Of the character and disposition of these
Indians that he issued his proclamation eX-
horting the whites to maintain friendly re-
ations with the Indians, and denouncing
the sevcrest punishment against any person
who should commit outrages on such as
were friendly and inoffensive. Those killed
by Major Lupton, Governor Curry after
wards ascertained to be murderers, and de-
serving the fate that bcfe!l them. This
statement / have deemed necessary and
proper to explain what might otherwise
seem inconsistency in the conduct of Gov
ernor Curry. The agent, DIR. Ambrose,
who is also censured, was misled in the
same manner as Governor Curry and is q
worthy and humane man.
Before one Indian was mdlested by
the whites, the Indians killed two white
men at Applegate. A few days afterwards
they killed two more on Slate creek. The
Indians who committed these murders were
pointed out to the agent, DIR. Ambrose.
He conducted chem to the reserve, and
there protected them against the friends Of
the victims, who could not help feeling in
dignant. The agent refused to arrest the
murderers and give them trial. While
the whites were not allowed to go on the
reserve, the Indians were at liberty to 60
where they pleased. But o short time
after those murders, party Of Indians
from Rogue river valley went over to
Klamath killed seventeen white men, plum
dered their bodies, and then returned to
the reserve, claiming the agents protection.
They were seen, tracked back and known
to be the murderers and yet the sympa-
thetic agent would not allow them to be
molestcd. They next attacked two teams
(loaded with -four for Yreka) on the Sis
que mountain. Two men and boy, and
thirteen oxen, were killed. Two men at
about tho same time were shot ut near
Waits mill, in the upper part Of the valley.
A great deal Of stock was also driven from
various parts of the valley. All these out
RACES were committed without the least
prOvocation on the part of the whites. In
dians rushed into dwellings Of the whites
and behaved in the most inSolent and
threatening manner to women and children.
This and greater cause was given to the
whites, before an Indian was molested !;
and it was only after SO many murders fol-
lowing thick and fast one on another, and
positive proof that they were committed by
the Rogue river Indians, that the whites
felt themselves forced to the alternative TO
fight or leave the country. Yet Mr..
Palmer says that the Indians were driven
to desperation If so, what were the
whites driven to? Death or defense"
| know that the seventeen men referred
to we're murdered as stated. was at
home at the time. Among them was a
young man by the name Of Fickas, son of
an old and much esteemed friend, who was
bred up near my old plantation in Indiana.
This young man assisted in building the
house in which live in Oregon.
The letter is signed by Oliver ]. Evans.
1t was only when all the outrages enumer-
ated were committed that Major Lupion
raised his company. He tracked the In
dians, and found in their possession prop
erty taken from those whose bodies had
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