, 1856-07-04

cast lmputatiOn upon Gen. Wool. think
as much of him as any man in this House,
I but | do not like his conduct in Oregon.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, these volunteer forces
, have been organized and maintained for the
, purpose Of protecting the settlements in
4 the Territories of Oregon and Washington,
!, and nobly have they done it, while the reg
uars were comfortably housed in tie snug
barracks at Vancouver
I By the last mail have received a let.
: ter, from which | will read the following
! extract
! "Will You please present our thanks to
) the Secretary of War for his dispatch in
forwarding the Ninth infantry How much
it is to bc regretted that such promptncss
! has been rendered unavailing. Gen Wool
, is now in California, and would have kept
that regiment there had he been there
when it arrived. lie passed them at sea
this side Of San Francisco, and made una
yailing efforts TO have the steamer bringing
them return to San Francisco This, | am
informed by Mr. lloXie, Of jackson county
who was Il passenger with Gen. Wool
! Mr.. IIoXie was sent down by the quarter
l master general, aud succeeded in making
! his purchase, as he tells me, when General
WOol's interference and influence caused
the settlers to decline furnishing the powder
and Mr.. HoXe came back empty handed
| Had it not been for the Hudson Bay Com,
: pany at Vancouver, we should have been
unable to procure this, aud other essential
supplies"
This extract | give with uudoubting
confidence in the truth of the statement it
: contains, knowing, as lido, the high respect
+ ability of the author, aud simply from Il
desire to do justice to all concerned, either
r American citizens or British subjects.
My friend from Tennessee, Mr.. Ready
! and | am proud Of having the opportu-
nifty Of answering his inquires-I have al
ways known to exercise the SoundeSt judg-
ment upon all subjects except politics.
Laughter. l say in reply to his 'inqui-
ries, that at the time these hostiliieS COM
mcnccd in the north of Washington Terri
, tory, hostilities also broke out in the Rogue
river valley, and in one night the Indians
Travelled many miles and killed every man,
: woman, and child on the road, with one or
r two exceptions; they burned every house
: except ono they killed every woman cx-
: cept one-Mrs. Harris-for whom intend
to introduce bill granting a pension.
: The savages surrounded her house, killed
j. her husband, and wounded her daughter.
t She defended her daughter in her dwelling
0 nobly she loaded and fred her rifle eighty
: times, aud made her escape during the
e darkness Of the night. Every man on that
! whole route was killed with the exception
t Of Wagner, whose wife and children were
e murdered, and who himself fell, on the 22d
D Of February last, at the mouth Of the
g Rogue river. Since that time the Indians
y have proceeded to Umpqua valley, and
: murdered people within few miles of my
e own house, and yet Gen Wool says there
1 is no war in Oregon They have driven
G off the cattle Of the country. Thousands
. are shot and left to decay upon the plains.
9 The last steamer brought us the news
S that the Indians had attacked the settle.
t mcnts Of the white people at the mouth Of
= Rogue river, and destroyed every house,
; and every farm. Every settler men,
n women, aud children-was killed, except
S one, and he saved himself by hiding. 1t
: is said that the Indians are few, aDH that
e they will soon be forced into Submission
c Whether they are two hgpdred or one
3 thousand of them, Gen. Wool will not be
+ able to hurt one of them. 1 know the In.
i dians. They will 6g1t but they will new.
: er permit themselves to be attacked by any
y considerableyforce. They will keep out Of
t the way./The old General has passed the
e age when he could ovcrtake the Indians
The country which is the theater Of hostil
g 1lics is mountainous, steep of ascent, and
4? affords the best and most secure hiding
n places in the world. How is he to gc
l. there with his regular forces and punish
If these savages ? Yet his friends said that
Il it was for that purpose that he intended tC
It start from San Francisco. He has mol
C done 50 and be is the man that has ar
raigned tho people of my Territory
Il Sir, the people of Oregon occupy re
a mote and far distant part of our domain
c sort of terra incQgnita to the people o
S the Atlantic States. If their character
h was known here, as know it, it would re
l. qure no eulogum, much less a vindication
n at my hands. For several years l hayt
/, lived in the midst of that people, and
l. know them. have seen them under al
is the vicissitudes and circumstances inciden
n to this varied and chequered lfe-in pros
l. perity and adversely, in allluenec and pov
= orty, in tue repose and security Of home
y in the din Of battle, where the fight rageC
t hottest and the bullets flew thickest. The!
IS are an enterprising and adventurous people
l. or they would never have traversed sterllt
IS and inhospitable wastes, scaled lofty noun
g tains, and braved the perils and priyation
g of the wilderness in search of homes on tn
e shores of the Pacitc That they are brav,
l. no one can doubt who has read of thei
e deeds of heroism in defending their famlie
1t and homes from. the tomahawk and th
9 torch of the remorselcss savage. Aye, sir
Il and they are a patriotic people. Thinl