, 1858-08-06

Oub al lOuA Ohh O1Nt uuu AhCi lOu Nhi ouC
clearly to pull the mote ont of your broth
er's eye.
But, Mr. Chairman, most emphatically
deny all these charges, and l speak from
the most abundant opportunities of person
al observation. The good name of that
people is dear to me. They have behaved
in such manner as entities them not to
sufferance, not simply to be passed along,
but entities them to your admiration and
praise, They have held high advanced,
the flag of their country's honor, and have
maintained the humanity and bene6cence
Of its institutions.
Mr. Chairman, the Indian tribes Of those
two Territories number some forty odd
thousand souls. In Washington some
twenty-five thousand, and in Oregon some
twenty thousand. When the war COM
menced in 1855, We had in Washington
only about seventeen hundred able-bodied
white men, The Indian tribes were all
greatly disaffected, and their friendship
could not bo depended on They number
ed in the neighborhood of Puget Sound
alone, some twenty-five hundred warriors;
whilst on that Sound We had not over one
thousand able-bodied white men. East of
the Cascades the Indians are rich, proud,
aud brave. They had great cheifs, such
cheifs as Kam-i-a-y-kan and Pu-pu-mux-
mux. They had shown their proves in
war, at one time requiring the provisional
government of Oregon to exert all its
strength in order TO punish them for the
atrocities committed in the robbery and
murder Of Mr. Whitman and his whole
family. In the summer of 1855, Just be.
fore the war commenced, the general i'm,
preston in both Territories was, that there
was little or no fear of war, for, Mr.. Chair
man, We had had rumors of this during
previous years. The Indians had been
more or less dissaffected for long time
There were many rumours Of disaffection in
the spring of 1855, though they were gen
orally diScredited. In the spring of 1855,
both Col. Bonneville, in command of the
Columbia River District, and Major Rains,
in command at the Dales, came to the
conclusion that the Walla-Walla chief Pu-
pu-mux-mux ought to be seized and put in
confinement on the ground that he was
getting up a general Indian war; and he
would have been seized and put in con6nc-
ment, had it not been for the persuasiens
of the Indian officers, who, equally with
myself, discredited the reports, and had
confidence in Pu-pu-mnx-mux Previous to
my going to the Walla- Walla council, word
was sent TO me by the good father Ricard,
the Superior Of the missions in the Yakima
and Cayuse country, that the Yakimas,
Cayuses, and Walla-Wallas would attend
that council with hostile purpose and
that would 60 there at the hazard of my
life. had warning from various sources,
but the council had been called, and
went there in good faith, in order to at
tend to the business for which it had been
called. We we're in council fourteen days,
in friendly council and friendly converse
with the chefs and the great body of the
people Of adj these tribes. All these chiefs
who afterwards took up arms were in my
camp, aud sat at my table during these
fourteen days l talked with them morn
ing and evening, besides our formal talks
in council; and in regard to that council
this House has now in its possession an
Official record Of its proceedings-a record
which was taken verbatim by two secre-
taries separately. 1t is not fixed up or
patched up concern. 1t has been charged
that the Indians there we're threatened,
and that force was brought to bear in or
der to get their consent to the concessions
they made. Mr.. Chairman how ridiculous
the charged Gen. Palmer and myself
were the commissioners, aud with the Indi-
an agents, few employees, and twenty
five soldiers to preserve order on the conn
Gil ground, we met there fifteen hundred
warriors, brave and proud men; and say
it is ridiculous to talk Of our using threats
and bringing force to bear to get them to
yield to our terms. The record speaks for
itself. The commissioners have no reason
to be ashamed Of it; nor has the Govern
ment reason to be ashamed Of it,
When the Indians separated, it was a
cordial farewell on all sides, Kam-i-a-y-kan
was the last man 1 saw; and that chief
parted from me in the most cordial manner,
expressing the utmost satisfaction at the
results of the treaty.
l said to him on parting "The agent
Bolon will soon go into your country to Sc
lect site for the mills, and schools, and
agency; and 1 wish you to advise him in
the matter" And he replied, Il shall be
glad to see him, and will point out good
place for the mill,'
Pu-pu,mux-mux also parted from me ia
the same manner; and if ever the face OI
an Indian expressed joy and satisfaction
it was the face of Pupu-mux-mux. Such
was the fact in reference to every Indian
chief, aud every Indian there assembled
l may remark, in regard to Puget Sound
that it is the testimony of the Indian chiefs
without exception, and also the testimony
Of oil, well Informed and disinterested
white men there, without exception, and
such is my own deliberate judgement, thai
if we had not made these treaties, the war
would have been general The treaties
we're the controlling element in maintain
ing peace Had it not been for thes'