Daily national Democrat., 1859-07-02
Washington Territory Correspondence.

ENpeditiOn---COntest for DelegateShiu
TO Congress from Washington Territory
--Member OF Congress from Oregon, SC
VANCOUVER, w. T.. June 81, SO.
EDHoR DEMoCRAr:-I have kept silent fol
some time, endeayoring to accumulate tn,
material of a communication that would pos
sess something of Interest to your readers
Whether have succeeded or not, they vii
learn by reading further. Just after | dis
patched my last, news was brought to thi.
port, that Kamiakin and half dozen other
chiefs of the Indians, hitherto hostile, of the
North Columbia, were en- route hither, tc
have large sized talk with General Harney
Father DeSmett Jesuit Missionary among
the Indians in this region for many years,
and who is a man of very great influence a
: mong them, had been laboring for some time
to bring about the conference, and at length
succeeded in inducing them to come. When,
however they arrived at Fort Wala Walla,
Kamiakin became alarmed, and returned to
the mountains The balance, however, came
down to this place and had a long talk with
Gen. Harney, who told them very plainly
that his business was to punish all bad In
dians in this country, and that if they did not
behave themselves he would destroy them
all. While here, they were treated with
great kindness, and they went away seeming
ly impressed with the idea that fight with
Harvey would not be paying affair. Father
De Smett states that Kamiakin has lost all
his influence with his tribe, and that in fact,
among his people, he is disgraced man.
This, if true, and there are reasons for beiev-
ing it, is good news, for he is an incarnate
from the appearance Of matters, we are to
have no war.
You are aware that in this region the rivers
overflow every Spring, consequent upon the
melting of the snow in the mountains The
Columbia river, commenced rising about six
weeks ago, and though now on a stand, has
reached higher point than ever before in
the last twenty years. Very great damage
has been done; all classes of the community
are sufferers by this distressing calamity The
water is FIVE feet deep in some of the store
houses at this place At the Dalles above
here, the loss is heavy. Buildings of stone
are undermined and ruined. and in short. the
place is pretty nearly obliterated. 1t was
feared that the city of Portland would be
flooded, but the water ceased rising when it
reached the level of the streets.
The Wagon Road expedition to Fort Ben
ton on the Missouri and that under the COM
mand of Capt. Walen to Salt Lake, have de.
parted. You will remember that an appro-
| e IL % -
session of Congress for the first named route,
to construct wagon road from Walla Walh
to Fort Benton. This will be of incalculable
advantage to this Territory, as from Fort
! Benton, which is the head of navigation on
the Missouri, to the head of navigation on the
Columbia, the distance is only six hundred
miles, and that over a pleasant country,
abounding in wood, water and grass. 1t is
expected that all the emigration for this Ter
ritory and the State of Oregon will come over
this route, and it is expected furthermore,
that this emigration will be very heavy The
expedition under Capt Wallen for Salt Lake
left Fort Dalles on the 9th inst. Mr.. p. X. !
Woodside, formerly Clerk of the Supreme
Court in California, and known to most of
your readers, went with it as Quartermaster. |
| received letter from him recently, writ
ten on the 18th, and he states that they are
progressing finely.
No letter from this quarter would be com.
plete, unless mention was made of the contest
for the delegateship now going on in this
Territory. The Democratic Convention, to |
use term which will convey my meaning, |
but which is far from being defnitive of its
character, assembled at Olympia and unan-
mously nominated Gov. Stevens for re elec-
ton to Congress That convention likewise
I. I Al.
Administration There was the most perfect
harmony with the exception that one dele.
gate, who had been imperfectly drilled, i'm
prudently offered resolution endorsing and
re-afirming some of the principles of the
Democratic party as understood in 5G. They
were tabled instantly, and that delegate was
given to know that an imprudence of that
character was not to be tolerated. How was
this you probably would like to enquire.
Eyery prominent Federal ofiicial-lndian
Agent, Postmaster, Judge, DC. in the Ter.
ritory was delegate, and two thirds Of those
who were not officials, are expecting TO be.
Hon. L. c. Fitzhugh, Judge of the District
Court, presided over that convention. One
Indian Agent (Cain, from Walla Walla) tray
eled at least five hundred miles to be there as
delegate. And thus was it done, as it is al,
ways Col Wallace is running against Gov
Stevens, and he will receive every true Dem
ocratic vote in the Territory. think he will
be elected but if he comes near it, it will be
wonderful achievement, for such Federal
ridden country as this On the Oregon side,
they are having quite time over the cleo
tion of member of Congress Mr. Lansing
Stout, who was member of your Legisle
| ture in the session of SO, is the Democratic
nominee. Mr. David Logan is Republican
aud is his opponent. Stouts position Is an
! tagonistic to that of Brown, Davis d Co., so
when, he gets to Washington, he will have to
cut loose from the Administration, or aLan-
don his present position. He thinks that
Buchanan was right in that Lecompton bust
ness of course, if he had not, the Government
would NOS have nominated him.
On all hands, on both sides Of the river,
thea lministration speakers are uncommon
polite to the "disaffected" las they call Mr..
Douglas friends) as it transpires that that
element exists in unlocked for strength, till
the campaigns opened. Oh, yes, one would
think according to their reports, and the state
ments of old "CoUhided Agai,," Of the New
York Herald, that Buchanan and Douglas
now pass all their time in some cool place in
the basement of the capitol, drinking iuleps
through long straws, eating ice cream, and
alternately begging each others pardon and
huggng. In fact, heard one speaker init.
mate that all that was necessary to complete
the happiness Of that excellent man, Mr.. Bu-
chanan, fis an opportunity to embrace his
friend Mr.. Broderick, for whom, according
to the speaker, Mr. Buchanan ertertains an
affection too deep for utteranee, and almost
aDnroaehinp frenzy Touchinp isn't 10