, 1862-09-27


bia--by CAPT. JoHN MULLAN, Z. S. A.
To show the interest that this distinguished mar
took in the national enterprise of connecting the
Pacific with the Mississippi valley, MA the Nilsson
ri and Columbia river route, will quote from his
own writings the authentic account of the first
steps taken by the friends of the measure about
half century since. In the first volume of hi;
Thirty Years View he states his own action
and that of its friends, in the following language
"The session of 1920 and 1921 is remarkable
as being the first at which any proposition wa.
made in Congress for the occupation and settle
ment of our Territory on the Columbia river-the
only part then owned by the United States on the
Pacific coast. 1t was made BY the Hon. DR..
Floyd, a Representative from Y inia-an ardent
man, Of great ability and decision of character
and, from an early residence in Kentucky, strong
ly imbued with western feelings. He took up this
subject with the energy which belonged to him,
and it required not only energy, but courage to
embrace subject which, at that time, seemed
more likely to bring ridicue than credit to its ad-
vocate. Two gentlemen, Mr. Ramsey Crooks, of
New York, and Mr.. Farnham of Massachusetts,,
who had been in the employment of John Jacob
Astor in founding his colony of Astoria and car
rying on the fur trade on the Northwest coast of
America, were at Washington that winter and
had their quarters at the same hotel with DIR.
Floyd and myself. Their acquaintance was nat
urally made by western men like us-in fact, |
knew them before and their conversation, rich in
information upon a new and interesting country,
was eagerly devoured by the ardent spirit of
Floyd. He resolved to bring forward the ques-
ton of occupation, and did SO. lie moved for a
select committee to consider and report upon the
subject. The committee was granted by the
House more through courtesy to a respected mem
Der, than any view to business results. 1t was a
committee of three, himself Chairman, according
to parliamentary rule, and Thomas Metcalfe, of
Kentucky, and Thomas " Swearinger, of West
ern Virginia-both, like himself, ardent men and
strong in western feelings. They reported a bill
in six days, accompanied by an elaborate report
replete with valuable statistics in support of the
measure. The fur trade, the Asatc trade, and
the preservation of our own Territory, were the
advantages proposed.
The bill was treated with that parliamentary
courtesy which respect for the committee required.
1t was committed to a committee of the whole
House the next day. but nothing was done in the
House that session. But first blow was struck.
Public attention was awakened and the geo
historical and statistical facts set forth
in the report made lodgment in the public mind
which promised eventual favorable consideration
l had not been admitted to my seat in the Sen
ate at the time, but was soon after, and quickly
came to the support of DIR. Floyd measure, and
at subsequent session, presented some views on
the subject, which will bear reproduction at this
time.
The danger of contest with Great Britain, to
whom we had now admitted joint possession,
and who had already taken possession, was strong
ly suggested, if we delayed longer our occupation,
and vigorous effort of policy and perhaps of
arms, might be necessary to break her hold.
Unauthorized or individual occupation was in
timated as a consequence of Government neglect,
and what has since taken place was foreshadowed
in this sentence" Mere adventurers may enter
upon it as Aeneas entered upon the Tiber, and as
our forefathers came upon the Potomac, the Del
aware and the Hudson, and renew the phenome-
non ofindividuals laying the foundation of future
Empire
The effect upon Asia of the arrival of our Amer
lean population on the coast of the Pacific ocean
was thus exhibited-'Upon the people of Eastern
Asia the establishment of a civilized power on the
opposite coast of America could not fail to pro-
duce great and wonderful benefits Science, lib
erSl principles of government, and true religion,
might east their lights across the intervenn sea.
The valley of the Columbia might become the
granary of China and JAPAN and an outlet to their
imprisoned and exuberaEt population. The in
habitants of the oldest and the newest, the most
despotic and the freest Governments, the neigh
bors and the friends of each other To my mind
the proposition is clear, that Eastern Asia and the
two Americas, as they become neighbors, should
become friends; and /, for one, would as soon see
American Ministers sent to China and Japan as
to see them dancing attendance upon European
legitimates who hold everything American in con-
tempt and detestation Then it was wild sug-
gestion, nOlo it is history.
Besides the preservation of our own Territory
on the Pacific, the establishment there of port
for the shelter of our commercial and military
marine the protection of the fur trude, and aid to
our whaling vessels the accomplishment of Mr..
Jefferson's idea of commercial communication
with Asia through the heart of our own continent,
we're constantly insisted upon as the inevitable
results of planting an American colony at the
mouth of the Columbia, and along the California
and Oregon coasts.
That man of large and useful ideas-that States
man, who could conceive measures useful to all
mankind, and in all time to come, was the first to
propose this commercial communication, and may
also be considered the first discoverer of the Co
lumbia river. His philosophic mind told him that
where a snow-cad range, like that of the Rocky
chain, shed the waters on one side, which collect
ed into such river as the Missouri, there must
be corresponding shedding and collection of
waters on the other-and, thus, he was perfectly
assured of the existence of river where the Co.
lumbia has since been found to be-although no
navigator had seen its mouth, and no explorer
had trod its banks. His conviction was complete,
but the idea was too grand, too useful to be per-
mitted to rest in speculation.
He was then minister to France, a date when
the famous traveller Ledyard, arrived at Paris, on
his expedition of discovery to the Nile, and who
was prevailed upon by Mr. Jefferson to enter up
on fresher and more useful field of discovery