Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-04-05
MPIA WASHINGTON TERRITORY, APRIL 5. 1862.


CoIsl.any. and .i.. petitioners r,..rrf,ing that
nlissionariss could not lie -Izrcd from Red Eiv-
~. ba stating b. would soon b- able to sup
Fly thrir wanis-siaiing his desire 10 i,e. to
procure . for hose fec people asdtke Isd,as,
gtfcrraIds. TIE noa@' ef k~or,sg God. s.
l he sstilsTs eII the Willamette. not the liud-
--n's Hay Company. applied for ,h,-c mis-
-i''aariss. TN the Eth April. ls3s. the
Catholic bishop "f Qu'-',ec. in whose diocese
til. country west oi tn Rorky Mountains va.
embraced. appointed :. frarcis y. Blanchct
and Mc,i,--ie D-;n.rs. priests. Missona,,o,
fer thai porripn "f the dioc,s.. Of Quebec.
which j. situated between the Pacific Ocean
aud ih, Rocky Mountains" and in directing
ihu>, gentlemen Ia proceed 10 the field OF
their labor. the frs, instruction is. "ilat
they must consider rs the first object If their
mission Ia draw from barbariiy and the disor-
d,l> wlicl follow from it, the Indian nations
spread in that couutry." Among the instruc-
iion- We find the following:
10. y 10 the place where they will fix
",lrir principal residence, it will be on the
"k>cr Cowlitz, which cmptes into the Riv-
Ger Columbia,on the north side of the last Riv-
Ger. On their arrival at Fort Vancouver,
"thcy will present themselves to the person
"who represents the Honorable Hudson's
bay Company, and they will take his advice
:" as to the precise situation Of that establish
"mcut."
IL. "They are particularly recommended
"to have all possible regard for the members
" and employees of that company with whom
" it is very important for Tie holy work with
(which they are charged to be constantly in
"good intelligence" BY which latter instruc-
tons, it will be seen that " so far as the sta
ton ON the north bank of the Columbia riv-
cr' is concerned, the said priests were to be
advised by the persons in charge at Fort
Vancouver.
On the 2lth of November, 1888, Messrs.
Blanchct and Drmers arrived at Vancouver,
and the evidence establishes the fact that
during that year and the next number of
stations were established in Oregon, and u
number of tribes visited at various places.
Mr. Blanchct at that time, acted rs Vicar
General in Oregon, to the Bishop of Quebec,
and il appears that he or Mr.. Dcmers, with
the exception of temporary absences in visit
ing various portions of Oregon and New Gale
donia, was on duty at Vancouver, imparting
instruction to.hc Indian wives of the whites re-
siding there, ,as also such Indians as visitedthere.
From this period till lS42, wo find no addi-
ton to the number of these priests This
year, Sir Geo. Simpson made favorable re-
port, and Mes>rs. Bolduc and Langlois arrived.
In july. 1914, Mr.. Blanchet was succeeded
bv Mr.. Demers, Father Nobili from 10Th
September 1914, to june 1866, Father DE
Vos from june 1915, to May 1S47. Fathers
josef and De,ners had charge after Father DE
Nos until November lS47, when Father De
lavaud was appointed and continued till
1870, when succeeded by Rev.J. B. n. Brou-
ilct, who is now in charge.
The services and instructions were conduct
ed in an old store within the stockade Of the
lIu,lson's Bay Company Fort, which room
was exclusively used for such purposes. Be-
fore 1854, a piece of ground outside of the
pickcts had been obtained by Mr.. Blanchet
mot purchased, for the company refused to sell.)
which piece included the present site, for the
purpose OF erecting thereupon church. The
ground had been designated by Gov. Doug
las, uhen in chargc,) which piece of land the
Mission had permission to fence, but did not
do it for want of means.
In 1889 or 1910, Mr.. Blanchct had p,ir-
chased an old building from one Of the Com.
panv's servants, which was used as a school
for Indian children.
On the 3lst day of May. lsa6. Rev. Mr.
DE Vos, then in charge of the station. under
"thc auspices Of the holy name Of Mary and
",he patronage Of the Apostle St. james the
greater" dedicated the church cdifice built
bv Gov. james Douglas, who signed us wit
ness 10 the dedication. .
From then till now the church has been
continuously used. has been greatly extended
and enlarged. Within the enclosures are ssv-
.ral buildings used for religion, learning, and
other charities.
Such are the facts establishing the iounsia-
ton of ,h. Mission when j, attained the name
Of tn. Mission ii Si. james. and about any
or all Of which there i. really mo dispute.
Ihi> ls,ais u TO the ! J. Inquiry: Whether
~uch Mi--i,s, w,- an appcndage or dependency
II the IIad-.n's Is-v Company
Tn testimony hcrcinbsfon r'.f'-rn'd ia. as
T.. the in,.n,ior~ .rsi acts which call'-d into
hein= the u.sasoxary -xls'sii'issh Ut Me-srs.
islsnrl,,, as.d I,ssier~ in l>'>. elzris dsin"'i-
-;rz,.. ih-r u wa~ na; ocea-iof,s-l by any act
Il ,ls.. IIa,lsoa's Bav Company. The io'h
and lIrh instructions 1t the Ri-hop ot slus,-
l-e. aud lh- kitten Of shc Bi-Lop II .Ial'sI-'-
IL -lros casciusivsly that ihe to'HIany i'''d
ne hand ~hziev,r in the es.=hlisls'nsn'' and
Will. II would La,.. hern exceedingly ~a.y ie
isr, established sfsirIafi,.ly that ibr>s- in'a'
were ehaIlail~. no positive testimony Is adj
aar.si. II i. mt Necessary 10 essaisiish ans-.-
a,iss. and prove III y w.rr not cAagaa.as- bat
IN ~ j. aba....4.ses oi p~I'lss pEr'i ihsi Thy
wsE. -H,nss-arres, constituted fhs''as'iNs- a.
-ls..-n lv N. ir own sc.S. and 'L,ir ~uprriers,
aII :, T, ,.arlssl b, the hadsse's Tx. TOM
f.ary.
Hal III Hai-oa's Bay Csnpan, invited
L.. - l..i..... L.. I-,fh md I..fi ina rue