, 1863-01-03

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would be greatly promoted, by Teegraphic lines
being extended through the Territory. and
have no doubt your favorable action on this sub
ject will be duly appreciated by your constitu-
ents.
INSANE HOSPITAL.
The last session of our Territorial Legislature
very wisely and humanely passed an act to pro
vide for the safe keeping of Insane and ldiotic
persons, wherein it is made the duty of the Gov
ernor and Auditor of the Territory to provide by
contract for the clothing care, medical attendance
and safe keeping of all such persons in our Ter
rtory.
In fulfilling the duties, in accordance with the
requirements of said act it affords me great
pleasure to be able to inform you that with the
cooperation and praiSworthy assistance of X. NJ.
Walker, the Territorial Auditor, favorable con-
tract has been made with the good Sisters Of
Charity at Vancouver, for the safe keeping of all
such unfortunate persons.
The short distance between the most westerly
bend of the North Fork Of the Columbia river
and the naygable waters of Puget Sound is so
well known that it needs only alluding to in order
to secure your attention to the proprety of ask
ing Congress for a reasonable appropriation, to
construct Military Road on the shortest prac-
ticable line connecting said water courses.
The most important subject that claims your
attention, is the necessity of adopting the best
method of stopping at once and forever the afro
cious murders, robberies and punderngs that
have been committed annually by the Snake and
other tribes of Indians, upon valuable and en-
terprsing miners, their pack trans, conveying
goods and provisions to them, while engaged in
their arduc us labors at great distance from our
frontier settlements More particularly has it
become positive necessity to protect the vast
numbers of men, women and children of our over
] ] IL T.,
diens along the road from South Pass, down the
valley of the Snake to the Columbia river
1t is a standing disgrace to ourselves and our
country, that for the last twelve years the Snake
and other tribes of Indians, wirh their wicked as
sociates and accomplices of white men, have ev-
cry year committed the most outrageous robber-
] les and murders upon our overland emigrants.
White females have been carried into Indian cap
tiyitv. and are yet held in bondage by these saw
ages. For the honor and credit of our race,
those white women GGSht to be Immediately res
cued. If correct list of the names could be OBJ
tanned of all the white men, women and children
that have been murdered, and those carried INTO
captivity during the last twelve years, with list
of the thousands of horses, mules, cattle, money
and other valuable property, consisting, IN mary
instances, of everything the emigrants owned,
such frightful statement Of crimes would star
tie every good man in our country all would
promptly enquire, when are all these wrongs and
cruelties to be finally stopped? When is our
travelled road to be made free from molestation
When are these murderers and robbers to be
punished for their past crimes? +? When are the
large herds Of stolen horses. mules and cattle,
with all other valuable property. to be rescued
from the thieves, and restored TO their rightful
owners? Few of these murderers have yet been
punished, and none of the property has yet been
recovered. The great question now is, How are
the lives of future emigrants, and their property
to be protected during the next ensuing years
and for all time to come From the most reli-
able information, it seems generally believed that
the surest remedy will be found in the Govern
ment Of the United States to establish line of
military posts along the road leading from the
South Pass of the Rocky Mountains (near the
Southeast corner of this Territory, down the
Snake river valley to the Columbia.
To secure the establishment of said line of mil
itary stations hope your honorable body will
unanimously memorable Congress for this PR
pose.
While on this subject, it is proper l should
state that during the past season General George
Wright, the commanding officer of the Pacific
Department, very considerably issued an order
directing all the military forces that could be
spared, to be sent up the Snake river road to
meet and protect the overland emigrants. Gen.
b. Alvord, with Col. Justin Steinberger, of Walla
Wall, promptly executed the said orders, by for
warding Lieut.. Col Maury, with a portion of
Oregon Cavalry, who v'gilantly and successfully
guad said emigrants past the Salmon Falls,
and other dangerous places
1t is highly gratifying that these officers have
harmoniously and vigorously acted in concert,
and by their united exertions, large numbers Of
emgrants, with their property, have been pro-
IL
the officers and men of the escorts it is to be la
mented that several emgrants, whose great hurry
to get to the Salmon River and other gold mines,
induced them to rush onward at distance from
these military escorts, some of whom were MUIR
dered and robbed by the Indians.
GOLD MINES.
The operations in the gold districts of our
Territory during the year just closed have result
ed in manner most gratifying. Experienced
and skillful miners are convinced that our gold
bearing region is rich with treasure. A large
number of those engaged in the mines did not
arrive until late in the season, many of them only
in time to begin to prospect. In the prepara-
tions necessary to proper commencement of the
work, in some diggings, many obstacles Of seri-
Gus hindrances, were met with, frequently causing
vexatious delays; notwithstanding these, and
other disadvantages incident to the opening of
new mines, the yield Of gold has been astonish-
ingly large.
The amount taken this year from the mines on
the tributaries of the Columbia river is estimated
between eight and ten millions of dollars. Many
promising mines were discovered late in the sea-
son, some Of which are of the richest character.
large number of persons are winterng in the
mines, where new and thriving towns are spring
ing up. These facts in connection with the fruits
of this years labor furnish the strongest evidence
of the great value of our mines.
1t is fair to presume that as eight or ten mil
lions have been gathered in this years opera
tions, under such unfayorable circumstances,
more than double that amount will be collected
next season, and the annual yield hereafter will
continue to increase at that ratio for years to
come.
FELLOW CITIzENs-I leave these views with
YOU 1t will be my duty as well as pleasure to
CO. operate with you in in furtherng the interests
of the people of this Territory. Let us unite to
elevate their moral, social and political virtue
Let US teach the youth to revere him whose name
she hears that they may ever be loyal to that
Government which he contributed so largely to
establish. Let US frown down treason. or sym
pathy with it, by our steady adherence to the
Government in its every effort to suppress this
rebellion. Let each one Of US stand by the Con-
stitution and Union, as the only harbor of national
safety. Thanking God we are yet exempt from
the ravages of war, but feeling none the less the
pangs of woe at our country's aflction, she will
yet ride successfully through the storm of rebel
lion, and survive the great crisis now being un-
dergone. Out of this war America must emerge
brighter, more powerful, and dearer to every
lover of human rights than ever. God grant
that our most anxious hopes may be realized
In him we trust and our prayers cannSt be in
vain. WILLIAM PICKERING.
TART words make no friends spoonful