, 1867-03-15


Or. Whitman was barely able to obtain frou
President Tyler the promise that negotiation!
should be suspended The next object was L
exposethe ftlsity of thu statement that the Rocky
aud Blue Mountains could not be passed by en-
igrant wagons.
Il soon become known to some extsat, tha
i5f- bAltmau would accompany those, who dur,
ing that season should attempt 10 60 to the Col
umbla river with wagons. This fact induced
numbers to undertake the journey, who, other.
wise, would not have done so. II | Judge cor.
rectly, the testimony has been unvarying and
abundant, that the success Of the expedition de
pended upon the knowledge, skill, energy, and
| perseverance, Of Dr. Whitman. Extravagant
language has been used expressive of the confd.
ence of the emigrauts of ls43 in the ability o.
| DR.. Whitman to conduct them successfully
| through difficulties, which, in the estimation OF
many, were regarded as insurmountable. The
! fording of the Platte, with such train, was an
unried and, in some respects, perilous UNDER
taking, and signally successful. The credit of
the success was awarded to DR.. Whitman.
Here permit me, momenariiy, to divert at.
tenton In 1899 Rev. J. s. Grifin, with his
missionary associates, Travelled from the western
frontier to Fort Hall with wagons. They were
there told by agents of the Hudson Bay Company
that it was impracticdble, if not impossible to
take their wagons to Walla Walll. Consequently
teams and wagons were exchanged for pack az.
! " IL.
Clarke and fellow missionary laborers performed
the same journey in like manner. At Fort Hall
they were induced to leave their wagons. In
1913, at the same place the thus far successful
game was tried again, aud at the opportune
moment, when DR.. Whitman was absent from
camp. As lie returned, some were weeping and
others much disturbed. lie, at once, compre>
hended the plot; and thea ana there is said thus
to have addressed them.
"My cOuutrymen you have trusted me thus
far, believe me now, l will take your wagons to
the Columbia river" Truth triumphed. and
lying lips were put to shame,
may not be able to furnish evidence salts
factory to others, but in view of all the past re.
ldting to this subject, of which have been an
eye and ear witness since Aug 1898, am pre-
pared to state that TO my mind, there is not the
shadow of doubt, that DR.. Whitman by person..
al efforts with Secretary Webster and President
Tyler in 1913, aud by his agency during the
same season, in conducting wagon train from
the then western frontier to the Columbit river,
was Instrumental in saving a highly valuable
portion of this North West TO the United States
Other appliances were helpful, but his services
were Indispensable They turned the scale.
Am extravagant in saying that the import
ance of this to our country will not be likely to
be over estimated, when the iron track of the
Worth Paciiir rIffTurt 5zzti TrG the two Oceans
It's s1iai, nd the commerce ofthe world mo .e
over the most direct route, aud when the Latent
resources Of this vast regiod shall have been
fairly developed; thea a theme will be presented
worthy the best cndeIvOr Of the Statesman and
orator.
1t is said without dispute that Dr. Whit
man in person nude explorations, which
resulted in determining and locating i'm
porttnt portion of the present Travelled wagon
road to the Dtles. The Waiilatpu station had
become proycrbihl AS supply station. Food,
shelter, medical treatment and words of cheer
without stint were afforded to the needy. gem
erosty full equal to the requirement OF the gold
en- rule was usually practced: hence at the time
Of the massacre, NJycnb5r Goth, 1871 there
were about seventy white persons, chiefly de-
pendent upon the station for supplies.
The ability aud f,ithfuluess with which DR..
Whitman served missionary and physician,
will, by his associates, be cher shed in long and
grateful remembrance. AT present it is not be
fitting to enlarge upon this polnt.
In 1859, AS agent for the A. b. G. F. NJ, 1
came to this valley to look after the pecuniary
interests of said Missionary Society. walked
over the ground which had receive the blood of
the Christi n martyrs. | stood beside the green
grave where rests portion of the remains of
Dr.. and Mrs Whitman, Mr.. Rodgers aud others
The transpirings of the past came throngIng up
on my memory. The then existing present, and
probable future ofthis valley, and of the sur>
rounding country, were thought of. la view of
personal accountability, the purpose was then
formed to attempt to establish school near that
memorable spot. Ia the execution of that pur
pose a proposition made to purchase the
Waiiatpu Mission claim, and to donate part
thereof for the erection of Il betting monument
to the memary Of mtrtyred co-missionary labor
ers in the form of school of high Christian
character.
desire here to state, that while have cher,
ished particular partaity for the erection ofa
monument, the description of which has been
thus Indicated, should be very unwilling to dis
courage proper effort to erect monument an
swering to a very different description.
The putting up of marble column, of res
pectabe proportions, bearing appropriate in
scriptions commemorative of the massacre of AT
would b. n commendable deed. 1t would res
fleet deserved honor upon the living and the
dead. 1t may be that such work cannot be
permanently neglected without exposure to mer>
tied rebuke.