New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-22
FORTY YEARS ON THE FRONTIER.

Territories as William Gpln, frSt Governor 81 Nol-
orado, appointed by President Lincoln in 1861.
He recently came to New-York to make
new sales out of his great San LIMO grant Of Co.,
600 acres, portions of which had previously
been disposed of in Holland. He was sent to Wash
mgton in 1914 as an informal delegate from
Oregon, where he organized the first Republican
society. He was one of the two commanders OF
Doniphans expedition TO Chihuahua in 1S4G. ara
was in the Florida war many years previously. lie
accompanied Fremont in his first journey 10 ma
passes 10 the Pacific; was founder OF the town OF
Portland Oregon; and finally broke the power OF
the Indian tribes, and with his volunteers drove
the rebellion back from the plains into Texas after
the treason of Twiggs Mr. Gilpin IS particularly
known as the oldest prophet OF empire
on the plains, and his views In this particular
will be found unique. He is a tall man, of military
figure with fine, literary head the strength OF
the lower jaw partly covered by cropped brown
beard His address is absent, spasmodic. or
odd by turns. He is one of the men who literally
went West and grew up with the country,
and his friends say that he has known secret
hunger both on the journey and in the haunts
of men, and that his early views OF the great pop
ulation west Of the Missouri were derided by
thousands of living people who have seen them
perfected. With ample means, hospitality and
young family, including twins, Governor Gllpin
lives at Denver and exercises sort of literary
supervision over the whole Western problem. l
said 10 him
Are you of the Gilpins of Philadelphia
eyes; am brother of Henry d. Gilpin, Dis
trict-Attorney under Jackson Ny family were
ouakers and lived about the battlefield of
Brandvwine. was sent to West Point from the
State of Delaware. and put at the bottom of the
first regiment of Dragons by Old Hickory. /
desired TO have the Government send me to the
Pacific Ocean in 1912. and as they would not do II l
resigned in Missouri and started for Oregon At that
time the British and the United States held a
Joint occupation of the region about the Columbia
assembled a small number of deserving sailors,
whalemen, Canadians, Outcasts, emigrants, ETC., TO
organize Territorial Government on the Villa
mette before the United States exhibited any inter
est IN The subject. There 1913 persons present,
and can call the names of them all now We set
a trap in American style. The presiding officer was
named 'Blubber' Smith the secretary was
Dr. White who had resided on the Columbia
since 1886. 1t was proposed that We petition
the American Congress to give us a Territorial Gov
eminent. The Canadians present coull not read,
but the chairman according TO instructions, ruled
the motion ont on the ground that the meeting was
not called TO favor either England or America. We
then proposed TO have the paper read The Cana
dams didn't understand a word Of it, but thought
Bubbcr Smith was now impartial. He took the
paper when it was finished, and said: Pslaw
There is nothIngn that but what ybody can sign.
will sign it give me the pen We got every
body's signature or mark thereupon. aDd was aD-
pointed to take the memorial to Washington. On
nv WAY back the Missouri Legislature at jefferson
CITY made me clerk with a salary of $lS day for
100 days, or l should not have had the means to
support myself at Washington"
BENTON THE FATHER OF THE WEST.
You. then. are the gentleman WHO produced the
long debates on the Oregon question 7
we; arrived in Washington in the closing part
Of Tylci's administration l was allowed a sofa rep
rescntation; and while heard those oil saltwater
despots Iidiculug the Great West and my prc'en-
c ons they would now and then look over to me 10
point their sentences. Old Calhoun belittlcd the
rretensous of the plains. He said he supposed that
vouDg lieutenant would presently desire 10 come to
Congress ~ a Senator from Oregon. l told them,
as lido now, that their power would pass away
and have lived 10 see 100000 Of people and
twenty States and Territories cut Out Ofthe ground
which was then void"
what had been the impulse TO carry you ont Of
the Regular Army on that vagrant labor"
81 suppose It was a return Of the same spirit
which on the Chesapeake had animated nv colonial
ancestors. felt that things were worn ont in the
East. and that a new West beyond the Mississippi
must be created to draw the young men into
freer and freSher society. | have never
ceased To look with contempt on Clay, Webster,
Calhoun McDuflte. and all that set of politicians
subsidized to keep this country east of the Allie
ghany Mountains There ha, only been one profit
able issue in America since the formation of the
country-Far-Western development. Here the North
and South are divided and cmbitterod against each
lor and likely 10 be so for half a century: while
81. ,f,f he MI
sour the sectional issue has no existence"
q" Who was your great man for the FaI-W est pol
icy7 49,
stood II. Benton introduced into this country
now informal. central plateau policy: which has
added civilization ard wealth, without dlScoTd, 10
the Nation. Those other old felOws-Clay, Cal
houn Van Buren,, Webster, ctc.-had no such
sagacty, and pulled back TO make public debts.
aggrandze slavery and multiply tariffs, and hnuly
cost us the best blood and all the credit We had.
Tom BentOus memory has nothing OF that KIND 10
answer for. HIS monument stands at II. LOUIS
looking West, aud saying: There Is the last
There is Europe y"
MOVING THE CAPITAL.
"You regard Eastern politics as effete' Governor
Gilpinf7
"Childs play" SAID the Governor, compared
10 what we ate doing Asia and Europe could
never get at caih other on the old continent and
illmitable wild tribes, religions etc. always
divided them there. We have created on the
American plateau the place of assimilation for
both. There are 10000 miles of railroad centering
at Denver, Col, built by 10000 Chinese, and in
few years Mexico will De part of the United
States, with her l2OOO,OOO people, and theu you
will see one capital removed from the Valley of
Mexico and another from the Potomac, and set up
at the proper centre OF the continent"
"N here Is thatT
Without a moments hesitation the Governor re-
plied AT Fort Riley Kansas" He added; The
! Rocky Mountain chain which makes our continent
| il tine grand junction. When began this thing
thirtv-six years ago, both the Northern aud South
eru politicians looked upon Us pioneers and path
finders As a set Of rcue2ades, outlaws, hali-breeds
and troglodItcs. The only victory Of the civil war
Mn n Dnnlfc Rallrnlh If fln