, 1880-10-23
Whitman Monument.
OINEr, Om, Sept %. 1sSl

F. J. PARKER, ESQ Dear ST. /:
Your note of 18th, inst. with the accom-
pahying papers, came to hand this day,
for which please accep; the thanks Of tie
Pioneer Board in behalf of the Society.
In my recent visit TO Salem l did not
meet single man nor woman who did
not express a decided approval Of asking
and expressing the belief that our Oregon
Legislature would grant at least the
amount our Executive Board have asked
for, for the proposed Whitman monu-
ment.
There was divided wish expressed to
see the proposed monument standing be-
tween their beautiful county curt house
and their imposing capitol. Your beauti-
full city, military quarters, the Whitman
station at the junction If the two railroads,
and the natural mound commanding such
a grand view of so rich and fertile coun-
try surrounding it, and the fact that the
missionary patriot, his wife, and those
immigrant settlers gave Their lives and
their bleod was poured upon the ground
at the foot OF the mound, caused . yield
ing of personal preference for the pro-
posed monument, to be placed in the cap
ltol square at Salem, Oregon.
Our Pioneer and Historical Society of
Oregon was first terpfed to be located
at Salem, about three years before it was
finally organized at Astoria. On organ
izing at Astoria, the Salem effort was re-
ferred to and proposition to revive that
R.,t 81 f,,l ~.e l<
point Of location three historical facts di-
vided that question
First The discovery of the river in
l79S.
Second: The wintering of Lewis and
Clarke in 1866.
Third: The establishment of Astoria in
1911 by Astor.
These three facts were the commenc-
ment of our Oregon History, and had their
influence in making the Society-that has
now undertaken TO commemorate by q
suitable monument a death struggle to
rescue Oregon from becoming a. British
province. You may be well assured that
in tbs effort the Society that now has on
its roll of members over four hundred
names of pioneers, eighty-fve of whom, as
Judge o. c. Pratt of California SAYS. "are
now voiceless in their graves" they did
not divide on the place where to COM
memorate the one great struggle TO CHRIS
tianize and save this country to our Amer
ican people without carefully considering
all the places that would be hOnored by
its presence.
Our nation at the present time is apl.ro-
priating large amounts Of its revenue in
completing the shaft in memory Of one
who led its patriot sons from despotism to
freedom, from province Of Briton to a
nation Of freemen. The nations may look
at the vast pile in the city of Washington
and ascend the $50 feet to look to see the
tomb of Washington in the distance So
with the dome Of your courthouse. Let it
rise above all your beautiful groves OF
trees so that visitors that do not wish to
go in your rail cars or beautiful carriages
to the Whitman cemetery may go to the
d ,me of your court house, and see 1t with
their glasses.
Our Historical Society has waited sew.
eral years t. See If any general move
would be made to protect even the hmm
bic mound that covered the bones of the
massacred dead. 1t was not undertaken
from any sclfd, or place preferment. The
most suitable and proper place was the on
ly QUESTION that was discussed and liked
upon; upon condition tina. it could by do
nation or purchase Of even one-fourth Of
an acre of ground where the mound Is
now to be seen.
The ground has been cheerfully and
freely donated to the Oregon Historical
Society for that object 1t is all they
a,ked, except road to some public
road. The conditions have been COM
piled with ON tine part Of the owner OF the
land. The Pioneer and Historical Socie-
ty, as you will observe in It's FIRST address,
by its first committee, consisting of five
of its members say in their first address
that "the Society herewith give pledge
that all sums of money donated and paid
into the treatury for the erection Of said
Monument, shall be faithfully and econ
omic.lly expended for that object, and
the work commenced and pushed forward
to completion as iast a iuius caa Dc
raised for the object"
II the Executive Board can receive
pledge from any To,rn, County, Territory
or State that they will assure the errec-
tion of the proposed monument and place
beneath or in its giant vault or box such
of the bones as may be found. The pro-
position will be received and acted upon
in the most prompt mannerpossible. Trans
mitting to snch Town, County, Territory
or State all funds, title deeds ard impro-
vements with all papers, and the most
cordial and prompt assistance the Society
and its Executive Board Individually and
collectively can give.
While making this unlimited PROPOSE
tien the Board is confident that from the
careful manner they have proceeded thus
far; that the completion OF the work Will
remain under their direction, and that
in short time all side issues and party
or local objections will cease and the
monument will rise Just and honorable
tribute to the memory of a good man, his
noble wife and associate martyrs.
Daopacffu1iv