Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-10-13
Oregon "reminiscences.
1913.

ton of ~, in the occ .s,onal AL
dress mt the Reunion Of 1881, thus
chrunicles the casualties, and causes
vi discourage which ushered
in the early spring uf 1873. Early
i'll Febln,ry IN event happened
wi:ich cast il gloom over tn settle
ii,"Iit:
DIR White and Nathaniel Croker
of onr company. W. W. Raymond
Of the Methodist Mission, Cornelius
Rodgers, teacher, with his wife
aud her yonng sister, daughters of
Rev. David Leslie, were on their
way to the falls in large Chinook
canoe manned by four Indians. Ar
irving at the rari Is above the falls,
where the break A..ter and basin is
now located, the: attached Il line to
the canoes as was the custom, and
Mr.. Raymond and two Indians
walked aloug the rocks to hold it
while approaching landing p.acs
Just above the falls where the saw
mill now stands across the channel.
{" AS the canoe came alor@s!sle a
log, DR.. White stepped out, md III
stantly Il strong current caught the
stern and, snatching the liue from
those on TIE bank, carried the canoe
like flash over the falls only few
rods distant:
The canoe was dashed into a
thousand fragments, and, with its
living freight, swallowed up i'll the
Whirlpool below.
"This was indeed fearful blow to
our little colony. And, as the sad
tidings were carried through the set
tlement, all business was suspended
and general grief and sadness per
vaded.
" A number of our company, pro-
badly one.third, dissatisfied with the
withdrawing on their migratory
instincts-determined to go to Cal
ifornia. It was said of some that
they never remained in one place
longer than to obtain the means to
travel; aud of one family in par
ticular, that they had practically
lived in the wagon for more than
twenty years, only remaining in one
locality long enough to make crop,
which they had done in every state
and territory in the Mississippi val
ley.
Accordingly, under the lead OF
l.. W. Hastings, they set out as soon
as tie weather would permit. and,
after encountering some Difficult, y
with the Indians, they reached Sac
ramento valley.
Those who remained generally
located claims in Wallamet valley
which were recognized and respected
without other protection than public
opinion until the provisional! govern.
ment was established.
In the latter part of March, a
petition to Congress was circulated
receiving the signatures of many Of
the most influential members of the
Oregon Methodist Mission and Amer
lean settlers. Equally prominen,
missionaries ana settlers refused
to sign, and such fact is significant
that party-spirit had made its ap
pearance in the territory. The
"petition" was really IN appeal tc
the United States Government to
adopt measures against the continu.
ance of the Hudson's Bay Company
in the territory. 1t was a bitter
manifesto against the company, it,
presence in the territory, its policy
Of trade and manner of occupancy
1t inveisbed against DR.. John Nc.
LouShlin aud associate officers fol-
opposition to the improvement and
enterprise of American citizens"
Its circuiators and siguers de-
nounced those who refused to sign
as anti American. These charges
and counter charges, as to sympa.
thies or prejudices. constituted the
politics of that period.
The petition bears date March
! 25th. Robert Shortess' name head.
the list of sixty-tive signers. He
was long accredited as its craftsman
On the 1st September, 1867, he
made the following statement:
The authorship of that famed
petition being claimed by Gov. Aber-
nethy, l will state the part he bad in
getting it up. 1, without consulting
any one, determined on an applica.
ton to Congress and drew up sum.
mary of the subjects intended to
embrace in it and showed it to one
or two persons. 1t was decided to
request Mr.. Abernethy to write it
out in proper form, which he did,
but refused to sigr it, or allow it to
be circulated in his handwriting,
fearing it might injure the mission.
had it copied by A. E. Wilson,
and in his hand it was circulated
and through his assistance sent on
its way to Washington"
He further says: GAS Governor
Abernethy would feel himself un-
justly treated if the authorship of
NhO nk'CtAtiOu WCA0 hoCAlOcu " m0s L
will state that he wrote it at my re.
quest and from my notes, but re-
fused to sign it, or have it circulated
in his handwriting"
The petition will be found at
length. in the Documents of the
28th Congress, 1st session:
claws are made to protect the
weak against the mighty, and we
feel the necessity of them in the
steps that are constantly taken by
the honorable Hudson's Bay Com
pany, in their opposition to the i'm
provement and enterprise of Ameii-
can citizens. You have been APP
prised already OF their opposition to
Captain Wyeth, Bonneville, and
others, and we find that the same
spirit dwells with them ut the pre-
sent day. Some years ago, when
the Hudson's Bay Company owned
all the cattle in Oregon, they would
not sell on any conditions, but they
wOnl1 lop1 thoir oOwS IN tho cettlor