Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-01-27
American Settlement of Oregon.
Establishment OF the Oregon Mission,
under the Auspices OF the American
Board of Commissioners a: Foreign
Missions.
CONTINUED. |

/ W ala ana CavuSc Indians bee anne
turbulent DR. Z 'jal White, who
had received the appointment of
United States Indian Sub-Agent for
the Indian tribes west of the Rocky
Mountains, had crossed the Plains
IN the Summer of 1912. In the
| Wallamet settlements, rumors were
current that hostile combination of
/ the Walla Wallas, Cayuses and Nez
Peices had been formed, whose pur-
/ pose WAS to destroy the Protestant
I Mission i'll the interior and the
/ American settlements on the Wal
/ lamet. Ths Walla Wallas occupied
thccountry surrounding Walla Walla.
The Columbia river bounded their
country upon the north. They num-
bered about two thousand, with
ability toput in the field six hundred
! warriors. The Cnyuses, speaking a
similar dialect with the Nez Perces,
resided upon the Umatilla river,
claiming the country from Willow
creek to Blue mountains, including
Grand Ronde valley, and northward
to within twelve or fifteen miles of
Fort Walla Walla. They numbered
six hundred, of whom about two
hundred were warriors. The Nez
Perez country extended from the
mouth of the Salmon to the mouth
of the Palouse, and OF that breadth
eastward to the Bitterroot noun
tains, which chain divided them
from the Flathead nation. They
numbered two thousand with six
hundred warriors.
The conduct of the Indians at
Lapwai AM Waiilatpu had become
intoleiable and source of greatest
anxiety to the missionaries. Appre-
eating the isolation and defenceless
condition of the stations, the Indi-
and had grown insolent in their de-
mands. The missionaries had yielded
III the hope that conciliatory conduct
would retain their good will and
strengthen the influence of the mis-
sionary. Proportionate, however,
to Christian foibearancc, Indian
rapacity grew apace, and they be-
came defiant At Lapwai, Rev. H
II. SpaldinS was grossly assaulted
by the Nez Perces. He and his wife
were the only whites within curcuit
of fifty miles. At Waiilatpu, SINH
lar indignities were committed ON
the mission family, just after DIR.
Whitman's departure. They set fire
to the mission flour mills and adjoin-
ing buildings, which, with a large
quantity OF grain, were totally des-
troved. U. S. Sub-Agent White, on
learning of these outrages. accom-
panied by Thomas Mckay and
Cornelius Rodgers, as interpreter,
reached Fort Walla Walla on the
30th, where they were joined b.
Chief Trader Mckinlay. When
they arrived at Waiilatpu, the In
dams were scattered. A time
was fixed for their return, and the
Walla Wallas and Cayuses notified
to come in. The Agent and party
then proceeded to Lapwai, reaching
that station Dec Sd. On the 5tb, a
council was held, which was al
dressed by Agent White, Chief Trad
er Mckinlay. Cornelius Rodgers and
Thomas Mckay, who were followed
by Ache kiah, or Five Crows, Bloody
Chief (Over ninety years of age, a
chief when Lewis aud Clark visited
the country and six others. The
council then adjourned for six hours.
AT this meeting, DR.. White caused
Ellis to be elected Head Chief, to-
gether with twelve chiefs. A
code of laws was adopted, prescrib-
ing penalties for homicide, arson,
larceny and trespass. If any Indian
violated this code, he was to lie tried
by the chief. If white man trans
crossed against an Indian, he was to
be reported to the Agent. Murder
and arson were punishable by death,
other offences by fines and lashes.
On the return of the Agent and party
to Waiilatpu, Towa-to, Cayusc chief,
and Feather Cap were present. AS
many of the principal head men were
away, the Council was postponed
until the 10th of May, 1913.
The Hudson Bay Company had
for many years broken up the sys-
ten of chieftainship among the In
dams by distributing the prominent
members of the tribes, thus effectu-
ally destroying mischievous combin.
alton. This wise policy, attended
with such salutary results, was how
disregarded by DIR. White. Ellis, the
, newly elected Head Chief of the Ne2
Perees, had been educated at Red
river, and with his education had
, acquired a great self-importance.
sAs chief, he was naughty and over
bearing, administered Whites code
with extreme harshness. Indians
were Inundated by punishment for
acts which in their eye had no tur-
pitude, and the belief was instituted
r that White designed their ultimate
subjugation. The arrival of the i'm
migrants OF 1912, accompanying the
the Sub Agent, the rumor that DR..
Whitman would return that year
with an increased number, unsettled
the Indians. Reports were preva-
lent of general combination against
the white settlements and hostile
, parties had been sent to the Rocky
, mountains to cut off the expected
! train of 1913. On the Goth of April
!. exciting rumors reached the Wal
lamet, urging the immediate presence
of the Agent. The great complaint
/ was that the Americans designed to
appropriate their lands. Father
Demers, Catholic missionary, had
Just returned from the interior with
the intelligence that the hostile feel
ing was restricted to the Americans,
upon the strength of which, DIR.
Mclaughlin counseled against the
Agent going. and advised that all
should remain quiet; that in all prob
Ill. L I