New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-26

xxN- hi Sn HxxiS. 7s9. san Francisco: The
History Company.
The genesis of State must always
bc study OF deep interest ana Oh
MI the many possible beginnings h'hc
possesses more attraction than that in which the
now country is colonized by men advanced in civ
ilizaon, who;ssc brought into direct contact with
mature. and forced to lean again the primitive
lessons of the pioneer The settlement OF OREGON
was in this way II is not history of desperate
adventures with savages, of narrowing pr1vauons
and sensational events. The long journey across
The plains was indeed fun of hardship OF the most
irving character and the caravans that under.oo'>
il were winnowcd out by protactcd orueal Oh
exppsuic anxiety, hunger, thirst ana la'is"c' ny
the time they reached the safe harpor oi 'i'c
Willamette Valley Once there the worst was oNer'
and tllenceforward the taia's OF The emisi"i''s
were comparatively light Yet the history OF 'i'e
settlement is in no way tedious or dull !" ID
6cscription of adaptations, of the evolution OF
orderly government of the application 10 the ia"
material of society of that capacity for govern
ment which Americans inherit
Circumstances too hal 10 some extent lacii'.t'eu
@,o settlement of Oregon Tic Hudson Bay Com
,orv In carving out its commercial schemes, had
been obliged 10 introduce there q rough form Oh
government or at least q code of ordinances WHICH,
beinr sustained by the force OF mutual h'eies"
not only secured peaceful relations between '''
oho,ic;ncs and the conn any, but paved the way
for me extension of friendly terms wien uc
immigration began. MIR. Bancroits picture Vi
Fort Vancouver the early headquarters OF 'he COM
many in 1884, is picturesque and attractive 'oih
Mclaughlin the head of the companys p'r'ih'Ss ia
that region. was a man Of great natural force ana
inability of character lie was beloved by all VINO
knew him. His manners hal the stately courtesy
lie
nv a rare cordiality. He was humane GENIAL
upripbt. and withal determined enough when ulc
occasion demanded firmness. Mclaughlin, with O
large staff, lived at Fort Vancouver, and tm'her'
once a year came a quaint procession OF bateanN
filed with tIapIers and vOyageuis Dr1n@lh5 thcir
annual hunting To headquarters. 1hese hn"S
fellows made festival of the OCCASION Ihcy d.
WAYS landed some miles above the fort, 10 oiess
themselves in all their best for the parade lheh'
dccxcd in gayly trimmed hunting shirts, CAPS
)ccgings and moccasins, futtering with feathcis
and sparkling with beads, they r-cntercd thelr
boats and chorusing their campfire songs they ap-
proached the fort where the tall form oil John
Mel oughlin was seen awaiting them. For several
DAVIS after their arrival kind of carnival was held
but though there was plenty for all excess was
a;scountenanced The scene must have been
patrjarchal in its simplicity, and it stood for a
condition which was destined soon to pass away.
The company's sway did nothing, or but little
for civilization Its aim was commercial profit
no obtain this amity with the native tribes was
necessary for quarrels would stop trade and render
hunting too dangerous. So the employees OF inc
coronation were forbidden TO annoy the Indians
in any way or 10 be on bad terms with them, ana
the general result of the policy pursued was that
the Hudson Bay Company's men could travel
where they pleased in perfect safety, while the cor
poration made heavy profits by buying flus from
the aboligincs at mere fraction or their value
OF course fur company does not care for The SET
Element of its hunting grounds, and had the HUI
son Bay Company been on English territory there
IS no room to doubt that it would have actively
discouraged immigration. As it was its agents did
what they could in this direction by spreading
gloomy reports of the country but the ownership
nj OREGON was in doubt AMI dispute, and they
could not be sure of their status from year to
wear But John Mclaughlin, though in the inter
est of his employers he bound not to encourage
settlement never could sit still and see Immigrants
suffer and so whenever he heard that any OF Them
wcrc in difficulties, up the Dalles or anywhere nc
would always send off relief party and BRING tho
travellers into the fort where they were made
heartily welcome.
Tfp missionaries were the first TO come Some
Indians had been taken Last and parallel about
as converts The field for evangelical work in the
far West was said to be extensive. The Metho
dists and then the Prsbyterians. took up the sub
iect enthusiastic men were found TO devote them
selves to the enterprise and missions were organ
lied The history of these experiments is not
cheerful The fist missionaries were wholly unh
10 COPE with the secular difficulties OF the sltua
ton and their efforts TO convert the heather weiS
for the most part attended by depressing failure
nhey started schools, but the Indians would not
attend. or if they attended would not learn. or Il
they applied themselves became sick. The liberia
ton OF malarious germs which always follows The
breaking up of virgin territory, and the insanita
ton of the mission buildings generally, produced
the natural consequences. When the Indians found
disease making havoc among them they OF course
ascribed the misfortune to the white men, anC
this belief almost paralyzed the missionaries.
a machinery for evangelzation the early Oregon
missions soon proved futile but with this discover,
curious change came upon the mission
aries themselves. When they perceived the use
lessness Of attempting TO convert the lndlans-wh'
thought they ought to be paid for praying, ant
soon learned TO despise prayers which did not Drlns
them blankets guns, ammunition or horses-thel
turned their attention to building up secular pros
perity and endeavored TO get hold OF as much goot
land as possible In short time this new policy
brought them into collision with the Hudson Bay
Company, which they anta2onized as r1val and {
foreign rival Although for years the territory wa
in dispute, it is to be remembered that nearly al
tho Americans who went there looked upon 1t a
though it was already part of the United States
This view, while it fastened settlement and at TN
same time tended TO bring about that which i
assumed. rendered McLoughlns position mucl
more embarras ing. The greed OF the missionarie
threatened several times to cost serious difficulties
but happily the good sense and equity OF the ma
jority prevailed and no harm was done. When
at q later PERIOD the Catholics in turn sent mis-
sionalies to Oregon a strong rivalry arose between
them and the Protestants and the Whitman mass
acre so inhamed public opinion that the wildes
nroposiiions were made, and in the general eX