New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-20

no benefit in the end from the land they had
taken up. nearly all of them losing it eventually
or parting with it at unproftably low prices
In politics there was plenty of excitement ana
the rise of the Republican party forms IN these
later wears an interesting study. At the OUT
break of secession Oregon was represented IN
the Senate by Joseph Lane, who had
been a popular Governor of the eM'e
and famous and successful ndlan
fighter. At this crisis he lost his
head and fell in with the hair-brained scheme
of Senator Gwin What that was many readers
may have forgotten, and therefore we VIII re-
fresh their memories from Mr.. Bancrofts state
ment. 1t was in effect to establish slave
holding Republic, on the plan of an aristocracy
similar to the ancient Republic OF venice, WHICH,
while providing for an elective execuuVe' vested
all power in hereditary mobiles, repudiatng uni
versal suffrage In note the historian adds:
II was the common belief that Gwin. OF Cali
fornia, was at the bottom of this scheme. Should
the Southern States succeed in withdrawing from
the Union and setting up Southern Confederacy'
and could line of slave territory be kept open
from Texas to the Pacific, the Pacific Coast would
continue with the South. But in view Oh the
probable wars in which the aggressive pohoy
of the Southern States was likely to involve tneif
allies Gwin was in favor of separate Empire or
Republic. This plan pointed out the means OF
procuring slaves, which was to invite the lmml-
grafton Of coolies, South Sea Islanders, ana
negroes, who were to be reduced to slavery
ON their arrival 1t was the discovery OF this
conspiracy which gave the California Senator the
title OF Duke Gwin."
There were advocates of slavery in Oregon,
and many who did not advocate slavery were
opposed to the admission Of free negroes TO the
State; but Duke OWNS and 10 Lanes scheme
found few hackers even among the secessionistS'
and the exposure Of il, occurring as 1T dld com
cidentally with the outbreak Of secession, ended
Lanes political career. BY this time the Union
sentiment prevailed in Oregon, and when Lane
who had been cherishing Presidential aspirations,
returned home, carrying some chests OF arms
wherewith to commence the revolutionary move
ment planned by Gwin, he was received with
manifestations of dislike and reproach which
would have been indefinitely increased had the
people known the character of his baggage. How
the repudiated leader was prevented from making
the desperate and hopeless attempt is thus re-
lated by Mr. Bancroft: 4" Jesse Apologize testifies
as follows: In crossing the Calspooya Mountains
with only his Irish teamster, by some mischance
pistol was discharged, wounding Lane in tho
arm The Irshman, frightened lest il should
be thought that he had inflicted the wound with
murderous intent fed to the house OF Apple
gate, at Yoncalla, and related what had occurred.
Apologize at once went TO Lanes relief, taking
him to his house, where he remained for several
weeks During this visit Lane revealed 70 his
friend the nature of his scheme concerning Oregon,
and was dissuaded from the undertaking. 1t
was no doubt fortunate for himself that he
abandoned It,
The California gold discovery necessarily re-
acted strongly upon Oregon, but neither it nor
the subsequent discovery of gold in Oregon did
the latter much good, its influence being chiefly
unsettlng and inimical TO the development Of
the natural resources of the country. When the
decline of the gold fever occurred, though the
first effect was to produce depression, the more
solid interests of the State came 70 the front,
and thencelorth progress was steady and little
interrupted. From that time the development
of the State has been rapid, and population,
wealth and improvements have increased together.
Mr. Bancroft has chronicled every step-we might
almost say every detail-of this growth in bis
careful and thorough manner, and there is
probably no name of any one who at any time
contributed TO the history or the prosperity Of
Oregon which is not recorded In these volumes.
As usual, much attention is given 70 county and
city annals, and 20 the record Of the pioneers,
biographical material being furnished In album
dance, and employed with skill and Judgment A
| full index completes the servceableness OF this
| faithful and picturesquely written work.