The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-24

is only necessary In order to complete the
generals official report to mention the
character of this warship Satellite to re-
flute his own pernicious assertions.
But his own biographer, Mr.. Reavis,
gives the general the coup de grace. On
page 32l, last paragraph, he says:
Mr.. Dallas. it is true. did NOT come over in .
man-of-war; he came over IN the Hu9son Bay
COMMANDS steamer Beaver. Nor couiu ne nave
known till after his arrival anything win re-
gard to the difficulty meaning the nog serapeb
as the occurrence had taken place out tew
hours previoua
Before passing let us recall to mind the
fact that the autonomy OF our terr.oIiat
and state governments has lodged the
protection of its citizens in the charge OF
its governors, who can, if they deem 1t
proper, call out the militia, and, II neces-
sary may request the federal governments
aid to enforce its laws. Perhaps no officer
of the United States army should know
the difference between civil governor
and military commander, or have II
more deeply impressed on his mind, than
General Harvey. Governor Marcy, when
secretary of war under President Polk, IN
a letter to Brigadier General W. S. Har-
ney, dated December IL, 1S48 reprimanded
him very severely. from which letter the
following is extracted:
Yet you ought not to have forgotten thatyou
had no jurisdiction whatever over the offense,
and that every man is entitled to q hearing ana
fair trial before punishment. Your proper
course would have been to refer the party
aggrieved to the civil governor OF Mexico Tor
redress. w. L. MARCY,
Secretary OF War.
In the Dallas Guitar case, purely civil
matter, General Harvey was not the gov
ernor of the territory, nor had the gov
ernor directly or indirectly applied to him
for a company; nor was it so threatening
that the boundary commission, who were
engaged at the problem, could not deter
mine the line in time. Neither did the
general hold an appointment of umpire to
the commissioners in case of non-agree-
ment. The offense at most was simply a
street brawl, tit only for police magis-
trate, and mis- reasons for posting Captain
Pickett there are outrageous.
The general, too, has laid great stress
upon the fact that he, the governor, was
ignored, received a petition of American
citizens"-it did not claim to be from
.'residents"-"on the island of San Juan"
for soldiers. Under the name of Paul K.
Hubbs, j., on that petition is that of
Colonel Paul K. Hubbs, well-known
resident of Port Townsend at that date,
July II, 1859. It is known, too that the
petition was written some weeks after
Captain Pickett had been on the island.
The petition not only ignored the gov
ernor, but the character of the signers
being known to the governor, might not
have passed muster for We know that
when the military was established there
by General Scott's orders some OF them
were ordered off the island.
1t is passing strange that General Har-
ney should voluntarily usurp the reins of
the executive of Washington territory, in
suit and ignore the boundary com mission-
ers of Great Britain and the United States,
and last, not the least by any means, cut
the Gordian knot with his sword. by as
Stunning complete and exclusive sovereign
rights within the fairly disputed limits"
by force, in violation of the clear instruc-
tons of the president of the United
States to the governor of the territory.
All this against nation with whom we
were enjoying the blessings of peace. But
if an armed soldier of that nation should
Pickett solemnly declared he would open
fire on him. This meant war! General
Harney's language to Sir James Douglas,
governor and vice-admiral of British colo
mics, meant insult and warl
The evident absence of all the usual war
like preparations by the United States for
an emergency with any civilized foe-the
utterly defenseless condition of the Coast
from Olympia to San Francisco, leaving
that coast at the mercy of the British
navy, then in Esquimalt harbor, con-
founded her majesty's officers and caused
them to hesitate. The following British
ships-of-war were stationed at Esquimalt,
viz: Flagship Ganges. "a guns, $40 men
Tribune, 81 guns, 325 men; Pleiades, 81
guns, 325 men; Satellite, q guns, 325 men;
Plumper, 10 guns, lbs men; sappers, min
ers and marines. 200 men; total. 1877 guns.
2.140 men. Most of the cannon were 6S-
FOUNDERS.
On the part of the United States the said
hermaphrodite brig jeff Davis, with four
guns (32.pounders), and the steamer Mas
sachusetts, eight guns (32-pounders), and
perhaps the lighthouse tender Shubrick,
composed the whole of the American ma
val array. There were six companies of
United States soldiers, averaging fifty
men to the company-300 men at most-on
Puget sound.
Let US pause here and ask ourselves:
"Did President Buchanan complicate
matters when he rebuked General Har-
ney? or, when he sent out General Win
field Scott to adjust the matter?" 1t was
impossible for any human being to COM
plicate the danger, unless by making bad
worse to send small reinforcements from
Fort Vancouver.
In justice to President Buchanan, let
US expunge from our archives such
groundless assertions.
INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH THE IMBRoGIIo.
Special order No. ~ arrived at Fort
Townsend about the Goth of August. d.
recting Brevet- Major Haller's company.
on the arrival of the Massachusetts,, TO re-
move TO Fort Steilacoom, and Captain
Picketts company, with baggage, etc, to
move to and establish post on San Juan
island Mr.. Campbell, the boundary com.
missioner, was, at the time this order ar
rived, at Fort Townsend. The order was
shown him to read, after which he seemed
disturbed in mind, believing the occupa-
ton premature. Mr.. Warren, in the
writer's presence, informed Mr.. Campbell
that General Harney's staff officers had
said, when they were at Semiahmoo. that
Captain Pickett would be ordered to San
Juan island, and that he (Warren) sup
posed at the time that General Harney's
visit was to consult Mr.. Campbell on the
subject. The latter at once penned a let
ter TO the general on the subject, presum-
ing he was authorized to do so through
the war department.
Captain Pickett's company landed on
San Juan island July g. 1850, without
molestation, and located camp near the
Hudson Bay Company's farm buildings,
on Bellevue. The next day he promul-
gated the following orders:
MILITARY Posi-, SAN JUAN IsLlNp.I
WASHINGTON TERRITORY, July y, 1873
l0rder No. J.
l. In compliance with orders and iustruc-
tons from tae general COMMANDING, a military
post will be established on this island on what
ever site the commanding officer may select
H. All the Inhabitants of the island are re-
quested to report at once to the commanding Of
neeT IN case OF aay iueUrsioa OF the Northern
Indians, so that he may take such steps as ara
necessary 10 prevent future occurrence of the
same.
H. This being United States territory. no
laws, other than those of the United states nor
courts, except such as ara held by virtue of said
laws, Will be recognized or allowed on this
island.
By order of Captain Pickett.