The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-01

H.
a single white man. Alarmed at this outrage
she fed to Fort Walla Walla and was sent to
The Dalles, where the Methodists had sta
ton, and spent the year OF her husban as alb
sence in visiting different places in the Column
bla and Willamette valleys. Even in the mat
ter OF Mrs. Whitmans desertion in the midst
OF an Indian country DR.. Nixon descends TO
the subterfuge, giving the impression that the
doctor provided for his wife's removal to The
Dalies before leaving his station; although, II
he knew his subject at all, he must have known
only one man for helper" l confess failure
10 ma proper expression in language that is
amlable OF my contempt for SANDER or Tor q
slanderer. Mrs. Victor had but one source OF
information of the happenings at the Whitman
mission, and that was Mrs. Whitman herself.
She ignores Mrs Whitman and proceeds TO tell
the story as above, as 1t appeared In your
columns. Mrs. Whitman says: about mid
night was awakened by some one trying TO
open my bedroom door. raised my head and
listened. Soon the latch was raised and the
a moment, closed the door, the rutfian pushed,
tried to unlatch it and could not succeed.
calling John, he ran as for his life."
There is no difficulty in seeing the perfect
willingness on the part of Mrs. Victor of having
her readers believe that Mrs. Whitman, left by
that brute of a husband unprotected, an In
dian chief invaded her chamber, and mark,
alarmed at the outrage, she fed" etc. The
plain insinuation is one that every loyal man
and woman will resent. She may not have i'll
tended 10 insult the memory of Mrs. Whitman,
but only to make the more impressive the
meanness of DR.. Whitman. For she adds
Gwen in the matter of Mrs. Whitman's deser-
ton in the midst ofan Indian country DR.. Nixon
descends to subterfuge, giving the impression
that the doctor provided for his Wife's re-
moyal," etc. Again, l ask no reader to take
my testimony alone. Upon page 306, "How
Marcus Whitman Saved Oregon the reader
will find letter, written and dated at Oregon
City, February IA, 1876. 1t was addressed to
the Rev. DR.. Atkinson and signed A. Laurence
Lovejoy 1t is a letter outlining the great jour-
ney to Washington and the midwinter ride
and how he Uovejoy) happened to make the
journeywith Whitman. In this letter he says:
ellis (Whitman's) arrangements were rapidly
made. Through the kindness of Mr.. Mckinley,
stationed at Walla Walla, Mrs. Whitman was
provided with suitable escort to the Willamette
Valley, where she was to remain with mission
ary friends until the doctors return"
Now who would likely best know the family
arrangement in the mission home, General
LoveJoy or Mrs. Victor General Loyejoy was
al the mission, the friend and adviser of Whit
man. Mrs. Victor was not even resident of
the country, but was many thousand miles
away, wholly unacquainted with single hap
pening. So "Dr. Nixon resorts to subterfuge,
giving the impression that the doctor provided
Tor his Wlfes removal, etc. Mrs. Whitman
tells plainly the situation in her daily diary.
She was a true, noble, Christian woman, and
proposed to shirk no duty. Her health had
been poor, and the talk of q rest and a visit TO
the Willamette country had been suggested.
She says, For myself would prefer to remain
at the mission, but my friends insisted and
consented" The teacher, she explains, who
was engaged TO take charge of the mission had
been detained longer than was expected.
Mrs. Victor dotes upon her astuteness in dis
covering that DR.. Whitman's winter ride at the
risk of his life was solely for selfish purposes,
to get the American Board to continue 10 let
horse meat at Waii-lapuii, but she fails 10 ac-
count for General Lovejoy. Did he take the
ride with Whitman to have fun? He was just
off the long journey ana knew its sorrows and
pprilS under fhn most favorable c0R6i-
tons. Would he likely have made such trip
with such maggot In his brain as Mrs. Victor
cOddles? The next time Mrs. Victor PUSHES
into print and attempts to dlshonor the name
of Whitman, she would do well 10 explain how
General Loyejoy, who had no business with the
American Board and no selfish aims in sight,
risked his life TO go with him upon the jour-
ney. Again, Mrs. Victor lays great stress upon
the fact that Dir. Whitman could not have led
the immigration in 1S43 because he Ibid
not reach the party until the crossing OF
the Platte" General Lovejoy and others tell
why he remained in the rear. 1t was TO help
and encourage the last starters. There was no
need of guide or adviser before reaching the
Platte. II was plain travelled road. But he
was as usual ON hand when needed. The
crossing OF the Platte with 225 wagons,
thousand head of loose stock and one thou
sand men, women and children was not
small matter. Until Whitman reached the
head of the column not a wagon entered the
turbid waters OF the Platte, which at the place
OF crossing is a mile wide, and wagons often
on the bar while crossing.
In the volume How DR.. Marcus Whitman
Sa we'd Oregon" have attempted to pull no
man down to lift Whitman up. have simply
shown that his work done at the right time,
and in the right way, was largely instrumental
in accomplishing the grand results reached.
The war of the revolution might have resulted
as ii did without 1.-THE Father of his Country;
Vicksburg might have fallen without Grant;
the army might have marched 10 the sea and
reached Appomattox without sherman or sher-
idan; If Lincoln had not lived the old flag
might still be waving over @ united country
But what patriot stops now to eavil and sheer
and withhold honors from any one of them?
DR.. Marcus Whitman was modest old Chris
tan hero who went quietly and without noise
about his work and never blew horn. What
he accomplished is recorded, and is history so
plain that honest readers will not doubt. No
one of his friends has asked for him all the
Victor that many of the immigrants of 1S43
did not know Whitman and THAT he could not
have induced them 10 immigrate is all childish
twaddle. No one has claimed that he did.
But that to him more than to eny other one man
is due the National awakening no reasonable
reader can doubt The American people are
honest and patriotic, and they only need to
learn the real facts of history to do honor to
the name of Whitman and his associate heroes
and heroines. The world has always had its
critics and doubters and groaners, and doubt
less they will continue TO do business at the
old stands. There will continue to be DON
nelleys who will prove that Shakespeare did
not write Shakespeare's plays; more Colonel
Ingersolls who will find fresh Mistakes Of
Moses" and very sure we will have Mrs. Victor
standing in the middle of the road and throw
ing mud at the old pioneers of oregon. They
all remind one of the fable of 1.-The fly that
lighted on the horn OF the ox''-like the OK, the
patient public will pass along and not even
know they were there
The right ever comes uppermost,
And ever is justice done.
Very respectfully yours, O. w. NIXON.