The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-28
HE SAW WHITMAN
Judge ]. R. Mcbride Has a Distinct
Recollection of the Missionary.
HIS PLACE IN HISTORY
Mr.. Mcbride Believes That He Did
More Than Any Other Man
to Save the State of
Oregon.

| Spokane Spokesman-Review: Hon.
John r. Mcbride of this city, brother
| of United States Senator Mcbride of
| Oregon. is one of the few persons living
who have seen and conversed with
Marcus Whitman.
Il have a vivid recollection of Whit
man." said Mr.. Mcbride, in CONVERSE
ton with a reporter OF the Spokesman
Review. 1T was in 1S47 that / saw him.
My uncle's party crossed the plains in
that year. and my father had sent me
from Yamhill county, Oregon, to meet
the immigrants with provisions and re-
lief We had brought several head of
fresh oxen, beef. flour, etc. over the
Cascade mountains, and had stopped
at the mouth OF the Umatilla river. DIR.
Whitman came into our camp and took
dinner with us. He had just laid out a
new road for the immigrants. 1t left
the old read near the mouth of the
Umatilla, and leaving The Dalles to
one side, made a cut off of about 40
miles. He was returning from plotting
a party of immigrants over this road.
He informed us hat IL was a very fair
road, with only one long drive between
watering places. We had come over
the old road, and decided, upon his ad-
vice, to return by way of the new"
Does your recollection of Whitman
bear out the imaginary portrait in DR..
Nixon's new book?"
mo; that picture does not look like
Whitman. 1t pictures him with side
whiskers. When 1 met him he was
clean shaven. / should say he was
about feet, 10 inches in height, rather
stockily built with brown eyes and
square visage. He impressed me as a
man who would be at his ease any
where"
I'm your judgment, what is Whit
mans true place in history?'
II think it will be found between the
extremes of those who indulge in hero
worship over his memory and another
class who seem to take delight in belit-
Ting his achievements. In my opinion,
there is no question that he made his
winter ride for the purpose of saving
Oregon to the Union, and think he ac-
complished a great deal, because he
was the one man needed in the East at
that time to give authentic information
about the Oregon country. Scores of
others had been here, but they were
almost without exception border men,
and unable to discuss the situation in
diligently and convincingly with the
authorities at the national capital !
am convinced that Whitman was more
the patriot than the missionary, and
that patriotic motives carried him to
Washington. He believed that the
country was in great danger of British
occupation and ownership, and being
intensely American in his convictions,
was willing to make any sacrifice to
avert British ownership. 1 regarded him
as thoroughly unselfish man, and ear
nest In his purposes TO missionize the
Indians. / believe that his service in
saving oregon to the Union was great
er than that of any other man."
Judge Mcbride does not believe,
though, that Whitman exerted any
great influence on the immigration of
1S43. II remember" he said, that in
the fall of 1912 my father was in cor
respondence with Applegate. Waldo.
Burnett and Hembree relative to the
oregon country. In Missouri a great
deal was known at that time about
Oregon. Trappers and hunters had
spread glowing reports about the Will
lamette valley, and thousands were
talking about immigrating there. My
father was also in correspondence with
Senator Linn of Missouri, who took an
active interest in Oregon. and who
sent us, in 1912, reports and maps of
the country. / have distinct recollec-
ton of studying these maps, and would
recognize them at once If / saw them
again. My father first became inter-
ested in oregon through the accounts
given by an educated Irishman named
Frasier, who was a member of the
Lewis and Clarke party that came
across in 1S04-6. Frasier had kept a
journal and used to come to our house
and read extracts from It.
MY father made preparations to
come across with the immigration of
1913: and, having helped to organize
that immigration, he went to the rem
devious in 1s43. But death occurring
in the family. he was compelled to re-
linquish his purpose. He came across
with his family three years later and
settled in Yamhill county. Oregon.
Il am convinced that the bulk of the
immigration of 1S43 was organized by
men who had never heard of Whitman.
/ remember, though, hearing the state
ment made at Independence in 1s43
that a missionary was to guide the
party across the mountains. This,
ing from Washington, overlook che i'm
migrants on the plains and guided
them into the Oregon country"
Mr.. Mcbride is of the belief that the
British were actively intriguing 10 gain
possession of the country, and that
Whitman, Tearing of these intrigu.s,
became alarmed at the situation and
went to Washington to arpuss public
men to the importan &c Of making
stand for the country.
Judge Mcbride Ia writing a history OF
the oregon country. lie penned his
chapter on Whitman about three years
ago. "Since the renewal OF the contro-
versy," he said to the reporter, II have
looked over the chapter / had written
on Whitman, but I see no reason TO
change it,