The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-01-02

Inc following extracts from two letters
| written in 1s45, by John Watt to his son
Joseph Watt, who came to Oregon in the
spring Of "A, will prove Interesting. The
writer moved with his family to this coun-
| try in lS4S 1t seems that a sswar scaren
with England, was then agitating the press
and people.
SULLIVAN Co., Mo-,
April %, 1845.
DEAR SoN:-
After an absence from us of one year,
without hearing from you, and without any 4
trace of you, only that we knew that you
were westward on your way to Oregon, we
have all sorts Of conjectures about you,
whether anything extraordinary has hap
pened to you or not. But one thing we are
certain of: That you have the same kind
Providence to protect you that we have here.
James brought on 8 quantity of
leather and half dozen of brass mantle
clocks. He left the leather in Brunswick to
exchange for hides, and the clocks I bought
at five dollars apiece to be paid in hides. 1
have sold one for a horse and got a ycarling
heifer and pig to boot. Sold one for two
COWS, and we have one running.
The other three are partly traded for cows;
two cowssfor a clock, and il we go to Oregon
next spring weswiil have cows enough with
out buying any, except Il few of the best
stock in the state, which l will have If go.
1t appears that cattle raising is an object
there and worthy of attention, and the bet
ter the stock the better the price. $ s.
tl,sp .rbo -,
turned in IA, and was clork for tho lower
house of the legislature last winter. He
gives that countrya great name, and think
tho governmentwill settle that business with
the British government, and pass some law
favorable to en1igrants. A bill passed the
lower house, directing the president to give
| the British government notlcs of the disso-
luton of the joint occupancy, which will or
would terminate in one year from the time
the notice was given The bill was sent to
the senate and there stopped. Til, reason
was that there special minister sent to
negotiate and settle tho question respecting
the territory OF Oregon. Calhoun being
secretary of state at that time-ahout tho last
Of February-aild his term OF office about TO
| expire, the matter WAS delayed, and now at
this time the secretary of state is JAS. Buch-
anan, of Penn wanna, as unyieiding and
firm man us there is in the cabinet. And
whether anything is done by legislation or
not can't say. However, when. next con-
gress meets, there will be somstliing done.
l cannot give yeu the names of all the esbi-
net officers at this time, as have correct
data to go by. The bill TO annex Texas has
passed, and now it OILY remains with the
people of the lone star state to say whether
they will bo added to the United States or
not There were two new statos admitted to
the Confcdcracy at tho last session Of cor
gross. They were Iowa and Florida, max
ing the numberat this time, twenty eight.
l hope to live to see Oregon sending her sem
ators and representatives TO Washington.
| have the Presidents inaugural address,
which was an able document. JAS. K. Polk
and Geo. NJ. Dallas were elected by ma
jority Of something like sixty-two ELECTORAL
votes, and by a larger popular vote than
Harrison's was in 1910. We elect two mem
bers out of each senatorial district to frame
a new constitution. There is great room for
altering and amending both constitution and
laws. IL
Times are getting better in Missouri. Pork
was 81. so al Brunswick last fall, and it WAS
from Sl.75 to 32 IS on the Mississippi at Han
nible, and bacoa is worth from four to five
cents at Brunswick now. Mules are becom-
ing worthy of, attentions, a good mule is
worth $40 to $50, cash upon the spot. A
drove of steers was brought into this county
| this spring, but the price was very low; good
three year-oids bringing S., and four-year-
olds from 81 to.9o. think We could make
a very good living here, but if that country
il as good as it . represented to be, We would
do better there, if we all got there safe, but
it is a long and dangerous journey and
very laborous trip for family like ours. If
they wore sllboyl it would be great deal
easier upon myself and your mother. l
thought you would send a letter by water to
New Bsrryport, Mass, and have it mailed
there as burns did, but now / think you did
not get there before the vessel sailed"
Mr. Watt; did not live to see Oregon ad :
| mitted as state, he died three year previous
| to that event.
The second letter is a few weeks later.
1T is sometime since had an opportunity
of writing to you, but as it is about the time
that the emigrnnts for Oregon collect at In
dependence, Inow inform you that we are
we'll.
sMr. g. is at his son-in-law's house He
is Norman, and has told US all about the
Mormon faith. It is the most detestible and
| wicked fixture for religion that ever was in
vented by man or devil. I think old Mr.. G.
is out of his head on the subject of religion.
The Mormons are one their way from Navoo
to the Pacific ocean to commence new set
tlement thore. There are about 5000 wagons
started and to start this spring, and some of
them intend making a camp this side of the
mountains this year and then journey on
to the promised land. Joseph Smith was
killed last summer in Illinois, by the guard
that the sheriff had placed over him and the
Jail. The guard shot and killed both hin,
and his brother.
"We have had the newspapers full OF war
with England about Oregon, and we now
hear that the matter is settled by negotiation
to the satisfaction of both parties, but we
have no authorized account as to how the
matter stands between the two nations as
yet. The president has given the crown
notice Of the dissolution of the occupancy
Of the territory of Dragon, within one year