Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-11-28

Walla Walla, November PA mon
ument will be unveiled Monday at
Whitman Mission. seven miles from
this city, to DR.. Marcus Whitman and
his fellow missionaries, who were the
hap.ess victims of an Indian massacre,
just half century ago, on the spot
where they were buried, and where, in
commemoration of the great tragedy
the marble shaft has been erected.
Commemorative services will be held
tomorrow in the Congregational
churches throughout the land, and So
cial memorial services will be held in
the Congregational churches of Boston
and Washington. A statue of Dr.
Whitman will also be unveiled in
Philadelphia. This action is taken in
accordance with the arrangements
made at the annual meeting of the
American Board of Commissioners of
Foreign Missions held in New Haven
in October, at which Rev Charles A.
Lawson, d. D., Of Hartford Conn, was
chosen president.
The American Beard, at the recon-
mendation of DR.. Marcus Whitman that
the field was a promising one. sent Dr.
Whitman. Rev. Samuel Parker and
Rev. w. II. Spalding as missionaries to
Oregon. The missionaries soon made
warm friends of the Cayuse Indians
and converted many of them. but these
friendly Indians at last, under the ma
lign influences of a ha.f-breed sent from
Canada, became their deadly enemies
and buried their tomahaws in the heads
of their teachers and benefctors. Dr.
Marcus Whitman was the first victim,
and it was on the 18th Of November
1S47, just as he had returned from as
sisting at the burial of an Indian that
the doctor was slain by a Cayuse In
dian, who approached him from be-
hind, in his own room, while another
Indian was engaging his attention by a
request for medicine. Thirteen others,
including DR.. Whltman's devoted and
sanity wife, and several children, We're
slain IN the massacre. which grew out
of one Of the most patriotic services
ever rendered to the American nation
by one man, it being nothing less than
the saving of the great Northwest to
the United States. 1t was the timely
work done by DR.. Whitman in thus
thwarting the work of the British Ca
nadians that made him marked man
and called down their vengence upon
him and laid him Iowa martyr for his
country's welfare
It was while engaged in mission
airy work that DR.. Whitman, appraised
by Gen. Amos l.. Lovejoy. became fully
aware of the purpose of the British to
colonize the country and keep for
Great Britain the immense territory
from which Oregon. Washington and
Montana have since been carved. DR..
Whitman and Gen. Lovejoy hurried
across the continent 900 miles on
muleback-pausing not until DR.. Whit
man secured audience with President
Tyler and Secretary of State Daniel
Webster, and by his eloquence obtain
ed President Tylers promise that the
Ashburton treaty should not be finally
adopted until DR.. Whitman had been
given a chance to take 600 emigrants
into the disputed country and anchor
it fast to the United States. The Pres
ident's promise was kept and Or. Whit
mans promise was kept. and when he,
with / 900 followers gathered from Ar
kansas. Missouri, Illinois, New York
and other States, reached Oregon, the
British were baked and Oregon was
saved. But the great leader paid the
penalty of angering the British with
his life. II is in memory of that heroic
life and tragic death that beautiful
shaft of marble is to be unveiled in
the loveliest valley that the sun shines
upon.