Mower County transcript., 1899-08-23
HOW OREGON WAS SAVED.
A Graphic Account of the Heroism
and Devotion of the Faithful
1issionary,a Marcus
Whitman M. D.

AAlSSlOndry,s marcus
Whitman M. D.
The Fourth Of July, 1899, will al,
ways be red letter day in our mem.
ory. The National Editorial Associa.
tion found themselves on that day at
Walla Walla, Wash, enjoying the
unbounded hospitality of that pros
porous and energetic city and taking
In the celebration of the nations
birthday. Our hearts Of course
were patriotic, but there were some
facts connected with the locality
which intensified our feelings OF
gratitude for the noble and exceed
ingly wise acts Of our forefathers
which enabled US to maintain our
rights and hold back the greed and
injustice OF invaders. This nation
owes the retention Of Oregon, Idaho
and Washington to the heroism and
patriotism of Marcus Whitman, M.
D.. early missionary in Oregon.
Whitman was practising medicine
IN Wheeler, N. Y, when he was en-.
listed by Rev. Samuel Parker to &C.
company him as missionary of the
American board to Oregon, 1884, 1885.
Returning for reinforcements, he
made the famous fest journey with a
wagon to Oregon In 1886, his wife and
Mrs. 81. H. Spauldiug being of the
party. His mission was esta blished
at Waiilatpu near the present Walla
Walla, right at the spot where we
we're on the glorious fourth. We
listened to the detailed story of his
hardships 'and bravery with breath
less attention and we believe that
story should be told and retold as a
stimulus to patriotic deeds as we'll as
in honor Of the worthy Whitman.
Just sixty.three years ago from the
day we were at Walla Walla a party
Of travellers, five in number, led by
DR.. Marcus Whitman, a missionary
physician from New York state,
clim bed YEARLY to the summit, and
from the snow-crowned heights of
the Rocky mountains looked off to
the westward across the enchanting
valleys Of the Pacific slope. They
were the first American immigrants
in all that vast region, then dominate
ed and sedulously maintained in all
its primitive savagery by the Hudson s
Bay company, who expected to mair :
tain the sway of England overall that
Ind.
The little band Of missionaries, Dr..
Whitman and wife, Henry H. Spauld-
ing and wife and William 81. Gray,
had been sent out by the American
Board and they had been many,
many months on the toilsome road.
But led by the indomitable Whitman
they had pressed on, until now, like
Moses Of old. from the mountain top
they beheld the promised land, and
we're eager to 20 in and possess it.
There, on that 4th OF July, 1886.
taking out from his battered and
worn old emigrant wagon the flag of
his country, which he had carefully
preserved through all the dangers
and trials of his wonderful journey,
DIR. Whitman unfurled it to the
breeze, and in the name Of God and
OF the United States be took possess
sion Of the whole Pacific coast, the
region now included in the three
states of Oregon, Washington and
Idaho.
This was seven years before FIRE.
mont, the "pathfinder," marched
over the mountains; and meanwhile
Whitman and bis companions, un-
daunted by the opposition and en-
nifty of the Hudson's Bay company.
settled at Waiilatpu, near Walla
Walla, maintained themselves and
prosecuted their labors among the
Indians, teaching them. leading them
and healing their bodily ailments.
In the fall of 1912 DR.. Whitman
learned that the English were about
to colonize and seize this great region,
and though it was then almost winter
he determined to recross the noun
tains and 20 to Washington to save
the Pacific slope to the United States,
In spite of the "anti-expansionists" ts"
OF that day who were then In control of
Congress and who were about to sane
tion the terrible blunder of surrender
ing the slope to the British. 1t was a
wonderful achievement, that march
across the continent In mid-winter,
an achievement worthy Of the magni-
tude of it's object.
When Whiteman at last reached
the capital of the nation, on the 9rd
of March, 1913, after a journey of five
months, he found that Daniel Web