The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-03-03
MARCUS WHITMAN'S RIDE.
JuE STORY or now NE SAvED OREGON
CtLLED A MERE LEGEND.
Prot. bourne Of Yale Says His journey Had
Nothing tn 10 with the Retaining Of the
oregon Territory by the United states
In iss7-s3 Origin OF the story.

n fAA ~ ~ ''' ~ 'NA'
declares that the commonly accepted story
o. Marcus Whitman and his riue across the
Rocky Mountains from oregon to Washing.
lon, in the winter of ist2-l3 is nothing but d
mere legend II" called attention Ia thu
matter at a recent meeting OF the American
Historical Society in Detroit. and in January
h. plhli shed his views In the American His
,,irli Rsr,sT His contention il that Whit
mans ride had no political significance.
bit on the contrary was a religious errand
purely. and played no part in saving the
Oregon territory to the InitedStates.
Every School5oy to-day learns the story
othow Marcus whitman. a missionary on the
Pacific Coast. rode across the continent
and saved oregon and the adj oining territory
from the British In 1872. while the owner
.lip ~ all that country was still in dispute
according to the common version. the Hud-
o., Bay Company laid plans to bring in Eng
ii.u settlers from the Red River country
a. strengthen the British title TO Oregon.
IN October Of that year, while Mr. whitman
w.. dining ~ trading post at Fort Walla
Wall. new. came OF tho arrival Of n colony
o. Canadians from the Red River country.
The company became jubilant. and a young
priest crl"d
Hurrah for Oregon, America il too late
.rt We have GOT the country
Iwwrdutrlv whitman realized that II
C.1,dilr Immigration had begun. the au-
tD.-ues ~ Washington ought to know II.
s,d p counter immigration ought 20 b" pro-
NOTED. - that when Joint occupation ended.
a.. pre~enc" 81 n majority Of Americans
would turn Ia. balance In favor Of the Inlted
STATE. In spite Of protests. accorCinyly
W.itmau act out for the capital His journey
acros the mountains in tn. middle Of winter
-. a-l a.rt1ana Rnf hn rrt, ut
Washington in the following March. lust In
t'u- to secure the poStponement of negotia-
t.rs looking to the surrender ut oregon
incidental or collateral assumptions
Dc Ia.y accompany the statement. says Prof
Bourne. 10 tho effect that great ignorance
and l,diNarance In regard tn oregon pre-
vailed IN Washington aud generally through
suf tho I nit"i states. and that DR. Whitman
a.. able to di~pcl the ignorance and To trans
To-, tho Indifference into a deep and wide
o. -aad interest
~ boin no essential and the explanatory
A. al- 'h" story Of how Marcus Whitman
..,I oregon - fictitious II IL not only
VI.nort trustworthy Contemporary eyi-
4. 80. hu' l. rreconcila bile with well-estab-
i.red fact The story first em,rgcs Over
tNcu'. year. after the events. and seventeen
q. ? af',r the death Of whitman
~ a man rIElliU'U', fIol p'llU' r'llf-
upon he records Of the American Board of
Commissioner. for Foreign Missions, which
Mad charge Of IN" W, RI In Oragon NFrous
l.. = ?. and ori,rs Of the society ~ that time
I'll :, 20 snow that Ir whitman came East
In argue f,r the reversal 81 vote di--
-priuglnst IN" southern ranch Of the oregon
-'tr.or
s-', me Presence Of Or Whitman in Wash
y 81. l-nf Bourne - far has h"en able TO
~'r'n,'rire Of local contemporary evidence
Atrrg the pa era he has searched in vain
rri. n. named tho Globe. the National Tr'.i-
hg,r.r mud Nii'.'s Register, although thor
PAGES for lsB contain many insignificant
tens Of oregon news Other sources of
affirmation alike silent are Curti-'S Web
sf'r. and Wahstsr's "rrivate Correspond
sa''' N" diary ~ John Quincy Adams.
CA man ~ the House Committee on For
EN- ATa.rs BentOn's Thirty Years View,
a'louRh Benton was a champion Of oregon,
All Greenhow's History - oregon, al
though Graenhow was a translator in the
STATE Department and collected a vast amount
Of information about oregon Likewise tho
Il ife and Speeches Of senator Linn ~ Mis-
.oIri. who was the most advanced leader Of
the oregon party. makes no reference TO
Mailman.
Indeed. the only contemporary evidence
o. Dr. Whitman's activity In Wa shington
which the professor has found ia in "A letter
which the missionary himself wrote after
bis return to Oregon. This letter was sent
e. the Sacretry ~ War and accompanied
q bAl which Whitman had drafted to pro-
mote -ife intercourse with oregon II
begins:
In compliance with the rogue 81 you did
me- the honor 70 make last winter while in
Washington. I herewith tr<hsmit ''
In addition to this there Il the testimony
~ uhat Dr Whitman told r fellow emisrant
o. the return trip. 4. l. Toveioy Tovejoy
r. ls36 gave his recollsctions "a follows
Tn. doctor often Expressed himself To
no about the manner in which he was re-
e.ivAd A. Washington. The doctor
~ several interviews with President TYLER.
Secretary Webster and many members Of
Congress touching the interests of Oregon.
H. urged the immediate termination Of the
treaty with Great Britain relative ~ thi.
,|rsrf-y. and tho extension Of the laws Of
to tinted States. and to provide liberal
irUuccments to emigrants TO come IN this
CO.
thus IL probable" afirms Prof Bourne.
'u.t th.rn was nothing novel in II, hecauS"
=. Linn hill. which had passed the Senate
to- month previous, had all N ese objects
a. view Ioveioy's recollection shows not
h'race Of tho Spalding legend Of Whitman's
having arrived IN the nick Of time 10 saw"
Oregon In the first place. Oregon vas IN
D. dineer Of being lost. The real dang or
Nas that the Government would he pushed
b. the oregon advocates In the West into
a. aggressive policy which mig hi result
T. 'l With England
When tho Linn hill passed the Senate
/. . nv n vote of 2, To ~. providing Tor
o." extension of tho la VS. ri the United States
o'er he whole Of tho oregon territory ther"
49, not tho slightest danger Of IN" senate
r~atIivIng a trenty to alienata the territory.
tn" appearance" Of a solitary missionary
f. Washington advocating what a majority
- The Senate had already voted and what
h'a'" Les stature were demanding in reSo-
lu'Ipn, was vcrltahly a drop in the bucket.
and Of equal SIG niiicanca That Whitman
rfH"nc"d american diplomacy in any way
q Washington j. not only destitute Of all
evidence, but J. Intrin-icsily improbable.
That N" visit Of Whitman IN IN" East
osl ".!ed ignorance about oregon o. IN
G'f"d enthusiasm are ecu ally without fOuH-
oat'ou No doubt he could contribute some
fhis Il Interest. but the widely circulated
ifay-.s OF FaTnhAm We're ia ia" field Green
no" ,"NhIl!-'lv" history Was 10, az distributed