The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-03-03
tion but took no part in its formation Writ

TINS year except such as can go at this time
FOR that reason ] have found il my duty u
go on with the party myself
In n letter to the Secretary Of War. received
In June. ls+4. Whitman wrote. The Govern
ment will now doubtless for the first tim.
be apprised through YOU or hy means al
this communication Of the immense i'm.
migration Of families to Oregon which ha'
taken place this year
The fact that Whitman returned with th'
emigration of is.7. explains Prof Bourne
has been transformed by legend into IA,
accomplishment OF a previously announce
purpose to organize and conduct such a body
OF emierants From cont-mporar lstter'
II j. clear that Whitman made no claim Ia hav,
organized the emigration ar TO have rendered
them services. beyond encouragement and
advice and guidance The real force behind
IN" emigration was the provision for granting
lands To settlers which II was expected would
pass Congress in lsa3
According to Prot Bourne, the fictitious
narrative originated with n colleague Of Dr
whitman AT the Oregon mission. the Rev.
n VI Spalding. who underwent a terrible
nervous and physical strain az the time OF
the whitman massacre in is&T, and believe
that the massacre was in-ti9atod by the
Catholic missionaries His repeated charge
at last brought forth a reply from Father
Brouillet the Vicar-General of Walla Walla,
and nine wears later the Brouillet pamphlet
was included by j Ross Browne in an on
clal report that he made on the causes Of
the Indian War in Oregon and Washington
Although temperate IN tone. the anaN or Of
Father Brouilet made assertions about the
attitude Of the Indians toward the Protestant
missionaries and the cause thereof. which
the missionaries regarded rs ISLANDERS Mr.
Spalding then set out TO over come the harm
done ~ lecturIng on Protestant missions
and the work Of Whitman and the massacre.
h" accumulated "A mass Of material which he
got published as an orlcial document under
the title Early Iabors Of the Missionaries
Of the American Board Of Foreign Missions
in Oregon " As an element Of this campaign.
according 10 Prof Bourne. SpaldIng de-
veloped the legend OF Marcus Whitman and
his wonderful ride, because nothing could
more effectively catch tn. public ear and
prepare the public mind for resentment
against The Catholics Spaldlng, at any
rate, ola Grated upon the journey and cave
especial prominence to it, political result
Concerning the trustworthiness Of Spsld-
ing as "A source Of information. Prof Bourne
has unearthcd n letter written h. a worker
IN the oregon mission, W II GRAY. who in
October, $40 said of Spalding "Duplicity
II a trait in his character that never IN all
probability will change 1t i alleged that
SpRlding made changes in the text Of a
report by Elijah White. q United States sub
Indian agent White. on investigators tho
burning Of A mission mill. reported in a
letter Of April J.. lsI2. Tint chief Feathercat
sckno wledSed his opinion that N" mill
was burnt purposcly by some disaNec,ed
persons toward DR. Whitman Wien e,-
tracts were quoted from the report nv Speld-
ing for hi "Earlv Iabors." the following
sentence Va- inserted The mill. lumber
and a great quantity 81 grain were burned nv
catholic Indians. instigated hv RomnnistS.
to break up tho Protestant mission, and pre-
vent supplies To tho on-ComIng emigration by
Or Whitman
Again Elijah White quotes an old chief
a. saving in regard to the conference he Was
holding CLARK pointed to this day. 10 YOU.
and this occasion. we have long waited in
expectation sent three of our sons Ia Rcd
River school to prepare for IL S~paldinr
changed the last clause to sent three ~
our sons to tn" rising sun 70 obtain the
book from Heaven" thus manufacturing
information 81 tho story Of tho
Indians no came e. - Louis Tor IN. Bible.
The Pnc,h a religious ia per published in
san Francisco, IN the fall Of 1885 first
printed the commonly accepted story Of
Marcus Whitman and his ride Its Hrst
Appearance iu a for NAL history Wa in " u
GrAv'- History Of oregon. IN $50 In a
Constitutional history Of the United states.
according to the Vale professor. Won Hoist
mentioned II with some hesitation in 1851
Lyon G. Tylor presented II with som. cor
receive commcn' in Letters and Times Of
tho 1ylers But the period Of its widest
"a t - .,,..., ---
1893 with the publication Of Barrons's
Oregon
Then the legend was made the subject of
a large number of newspaper and magazine
articles Among other volumes tho story
found lts wnv into the school histories OF
Scudder. Thomas. Montgomery and Gordv
McMaster's with the Fathers and also
McMastar's School History of the United
States, ! W Fosters Century of American
Diplomacy ! ". Rurge.-- The Middle
Period, and tho international Fncv clopp ia
and tho FncyclorRIa Britannica
Bancroft- Oregon, published IN lss5.
contains q Urn" account uf m. causes ~ Whit
man, Journey and hrs connection with the
emiSraiion Of 1919
That the generally accepted story uf
Marcus Whitman i entirely unhlsrorloal has
been demonstrated. affirm Prof Bourn"
That tins fictitious narrative should nave
been 80 widely diNu-ed and accepted whom
the true story Of Marcus Whitman Wa per
fectly accessible IN IA" reports Of the Am-rl-
can Board and IN. volumes Of the .Nns,onGry
HurGld Il j. surprising That TN, should hsv.
taken place since 'he publication NJ Bsncrofts
History OF Oregon, IN lss5, i almost
The results of this investigation will come
70 many a. a shock Extraordinary enurt.
have been made IN good faith 80
the story Of Marcus Whitman IN order To-
raise money for a suitable memorial ana
especially for Whitman College, and n many
Interested IN the-. enterprises this criticism
OF the Whitman legend Will DOUBTLESS. seem
most uniprtunat"
Vet ~ IL the true Marcus Whitman whom
they wish 10 honor. the devoted and heroic
missionary who brav-d every hardship and
imp"rlIl.d hi, If" for the cause uf Christian
missions and Christian civilization in the
far Northwest. and finally died at his post, a
sacrifice u III. cause IN. uuo.ssing libor~
Of his III. and his death IN the servIC" Of Chris
tan MISSIONS IA oregon deserve every hon
orabla mention The prryersiOn of history
honor such a man