East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-11-28
oREGoN'S SHAME WAS
M'LoUGHLIN'S TREATMENT.


The movement to preserve the old
home of DR.. John Mclaughlin at
oregon City revives the interest in
this noble and majestic parsonage
who did so much for Oregon and who
was treated so disgracefully by the
young state.
a correspondent In the Oregon Sun
day Journal writes as follows of the
life and characteristics of DIR. Nc
Loughlin:
a man of DR.. McLoughlin's strong
personality had enemies, as a matter
of course. Men cast in a smaller
mold could neither understand nor
appreciate him. Such men repre-
sented to the London office that DR..
McLoughlin was favoring the Ameri-
cans to the injury of the interests of
the company. He went to London to
repel this accusation and showed
them from the books of the company
that he had poured wealth into its
Golfers. When taxed with disloyalty
in aiding the Americans by allowing
them to purchase food from the stores
of the company he replied with a fine
burst of Indignation:
when men, women and children
We're starving l did not ask them If
they We're friends or enemies, but as
a Christian man l gave them food"
Finding, however, that the majority
disapproved his humane policy he re-
N
to oregon, he went to live on land at
Oregon City, which he had taken up
in 1929. Here he built mill and a
house for himself. He might justly
have looked forward to years of COM
fort in the midst of friends enriched
by the honor he so well deserved.
When the provisional government
was established he became an Ameri-
can citizen. The better element of
the colony recognized its obligations
to DIR. Mclaughlin. but meaner spir-
its lost no opportunity to represent to
newcomers that he was an alien.
The sorrows which fell upon his
life and broke his heart swiftly fol-
lowed. In 1851 Samuel r. Thurston,
the first representative from the new
ly constituted territory of Oregon, was
sent to congress.
Opinions differ as to the reasons of
his attitude towards DR.. Mclaughlin.
Some ascribe it to personal grudge;
others say that he was msinformed,
However this may be, he stated in
congress that DIR. Mclaughlin had
been the enemy of Americans. and
had thrown every obstacle i'm the way
of their settlement. No one I'm ore
gon knew the truth, 1t took eight
months at least to reach oregon
from Washington.
So the Oregon land bill passed with
out opposition. This bill confirmed
the titles to their lands of all set
tiers in oregon except DR.. McLough-
lin, His property reverted to the gov
ernment. What wonder that the old
mans heart was broken. and that he
felt himself a man without a coun-
try.
A paper made public after his
death closed with these words: "To
be brief, l planted this settlement and
prevented war between Great Britain
and the United states. For doing this
peaceably and quietly I was treated in
such a manner by the British that
from self-respect I resigned my sit
uation in the Hudson's Bay cOmpany's
service by which I sacrificed $4,000
per annum, and the oregon land bill
shows the treatment I received from
the Americans"
He died in 1857 at the age of 73.
Five years later the action of the
Oregon legislature restored to the
heirs of DR.. Mclaughlin the land of
which he had been so unjustly de-
prived. This tardy act of justice should
be followed at the present day by
some public and perpetual recognition
of his great services to Oregon. His
portrait hangs i'm the state house at
Salem, but there is no memorial to
him in Portland. There should be a
noble statue worthy alike of the great
white headed eagle and Of the beau
tful city which has for more than,
half a century reaped the benefit of
his wise foresight and liberal policy.
The men who knew him have nearly
all passed away. 1t belongs to the
men of the present day to conserve
his memory, and to link his great
name with their own.
Some interesting relics of DR.. Nc
Loughlin are in possession of grand
daughter who is we'll known in Port
land. The table at which he wrote,
some of his china, few pieces of his
silver tea service, a melodeon which
he gave her-all are treasured in
| her home. His massive bedstead Is
at the Hill Military academy. His
safe, the first one brought to Oregon,
is in one Of the rooms of the Oregon
Historical society.
| If the project Of the preservation
Of his home in oregon City is carried
| out one cannot but hope that other
relics may be secured and placed
therein as an exponent of the stately
life which is without parallel in the
| history nj OrppOD