Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-10-04

Probably no man who ever came to
Washington territory with official du-
ties to perform was hampered with
more or greater duties to perform
than Maj. Isaac l. Stevens, crossing
the continent in 1858, as chief of an
exploring party for line OF railroad
from the Missouri river to the Pacific
ocean. He had no sooner arrived on
Puget Sound that he was immersed in
manifold duties incident to the organ
ization of territorial government for
that part of Oregon lying north of
the Columbia river. as well as max
ing treaties with the various Indian
tribes and settling the matters of con-
tention that had already sprang up
between themselves as well as with
the few settlers that had scattered
over the wide expanse of country. 1t
required man of courage, wisdom
and determination to meet and handle
these conditions. He was found in
Major, now Governor Stevens, who
had left an enviable position in public
affairs TO assume the duties, hardships,
not to say dangers, of leader in de-
veiopment of the Far West frontier
AS superintendent of Indian affairs,
he made treaties by which the tribes
relinquished more than 100000 square
miles OF land. He also crossed the di-
vide in October, 1855, to conclude a
treaty of amity and friendship with
the Blackfoot Indians and at the same
time making peace between them and
the hunting tribes of Washington and
Oregon. While absent on this mis-
cinn tho 6ico ffocfaN of ho 20.
ritOry arose against the whites. He
returned in January. 1856. called out
LOCO volunteers and conducted a CAM
paign against the revolted Indians
that was so vigorous and successful
that before the end of that year it was
ended and the chiefs slain. While
sympathizers with the Indians were
taken from their homes and kept cap
tive, and when Chief Justice Lander
issued writ of hdbedS corpus for
their release, Governor Stevens de-
clared martial law, and on May Z,
1856, caused Judge Lander to be ar
rested in his court room and held him
prisoner till the close of the war.
An amusing incident connected with
the martial law episode should find
narratiOn here. Judge Lander while
under arrest was taken through this
city, and while in charge of the United
States marshal, was eating dinner in
the New England (then Washington
hotel, kept by Silas Galiher), one of
the volunteer companies of militia was
| ranged in front of the governors Of
flee, (now a China den, Immediately
contiguous to the new city hall), while
JQCk Baldwin tho yi1louo =,
some followers hauled an old salute
cannon that had been lying on the
beach in front of the hotel, to protect
ther indignity by the minions of the
the honorable district court from fur
executive. The disturbance proceeded,
however, no further than incendiary
speeches on stOre-box rostrum, by
two lawyers, Elwood Evans and B. F.
Kendall, the former falling from the
box in faint, in the midst of his
harangue, and Kendall concluding it
without a break in the discourse. 1t
will be noted that in this elimination
OF an important event, both the tragic
opera and the low comedy elements of
sentiment found adequate expression
without clash, timely emollient
having been applied by Judge Monroe
of the supreme court, who mounted
the box, and in few mild and dispas-
sionate words justified the temporary
suspension of the civil law by the high
est known motive, or rather the mu-
| tual public defense. The effect was,
that the crowd quietly dispersed with
cheers for the governor and the mar
tial law
Governor Stevens arrived in Olym-
pia from his exploring expedition No
vember 25, 1858. About his first calls
was at the store of G. A. Barnes, the