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About Oregon spectator. (Oregon City, O.T. [i.e. Or.]) 1846-1855 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1846)
IU.I I Xlf 'JKC " Wertward the HUr of Empire take iia way." The Old flf r novae Prlsem. Coneludnl, THK HISTORY OF THE I'HISONER. 4 When tho Americana,' iiu licuim, 'I iiosMOHsioii of Fort Washington, on the Nort IMvit it being tho only Kwt thoy held at Unit lima on York Inland 1 belonged to a (;oiiiiuiiy of light infuntry, stationed thoro on duty. Tho American army having retreat, t-il from Now York, Sir William IIowo de termined to reduce thut garrison to tho hu! ioctioii of tho British if possible. Our de tachment at that timo wasHhortofiroviiioiiH, and as (Jon. Washington wusatFort Lee, i ",l0 wo" whoro ,,, tic" of affection will was a difficult mattor to supply ourselves vcr break ; and there, through tho merits from tho ditftniiuo without the hazurd of in- "'' "im who was taken from prison into torceptioii from tho enemy. Tliero lived on judgment, for miiH, I hope to meet them." " the turnpike, within a mile of our wst,u Mr. ' This crisis over, ho began to revive, and J. II. This mini kept a store well Hiipplied in a few days was aide to walk, hy leaning with provisions and groceries, and contrived on my arm. Wo were standing by one of to keep himself neutral, selling to both pur. the narrow windows, inhaling the fresh air, ties; but ho was strongly suspected of fa- on a certain day, when wo espied a young voriug the British by giving them inforiua. woman trying to gain admittance. After tiun, iVc. tarleying for some time, and placing some. 1 Sxuoof our officers resolved to satisfy thing in tho hand of tho sentinel, sho was themselves; and if they found their vispi, like an angel among the dead. After gaz- eioiw just, they thought it would n no harm iug cngerly around for a moment, she (lew to make a prize of his stores, especially as to the arms of her recognized lover, palo and the troops were much in neiJd of them, altered as lie was. It was Eliza. The scene I'rom prisoners, and clothes stripped from was affecting in tho extreme. And while the slain, we had always a supply ofjlritisli they wept, clasped in each other's arms, tho iinif'irm fr ollieers nml privateSy-Accord. prisoner within, uml even tho iron hearted mgly three of our ollieers put on red coats, licssiun at the door, caught the infection, an I walked to frien I B', where they soon She told him she received his letter, and in. fuind the eolnr of their nmTorms was u pass, formed his parents of its contents ; but not port to liU bet wJH-i. As the glass went knowing how to return an answer with safe, round his loyal ideas began to shoot forth In ty, she had tr.iveled through perils by land fovitl toasts and sentiment. Our ollieers ami wuter to see her Henry, being now sure of their man, I was one of a . This same Hessian sentinel hod served party who went with uiimm. and cit s our rntions for months past, und from lone regon Spectator. Vol. I. Oregon City,, (Oregon Ter.) Thursday, Uecenbtt 24, 1846. Ho. 24. V once stood tho sugar house prison of revolu tionary memory. thing necessary to eae him of bis -tores. On the follow ingeeuiug,that ma'ters might pa-s quietly, we put on the llriti-.li unif irnw. Arriving at the houe, we informed Mr. B. that the army wen- in want of all his store, but we had no time to make an inventory, intimacy with the prisoners was almost con Mile red a friend. Kliza, who made her home with a relative in the city, was daily admit ted by the management of this kind heart ed man ; and the small nourishing notions she brought in her pockets, together-with being afraid wo might be intercepted by the the light of her countenance, which caused Americans; but he must make out his bill his to brighten whenever she appeared, from memory, carry it to the cninmNMiry at wrought u cure as if by miracle. His pa New York ami get his pay. The landlord tents arrived, but were not admitted inside, looked rather serious at this wholesale mode In u few days thereafter, however, by tho of doing business, but, as the wagons were help of an ounce or two of gold ana the loading up be found remoustruuee would lie good feelings of our Hessian friend, a plan in vain. In less than nn hour his whole was concerted for meeting them. His turn stock of eatables and drinkables were on the of duty was from twelve till two o'clock that road to Fort Washington. By 1hu direction night. The signal was to lock and unlock a we took he suspected the triek, and alarmed certain door twice, being gftcn, Henry and the outposts of the British army. In fifteen myself slipped out, and crept on our hands minutes we heard the sound of their horses' and knees oloiig the back wall of the Middle li k)I's thundering along behind us ; but they Dutch Church, meeting the parents and Eli h re too late, and we got in safe. He got za by the Scotch Church in Cedar street, his revenge, however; for in tbreo days s quick as thought, we were on board a boat, thereafter out- fortress was stormed by Gen. 'with two men and four oars,, on tho North Kniphausen on the North, Ceil. Matthew's i River. Henry pulled for love, 1 for life, and Lord Cornwallis on the Fast, and Lords and the men for a purse; so that in thirty Percy and Sterling on the South. So fierce minutes after leaving tho sugar hdusc we and successful was the attack, thut twenty- stood on Jersey shore, seven hundred of us were taken prisoners, , jn 0s ,mn a mont)( Eu was reward and numbers of them, with myself, marched r, f()r aj icr tr0s with Urtfhcart and hand tnNow lork, mill lodged in Crown street 0r Henry. They now live not far from now Liberty street sugar house. i Klizabcthtown, comfortablo and happy, with 'It is imK)ssible,' he continued, to do- a flock of olive plants around their table. scribe the horrors of that prison. It was spent a day and night at their houi last like a healthy man being tied to a putrid j week, recounting our past sorrows und pros carcass. I made several uttempts to escape, cut joys." but always failed, and ut lust begun to yield Thus tho old man concluded; simply ad to despair. I caught thn jail fever, and was .ding that ho himself now enjoyed a full nigh unto death. At this time I became no. jsharo of earthly blessings, with a grateful quuintcd with a young man among the pris. heart to the Giver of all good, oners, tho wretchedness rip whose lot tended I It is well to snatch from oblivion a spot so by comparison toallcviuto-my 'own. He wus interesting in revolutionary tradition ascwas ImiVe, intelligent and kind. Many a long tho sunar houso prison in Liberty street. and weary night ho sat by thn side of my bed of straw, consoling my sorrows, and be guiliug tho dreary hours with his interesting history. Ho was tho only child of his wealthy and doting parents, and had received a liberal education ; but despito thoir cries and tears, ho ran to tho help of his country against tho mighty. Ho had novor heard from his parents since tho day ho left their roof. They lay near, his heart, hut thoro was one whoso imago was graven thoro as with tho point of a diamond. lie, too, had .tho fever in his turn : and I then, as much as in mo lay, paid back to him my debt of gratitude ' My menu,' ho would say to mo, J if you survivo this doadly hole, promiso mo you will go to tho town of II . Toll my parents and Eliza, I perished horo a captivo, breathing tho most forvent prayers for her liappinoss.' I tried to ohoor him by hope, feeblo as it was. Toll mo not,' ho would Add, 'of tho hopes of reunion; there ia only o Within fifty feet to tho eastward of the Mid dlo Dutch Church is tho spot on which stood this hostile,' into which many entered, but from whenco fow returned. Tho bell which now calls you to church is tho same by which those prisoners took their note of time. Many, very many, counted twelve as they lay on thoir bedor straw. It was the knell of thoir departing hour. Before tho bell ago in tolled for one, thoy hadgono to happi er climos. Sinco writing tho above, tho rcljgjpus ser vices in this church have como to a final close. Tho workmen are now engaged in fitting it up for a post office. The walls will prohably-not be altered; and from their thickness and tho durablo nature of the stono with which thoy are built, under the fostering euro of tho government, the build ing may yet stand many centuries, as a land mark wherein the English cavalry kept a riding school, and within fifty feet of whioh MEMORIAL Of the RiprtirattOvn of the Ptopte of Ortf ob la Legislature Assembled, December, 1846V To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives or the United States of America in Congress Assembled : Your memorialists, the Representatives of the people of Oregon in Legislature assem. bled, do respectfully solicit, that the follow.. ing subjects herein contained may claim the; attention ana sympathy of your honorable body. Oregon is so situated that it will, erelong, occunv an enviable Dosition amonmt the civ. ilized portions of tho world ; in proof of wnicu, permit us to rcicr yur, nonoraote body to the report of committee in the Uni ted States' Congress, on Post Offices and Post Roads, April tho 20th, 1840, wherein are fully set forth tho salubrity of its climate and tho fertility of 'tis soil, as well as the many other advantages bestowed by nature's God on this favored portion of his earth, which, although three thousand miles distant from the United States, seems destin ed soon to become a central point of com merce, and happiness. We here beg to insert the following state ment, representing the eligibility of tho Co lumbia river, as a quarter from whence sup plies could be furnished for the navy cruis ing in tho Pacific. Bread stuffs could be supplied in large quantity and on the shortest notice, say five thousand barrels of flour, or part in biscuit if preferred. Salt beef and pork, should a demand arise, could also be prepared' say by the 1st May, 1848, three thousand bar. rcls salt beef, and two thousand barrels salt pork. The above estimates, of flour particularly, aro guardedly moderate: let but markets open and our productive powers would rapid ly increase. Lumber can always be suppli cd in abundance, and tar and pitch could soon be manufactured if such should be re quired by the Navy. In connection with this subject, it will be proper to mention that flax and homp have been successfully cultivated in small quantities,-, and could be mado articles of export were encouragement oflbrcd. Many of us have been induced to seek homes in this remote Territory, from prom ises held out by some action of your honora ble body. Our population is of a character to be envied by older settled countries : but, wo would not presume on the wisdom of Con gross by saying, give us land. Those amongst us who nave overcome the dlfficul ties of the journey to Oregon, as well as those who first encouraged agriculture arid civilization by their early settlements in this country, here conjointly submit to the im partial judgment of your honorable body, their claims on Government to secure them in their homes. We however, think we havo some right to expect a grant of land, not only we ourselves, but those who may immigrate for the next fow years. Many of us are settled under the provisions of the Organio Law, which provides that any per son is entitled to hold six hundred and forty acres of land. The claims, as we call them, aro token up in accordance with the above named Law, either in a square or oblong form, and some portions of the country are entirely occupied. Should therefore your honorable body in its wisdom conclude to sanction our title to these claims, we hope we may be permitted to hold them as now loca ted, otherwise great inconvenience 'cd hard, ships must necessarily result, On the.subjtct'pf .educftio, jour pjioo-j rialiaU would beg to preisat for yonr fionor. able consideration, that ! :hls, m in'tbe set-' tlement of all new' countries, insurrhoanta. Me barriers present themselves' fe the genei' fftl diffusion of education, that the unavoidaV blesparsity of settlements and tneumerou Poctialary inconveniences offer but limited inducements to competent preceptors' is a fact bat too apparent. Upon the con. sideratkm therefore, that the general difa sion of knowledge is among the leading principles of a government founded upon re publican principles like that of the United States, (which government we are prayerful, ly awaiting to be extended over us,) where the people not only in semblance, but in're ality have the care of their political institu tions ; and a their ability to exercise that power in a manner that will be the most conducive to the prosperity and preservation thereof, depends materially upon the general diffusion of education we say upon tbeso considerations, and in view of the disadvan tages under which we labor, your memorial, ists most respectfully beg to suggest the pro. priety of adopting some measures Which shall havo for their tendency the removal of those barriers above mentioned, arid place a sound elementary education within the reach of all. .Your memorialists will not pretend to devise ways and means, but presuming inftnn-tfirt known 1ihralitv cjt th nlititmH government of the United States, we fondly cnensn the nope mat erelong we may receive that timely assistance which has invariably been afforded by liberal grants of land, and otherwise, in different portions of the Union. Tho difficulty of sailing vessels naviga ting the "Columbia," on their upward pas. sage during tho winter season, and the dan. gers to be encountered by them in crossing Die bar of that river, is another subjecUto, which we would most respectfully solicit us attention of your honorablo body.' No greater drawback has perhaps a yet presented itself to the welfare of our oom-. munity, than tho tardy movements of ship owners in sending vessels to this river, whereby we might be enabled to dispose of the produce ofour lands and prevent those unavoidably high prices on the part of the merchant, to which wo are at pretest aB ject. The reluctance on the part of merchants above alluded to, is doubtless caused in av Sreat measure' by the risk to which mercban. ise is subject in crossing the bar, and the loss of time and expense consequently incur, red by sailing craft in arriving at their det tination. The causes of the difficulties to which we have reference, are as follows : That with) respect to crossing the bar, a Teasel is underl the necessity, from the intricacy of the pas-1 sage, to atvajt what is generally termed a fair wind, and also, in most cases,' a particu lar stagof the tide. She is subject both' to natural calms and calms caused by Cape Disappointment and the adjacent highlands; and also to the influence of numerous cur. rents setting towards different points accord, ing to the stage of tide. During five months of tho year, we may say the wind almost universally blow's down the river, so that an, inward bound vessel usually takca from one to two months ia ad. vancing a distance of one hundred miles, or from the entrance of the Columbia to Port, land on the Willamette river. A mora detailed description of the Intri cate navigation of this river, we presume would be 'superfluous, as -the Journals eft Commodore Wilkes, Captain Belcher awl: others have doubtless come under the 'observ vation of your honors. Wo have, daring, our present session, done our'utnwsOfor the' safety of vessels in establishing pilotage ; but at tho same time, are of the xpfaion that nothing but the aid of steam, Teasels will, save 'that loss of labor, timo and property of which we speak. We therefore, your me morialists, '.would most earnestly petition yoar honorable body for the use of a Sieam Towboat, whioh might enable vessels either to enter or leave, the river at all sssssjis, and be of infinite service ia.tbe navicsiiosi.,efi the stream itself. r , , r' f,' Before closing this pur memorial, jre oaa.7 not but express with,n&edasislmaia4t admiration, mip hlah Mtimatlnn nf a arani project, (the news of which .has, found jfs, way w uregoo ), oy tne memorial ei vreoraja. Wilkes, Esq,, for a Railroad from tbfTAtl T ij f ww "?. i, f-mt.TWJtilB9mx anouJia exist, cannot pui ua Ttoua jfl n niwn. nininniinv.in umh nn bbibj V TV - v.7 a. jTi -5r--- 'r reiea iron toe unuea etaies w vregon. .l VI J J 1