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About Oregon spectator. (Oregon City, O.T. [i.e. Or.]) 1846-1855 | View Entire Issue (March 4, 1847)
mW f, (JtA ' n4l4 Ui6 Y "V - For the Oregon Spectator. FARMER'H MEETINO. Pursuant to notico in tho Spectator some weeks sinco, calling r. meeting in Tualitin plains, to devise meujures to prevent our ruin, by tho rofusal of tho shipping mer chant to do for tin a freighting business, and tlio exorbitant prices upon tho neoessa rics of lifo some 20 men ussomblod on tho 10lh ultimo, notwithstanding the notico had failed to get into circulation before tho meet ing, and tho severity of the weuther at the timo, and having organized and ap pointed a committoo to notify through the Spectator, another meeting, adjourned to to moot on tho l.'llb ultimo. Although such notico failed to reach the Spectator, anil the traveling was sjill bad, some 40 or more (jrwjucern, 01 me none ami sinew oi our conn try assembled, and with J. L. Meek in chair, J. S. Griffin, secretary, proceeded to tho following business. Voted, that (Jen. McCarver le invited to givo us an opening addreiw touching tho ob. jecti of the meeting. He woh listened to with painful interest as he presented the facts so obvious to all, touching our distress, ing wants occasioned by the success of com. binutioim for cutting un off from tho neigh, boring markets, and compelling the produ cers to accept the miserable pittance ollcrcd in exchange for our vuluable productions. oeverai gentlemen took part in present ing the obvious necessity of combination among the producers, for obtuining that re lief which could not be obtained by iudivid mils. It wus seen and felt that we bud nl ready waited too lout; for relief by hoped-for fiompctilion. Ul. Mull m particular shott ed, fiat late exhibitions were mom t picious that the leading monopolies are ul ready uniting so as to uct as one. Let this union be permanently established, said the speaker, and what are we but slaves 1 In deed said he, what are we better than slaves 1 It was clearly perceived in case of such combination among leading monopolies, we could hope for no competition that could give us relief. The conviction was strong that our remedy was combination among the producers of ull classes so as to abuu- don the monopolies to their honor, and do n business. In taking part, showina tho necessity of combination on the part of producers, Mr. Griffin dwelt upon this as the only remedy to save the country from adopting the doctrine of repudiation iu the payment of debts. Ho showed that our families must be maintained some how and at some rate before any thing could be ap plied on debts ; and at the present system of exchange, we cannot clothe our children, to say nothing of their education. The speaker showed that he had been in the country from the beginning of tho settlement by American families, and although our debts were small considering tho circum stances, owing to the temperance and econ omy of tho people, still these debts press tho people to tho earth, and they must havo the means to save more of their own profits, or Mtvy will go into repudiation, if not moboc raoy. Voted, that a committee of thrco bo ap pointed to prepare some plan ol operation. Col. Hall, Gen. McCarver and Mr. Griffin reporteoVtho following, viz: Resolved, That wo the undersigned agree to bind ourselves to deliver at the. landing for this county, the numbor of bushels ot mer chantable wheat, set opposite our names, for exportation, by the 10th day of Nov. '47 and '48, upon audi percehtago of coinmis mission as shall be agreed upon by our com mittee, with a suitable man for doing our freighting and commission business, and to furnish, at favorable shipping points, such .other freight as set opposite our'names, tow. ards furnishing constant business for a ves sel obtained for that purposo by said com mission and freighting merchant. - Resolved, That a committeo of tbroo bo appointed to obtain a suitablo man's propo sals for doing our grinding, freighting and .commission business, and report the same to .an adjourned meeting at this plac . Upon tho (adoption of this rep.irt, Messrs. Hall, Lenox, McCarver, Caffonburg, Hill ;and others took part in the discussion. Mr. Lenox proposed tho formation of a joint took company, and build or buy a vessel. He said if it was thought not best to attempt building, wo could execute bonds and buy. He was willing that all ho had should bo appraised and stand as stock in suoh compa ny. Jf he'lost, he loat his all, but he had Oregon Spectator. " Wrmtward tho Star of Epi Ukf iu way." j 1 Vol. H. Oregon City, (Oregon Ter.) ifanday, Harch 4, 1847. rather risk his all than attempt to stem tho present stato of things any longer. Mr. Hall was afraid of debts, and thought a company might well fear a debt made ., i mtliy reinarxs toucmng me onons oi some wesiern oiuius uiiciiiumg iu uu numMi-os uj executing bonds while in debt. Mr. Lenox suid, let uu build then and brought forward with much efTcct, the facts of one man in the south seas, with the help of a few na tives, having built a vessel without even a forge or bellows to begin with. Said the speaker, give him but six farmers, and ho would yo to the banks of the Willamette, as old as he was, and build a vessel. Shame on us, said he, if, after the exhibition of those three or four young men in 1841, without means, having bunt a vessel ana saueu net to California, we at this time and iu such', numbers, should Ikw down under the efforts' made from certain sources, so prove that we are not able to build a vessel. It was clearly shown in the meeting, not withstanding all that has been said of Ore- I ..... il'.l.ta tr flfitrti r.n riif nllatct nnmltirr In III! ti.at mi. u";.'.:,,:::i:i. Ullll mpiun, uuu uiai uui nuiiu- jiiuttubu does not warrant it that the wheat taken lust year by the Hudson's Bay Company, alone yielded a profit clear of all expenses and ill markets not 15 days' sail from us, which if saved to the producers, would have cleared Oregon of what is supposed to be her entire indebtedness. The discussions were Animated and moving, but all governed by the disp.i.s;;:on to embody for united effort, and resulted in the adoption (without a dis senting voice) of the committee's plan for present operations, and tho adoption of the following resolution offered by Esq. Lenox. Resolvei, That it is tho wish of this meet ing, that a vessel be constructed by the far mers and mechanics of Oregon for their use as soon as practicable, for tho purpose of carrying the productious of our country to the Sandwich Islands and other; markets. Voted, that Gen. McCarvcri Col. Hall, Mr. Griffin be a committeo to obtain propo Voted, that Messrs. Hill and Aleck be a committeo to obtain pledges for freight with in this county, and report the same within thrco weeks to tho committee to obtain pro No. 3. Voted, that a condensed statement of our proceedings bo published in the Spectator. Voted, that tho meeting adjourn to meet at tho same place pn the first Saturday in April, at 10 o'clock A. M. to hear tho com mittee's report and tako action thereon, and for otherwise perfecting the enterprise. A general meeting of all classes of pro duccrs within our country is solicited. May we not hope to see producers from the farmers and mechanics of other counties also, with whom we may advise, tciching similar of forts in their counties, hoping to get into one harmonious whole for the purpose of taking care of ourselves, rather than remain a bur den upon those who sell goods only for ac commodation. In behalf of tho committee, J. S. GRIFFIN, Secretary. For the Oregon Spectator. THE IMMIGRATION. SOUTHERN TtOUTE. Mk. Editok I have rcud an editorial article in tho Spectator of the 4th instant, in which I could nbtfiiil to observe that you had been so farkjjTastray by tho rash, not to say willful misrepresentations of thought less or designing nnd interested porsons, as to mako no less than seven incorrect state ments in tho first eleven lines of an article of thirteen. I am thus particular for tho purposo of showing how many inacouraoies may bo crowdod into so small a compass. The article in question, when analyzed, will bo found to contain nino avormonts, viz : 1st. That " all the immigrants" " except, ing four families," have arrived in the settle menu. I his is incorrect. Mr. rinaMna was, it is believed, among tho last persons who returned with direct intelligence from tho families ' in the Umpqua valley." When bo left, there were fivo or six families one Consisting of Messrs. Gcddes and Nye, the Rov. J. A. Cornwall's, Mr. Kennedy's, Mr. CrpfcWs, and Mr. Hall's. There was also the family of one whose ,name is not now remembered believed, however, to be Da via tor Wood j making in all about thirty souls. 2d. That tho "four families" excepted, had " concluded to remain with their properly until Spring, in the Umpqua valley." This also is incorrect. They had not " concluded" to ,fremain. They remained liecause tho hard.hond of necessity was upon them. As weir might it bo said of the unhappy man who is bein-' led to execution, that ho has " concluded" to bo hung. 3d. That those icho have arrived in the set. tlemcnii, hare "aukived safely." This also iVincorrcct, if any thing is meant by the expression, " arrived safey'beyond thosim plo announcement of the fact, that many of tho immigrants, after traversing a country dangerous in consequence of tho hostility of tne savages, have at length arrived in a very enfeebled condition to which they had been reduced by hunger, cold and nakedness. In addition to this, it may baffirmed, that al most every man, (jwrhapsSmlaed, every one) who came into Oregon by the southern route, is, in a pecuniary point of view, ruin ed by doing so. Do men arrive "safely" who lose their wagons, teams, tents and lathing? and who freeze their feet, and come in looking like famished wolves ? 4th. That accounts of the condition of the immigrants "have been exaggerated." To exaggerate this account, it is feared, would bo a difficult task. It is probably one which could be accomplished by those only who aro tho sources of your information. It is a fact well known 'among the immigrants, that as early as the 14th of November last, an ox that had becomo too lean and too much exhausted to be able to go any further, and which had finally died iu the kanyon of the Umpqua mountains, (supposed, I believe, for sometime, to have belonged to Rice Dunbar) was found with its hind quarters skinned and carried away. By whom, and for what Eurposc, was this done, if it was not done y some unhappy father who saw his chil dren tarnishing tor want ot food I It was to this circumstance I referred in my com munication of Nov. 30th, in which I ob served that the immigrants previous to my leaving the disastrous kanyon, had commen ced eating tho cattle that had died in it. I did not, indeed, see the ox skinned or eaten, as before mentioned, but the fact was not ques tioned while I remained at the kanyon, nor was it ever donied until improper and un worthy motives suggosted the idea of keep ing the people of tho valley in ignorance of tho extent ot tho sullenngs ot the immi grants. 1 did not, in stating the fact in my appeal to the people, in behalf of the suffer era whom I had left behind mo, intend to cen sure any ono of tho gentlemen who had been instrumental in leading us upon that most unforlunato road. Much less was it my purposo to express any opinion at that time, whether it would bo proper to advise futuro immigrants to travel that road. This question I did not believe ought to bo discus sed while any of tj immigrants remained in circumstances of so-much-sufforing. And I must bo permitted to say, that had I been instrumental in placing a multitude of men, women and children in such a situation, 1 would have eaten my bread in bitterness un til I had rescued them, instead of attempting to amuse the publio mind cither by specula tions with regard to the practicability of some other route, or by wickedly attempting to produce the impression that accounts 6f inc conainon nj ric immigrant uaye ueeh exaggerated." I nay vteke dfyf becidse I believe that, had not some persons, influ enced by improper motives, 'succeeded to some extont, in producing this 'impression; all the Immigrants would bjr.this tlmrlf been In.,the valley. As' klrttarMinot now are, there is much reason to fear that the cbming Spring will reveal 'talc of 'the suf ferings of thosb in the Umpqua valleyV that will make sick the heart or every man who has one. Tho sufferings then, of the immigrants havo not "been exaggerated." Indeed, I doubt whether the half has been told. .'By tho very last intelligence we hVvo'df ihoao "icho have,. concluded to remain,'' we loam his wile ana. that An ffattmahlo old man and grandchild, had subsisted thrco flays upoti' a a a a baa X iiiiuu iiiiuu. , r ' . . 5th. That much of the detention of AhcHtn. migrants is to be ascribed to " their own mtM management." How did it come topass, that all the good managers traveled" the old road, many of them arriving in Oregon City' as early as Sept 13th, with their jproperty ; while all the nusmanagera took .the route in.' dicatcd by Messrs. Applegate and Goff, los ing all their property and arriving in tho settlements in Deceipber, looking more like tho shadows of ghosts than the substantial forms of living men ? Mr. Applegate met the company in which I traveled, .August. 8th, a few miles on this side of Fort Hall. Although among the first of my company to got in, I did not arrive until Nov. 29th ; while others who had entered upon the old road only about forty eight hours beYoroMr. Applegate arrived at the point whero jho old road to Oregon turns off to tho right from tlio California road, arrived Sept. 13th two and a half months earlier. ' Oth. That much of the detention of the xm. migrants is to be ascribed to their WILLFUL de lay for in no other sense can the word "detay" be understood when read in tho connection in which it appears. If those to whom you refer as being the source from which you derive your information', land whom you describe as being "some of the immigrants who have reached here," mean tospeak of themselves only, nothing' will ber obiected to their making themselves as odious as they desire, out n mey iniena row understood as speaking of other immigrants than .themselves, then a regard to truth and justice constrains me to pronounce their statement to be untruo in an us length, and depth, and breadth. 7th. That tho averments made under the last three heads, rest upon the authority of "some of the immigrants who have reach ed here." I am not careful to know what motive prompted " some of the immigrants who have reached here" thus to slander their fel low travelers. I hope, however, that it does not spring from that baso and mean spirit which characterizes a class of individuals known by the expressive, though not very elegant epithet of " bootlicks." 8th. That ninety wagons were " all that were updn the southern route." While I can affirm that ninety wagons were not " all that were upon the soiithern route," I will not tako upon mysolf to say certainly what was the precise numbor, Relying upon memory, an attempt will, however, be made to approxi mate to it. Seventy-five wagons had been turned into the new road previous .to the company, in which I traveled, coming up. In jthis company, if I am not mistaken, there was eighteen wagons. Mr. Lard and his son-in-law had two wagons. James Savage had one. I have been informed that the company of Messrs. Brown and Allen con. tained eighteen wagons. This would 'make ono hundred and fourteen. I ' may have made some mistakes as to precise number but I do not doubt that many wagons hrfve entiroly escaped my memory. Oth. That of the ninety wagons affirmed to bo all that were upon the southorn route, "fifty are on this side of the Umpqua moun tains, including twelve that had reached the first settlement at the head of the" Willamette valley, uui wnero are me lorty wagons making the difference between fifty and ' ninety 1 It is answered that they lie in scat tered fragments upon the sides of the hills, upon the tops ofUhe nounpiuis,-.ud. nlong the rooky glens and tMpboet irnpasMfck t off,'1 leading us, fjKnjf.oTMnkn it did, aa , far south as )t4sM eorth, latitude. ,, 'AndT where, too,, a,re ths vtwsf ty-four wagooa. whioh rnake the direreBcebet ween onhHn dred and fourteen , laymswered tbtaV ivcf ' -M8 "N i.i m r,xr. . -jT't-" I ,