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TerlTea1tJeai '
o- cw a cmmi state, .
dent in Oregon, through iktkr delegates
contention oHembltd, at the Falls of Ike
Yamhill rioer, in Oregon territory, on the
second day of October, in the peer of our
Lord, eighteen hundred and fortu.Seeen. to
the Senate and Mouse of .Representatives of
vtc vmu omuc oj simsrica, in vongress
astembied:
Your petitioners, ia full view of the all,
giaae naijnapmtiuy, o we the guvaraiaent
of their oountry, and Impelled by a deep ttma
of the neglect and injuries they have rafter
ed, would, moat respectfully, call the candid
and serious attention of your honorable body
to our unprotected and neglected situation.
We would not trouble the legislative coun
cils of our country, already so much occupi
ed with the cares and rcuponoibiliticK incident
to the government of a great and frco people,
upon a trifling occasion, or for light and tri
vial causes. But we know ourselves to bo
civilized men, true, free and honest Atneri.
van citizens, united and bound to our belov
cd country, by the indissoublo ties of admi
ration, duty and kindred; and as such, in all
candor and sincerity, we do claim the rights
that belong to us in common with our more
fortunate tellow-citizcns cast of the Kockjr
mountains ; and which rights, having been
first purchased by the blood and treasure of
our Hallowed ancestors, wore by thorn be
quest bed to us, as well as to other. Wo
know that wo enjoyed all tho right, privi
leges and immunities of American citizens,
while we resided in tho bosom of our coun
try, and in the places of our nativity ; and
we cannot conceivo why we should have for
feited those rights, for the sole, Molilary, rca.
son that wo have changed our rcsidenco, and
uro now nearly four thousand miles from tho
seal of government, but Mill upon American
noil, but not under American late. Wc did not
quit tb graves of our ancestors, and the
homes oi our childhood, nor tear ourselves
unundcr from friends, kindred, and country,
"uud traverse, with our wives and our chil
dren, wild and unpeopled desr-is, to reach
litis fair and beautiful county, for mercen
ary plunder, robbery. V' oppression. Among
thVsWtWag lW. the limited oapeetty of
man can know an certainty, are the honest
intentions of uis own heart ; and when wo
say that wr were impelled, by no unholy mo
tive, in planting ourselves among the wild
mountains, valleys, and streams of Oregon,
we know wo speak the simple, tho unvarnish
ed truth. And we beg leave, most respect
fully, to entreat the candid attention of your
honorable body, to 11 very short and conoiso
statement of only a few of the mora promi
neut facts apparent upon the page of tho his
tory of our settlement here. W u camo hith
er with the laudablo view, of not only of im
proving our condition in tho world, and of
providing homes tor ourselves and our chil
dren, but wo were animated with the belief,
that wo could essentially aid our country in
bustainiug her rights to tho soil upon which
we settled, and in bringing to a satisfactory
close, a long protracted and harrowing con
troversy, with a mighty foreign power, in
reference to tho boundaries of Oregon. We
bolievod that, in settling in this far-otf region,
we were extending and enlarging tho wra
of freedom ;" and by planting civilization,
liberty, and Christianity upon the shores of
.tho groat Pacific, wo should render a lasting
benefit to mankind; and that, from this point,
those blessings might ultimately flow across
Itio wide ocean, to wakoji up and bless tho
enslaved and slumbering myriads of other
lauds. It was this dosiro to load in this peace
ful and laudable crusade, that mainly brought
us hither.
When wo reached this distant shoro, wo
found ourselves in a country now and uncul
tivated, aubject to tho privations and hard
ship common to all now sottloments, isolated
from the balanuo of tho civilized world, and
two thousand miles from the inhabited bor
ders of tho country wo had left, with a vast
region, traversed by wild and roamiug sava
gen, intervening betweou us and tho govern
ment to which we owed our allegiance. Wo
did hot emigrato toOregou with the intont or
wish to expatriato ourselves from our coun
try. Wo would uovor havo given up our citi
zenship, even for homes in Oregon. Wo fouud
oursolvea placed undor very embarrassing
circumstances. Wo were hore ju tho midst
of an Indian population, whose jealousies were
daily exoitod and augmeuted by the oxton,.
fiionof our settlements, and whose predatory
habits and thievish projHJiiBities, havo bean
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the source of continual annoyance sad irrita
tion ; and besides this, we were here among
the subjects of Great Britain, at a time when
the greatest excitement existed ia regard to
the Oregon controversy and we were not
only here under all these embarrassing cir
cumstance, but we wore here without law to
govern us, or an arm to protect vs. Although,
from year to year, we fondly taped to see the
paternal care of our government extended to
us, that we might once more live under ka
just and equitable laws, we werajaa often
doomed to disappointment. Embarrassed. aa
we were, and finding by actual experiment
that a resident and civilized people could not
exist without government of some kiwi, how.
ever imperfect, we were forced, as a commu
nity, to organize a temporary system'of laws
for tho preservation of peace and order. What
ever civilized people may hereafter be com
pelled to try tho unhappy experiment, will
find, as wo havo done, this truth undeniable,
that no civilized race of men can possibly ex.
ist. as such, without government. Even a
despotism is better than no government at all.
In organizing and putting in operation ou
ilan of temporary government, wo were met
iv, and had to overcome great and serious
difficulties. That it is, with even the tame
meant, much more difficult to administer a
mere temporary system of laws, where all is
ntw and fluctuating, than a tegular and per
manent one, is a truth so sensible and appar
ent, as not to need illustration. No people
can, or will be contented and happy, under
a government where all is painful suspense
and uncertainty.
But, independent of the diffieultiss incident
to the establishment and operation of a mere
temporary system, we had other obstacles to
surmount. Our people were just arrived In
a new and uncultivated country, with very
slender pecuniary means, and were scatter
ed over a great extent of country, in very
sparse settlements, remote from each other,
and from places of business, and were, un
der the circumstances, compelled to give
their utmost attention to supply tho most
pressing demands of nature. We had roads
to open, bridges to erect, forests to fell, fields
to cultivate, and school houses and churches
to put up. With the utmost revenue we could
raise, wo were not able to pay our officers a
fair compensation, and our legislative assem
bly could only sit about two weeks at a time,
for tho want of means to pay the members.
Wo were compelled to adopt the statute lawa
of Iowa, pasced at the first session of its legis.
lative assembly, unsuited as they were to our
condition, und modified by a few of our own
local acts. Wo had no printing press iu Ore
gon, and no books or authorities to refer to,
and only two copies of tho Iowa statutes in
tho territory. Wo had no means of making
known to tho people what our laws were, un
til the Oregon Spectator was established, and
then wo could only publish our locaacts
through the medium of its columns.
Undor all these untoward circumstances
and many others, of which we spare ourselves
tho pain of reciting, wo held on our course,
and sustained our temporary government
thus preserving order and peace in our new
community. Our courso and policy towards
tho aboriginios of tho country have been hu
mano and peacofUl, and we have borne and
forborno muoh. Wo have preserved peace
and amicable relations with tho subjects of
Great Britain, and we are not conscious of
having dono any act that would involve our
country, or embarrass its negotiations, or
bring disgraco upon ourselves, or upott the
Amorioan namo. We honestly thought that
a fair and oandld consideration of our con
duct, would award us the praise of having
dono well. We supposed we had acted well
had done nobly. We, indeed, felt grieved
that our country had not extended to us that
proteolioa which British subjects enjoyed in
our verv midst. But wo wore comforted with
the reflection, that such failuro.had its origin
in a saored rogard which our,governmtt had
in Itm, nat. mt..ltt-.m
At length, however, the' news of the lata
treaty between the United States and. Great
Britain, settling the wbote Oregon controver
sy, reached us; and all obstacles being (hue
removed, we fondly, and without' .doubt, a.
pected the speedy extension of the .jurisdle.
tien and laws of our country oveVPregon.
But they came not. The iorrowful news
reached us, by the late immigration; thai con
gress had adjourned, and noting had been1
done for Oregon; and our hearts isank with
in us. Haaour country forgotten aad aban-
doned us V might bo heard from the lips of
all. It was not so much the fact, that we
were here surrounded by perilous circum
stances, with restless tribes of -Indians, da
mending pay' for their lands, which we had
neither the means nor tint right give ; hut
it was the reflection, that our eoeatry nasi ai.
waya been scrupulously just in the observe
ance of all her engagements with foreign
nations, and that her laws had speedily fol.
lowed her citizens wherever they trod Ameri
can soil, and her protection when they jour
neyed in other lands, and that we, a mall,
distant, and; poor community, of free eiUxene
in Oregon, should be the sole, solitary victims
of ourcountry'sneglectand injustice. It was
this that pierced us to the heart.
Perhaps we are wanting in duojesptct to
the constitutional authorities of pir'govet.
ment, when we speak in frank and' honest
terms of what wo. in Ue sinoerity or our
hearts, think nee loot and. huuetiea. We are
plain, honest men. and speak what we amy ia
a spirit of no disrespect. Far be it iron) us
to add'r s the leaitlatura or any other de
pertinent of our government,in any other
than terms oi tho most sincere respect ; and
if we bfVe done otherwise upon this occasion,
we deeply regret it. We nave acted under
the firm conviction, that there exists anutual
duty between our government and all its citi
zens ; and that while we owe and observe a
most willing allegiance towards the United
States, we have a right to claim heir protec
tion and care. Our forefathers complained
that they wort oppressed by the mother conn
try, and they had a just right to complain.
Wo do not complain of oppression, but of
neglect. r.ven ine tyrant nas aim iikkbmus
of relaxation and kindness, but neglect never
wears a smile.
In. conclusion, we would most respeotfully
call the attention of your honorable body to
i .! : i .. i .. j:.- ru .
wo situation ana psuniui uwmiuiuu wi un yw
pie tf Oregon. Aside from that public and
individual unhappinees that neoessatily be
longs to a state of suspense and uncertainty,
andthat accompanies the prostration and sus
pension of business and enterprise, that cuts
off improvement, -and causes us to stand still,
our relations with the various surrounding
Indian tribes, and thoso in our midst, are dai
ly becoming more and more difficult. The
Indians in Oregon have heretofore, been paci
fied with repeated assurances, givon from
time to time, that the United States would
send agents, authorised and empowered, to
treat with them in relation tolheir claims to
the soil of tho country. These promises have
been repeated so often, without being fulfill
ed, that the Indiana have hecomo exceeding
ly restless, distrustful and jealous. They say,
with great apparent reason, that their num.
bers are diminishing rapidly, "that they are
growing old, and will soon pass away, with
oat receiving any compensation for their
lands ; and your petitioners cannot but look
with sympathy upon a doomed race of men,
rapidly sinking away, in the midst of peaoe,
and not by tho hand of violence. We can-
not tell when we may become involved in a
general Indian war, accompanied witn the
usual evils attending such a war, but aggra
vated by the faotthat our fellow-oitiiens, who
may oe immigrating to Oregon, mtgnt oe in
tercepted and entirely out off. We are here
and see the growing evil dally, but we have
no power r right to treat wUh the Indian trihts,
nor means to pay them should we make a
law. Wn.hnm
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grate to wa mm or,., i
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orahU b. to;pasa.a) aa(
granteof laaaa to taaapess.
caasa MUrs atiyviag4aat
bemads. Wahsiiaaffhi
muoh, uxAylo'nori'h1yya
settlernenin Orston, we4afjptomitoa-'n,Ba
snwii oegree,. io,ts.saaiaiMKjHntaai lemg
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ardently
Wa bote o
assilawaaf ear
eoansry. Wa heU eaMltasmdy: aMjasat
willing nay,. juiaaa ln,e. omr ?amjr to.
wards) oat eotoatry, whan aasi whasa amine
she may aaaaand hV. VfvmMmwV'mmnmmimm
.TtjairsflpBy ississsnBassrnwws
Caa.we fbrnStbt -atn niif Ifgil T'-lf
she will atffl asftsat w,m tosJat hr ind
obey her still. We ladnst fannf nar nrfghy,
and we cannot, 'and will sariiw iNnraar
hearts the love of sarssaary, Ow asanas,
our hearts.- and oavdastiBssa are aoeeted
hearts.-1
with the Great Beathlte.- We'ara fow-and
for off, but waara traaAntorissa'alllania;
Wb ask cur eenntiy ta aa whatllaa','to'ian
get and asanas bb aM-fecae
aad our,wsaknsas.- wa hwrw-
deavored tadoar dwhr, aai-wa 1
aad aaoeeaaed. WaUtt;m.aaiit taw na.
apeatfai'oanaislansiojt af atsrHisBaslanlt
ia with ear nonatry whsshar sa wan-haafaaa
or net. . s j- A .t3Ci';tJsn"ftis!,ljjt:x
..-Aad wm, the naslafakaaaaaaajsaaayiaf a
esssaai apaaatosd by ftsnttsfceaiMfctoWvear
WWjfl ! .
aaceoftheEUmaiJ
respectfully, ths caaaa of the aaapls of Ore.
gon to. your Hiigasninjihr and JgfeV.
1 WJmwMMmuV sW s Jas JL X p
GEO. .L. (COMRJ, : - , -L.
A.. RJuaV .'h$i tir
Oaxoon and thb Pouticai, Carat lejinn.
do not mistake tkasiina of the Oases.
there are-eywiU eoasing foriraeep hn
portance to jc4hJoiai esMcially to t.loco-
ioco poruonjoi inean. Avayawpawi
ly ae made wnjeh Wilt, raiat a.stona, or we
rWake their chiraoUr. They Wm not aame
from the west, exactly, nor fitsfjOragask'neT
ertheleat, the latter way furnish tne iliaiinti
ofthkiexploalon, ' - .';
The papers bate ainwuaoal, that lfr:alive
ly wouldbe in this city kaatek'shafaBhia'
way to Oregon, as the bearer of gWerainent
despatchea,lettera'foriairrIaMlt,ac'' TMs
is all as it shotild be, hni we' have a atoae of
gossip, (how we got it is ne matter,) that Ke
win mimj uer 10 iw psupiu 01 unw sosBe
extrafcial cmmnnJmmmt i latton eawna
official character bat from the pubKoatienbf
which, we think a storm mutt ansae batwaen
the Van Buren and Benton looofeeea on the
ono side, and the CWnona wing of the same
party on the other - j
If our information be correct, Col, Beaton
has addressed a letter to the people of Oaagen
of an extraordinary and violent eaameter
one important fsative of whiah 4e a diract
charge on Mr. Calhoun, aad Us Manas, of be
ing the causa of the failure of all the hMk kv
traduced during the last Marion atu
for the benefit of Oregon. ? -i
In addition, there ia said to be aleMar, ef a '
vry unusual ebaraeter, not oaMal,r has a
kind ot senumciat oooamanW indrtotoia tn
the people of Oregon, by the peaatl'anefe.
tary oi state. itprooapiyeeBMaaaph
distinctive grounds agau;lr.Qaihetaa.and
tho south as Mr, Beatoa dees,,, k,,wrM4sn
to, aid and support hkn jnattBMsfijuiia
AirthkUqultesxcitiiig,thahat
mysterious., We doiKiteoaipmValllfa'
jeot aad justification f ihisi aaa AgVrVi
eaawmlt. and it will U uafkir:if.?Sl' i
I keep the people in suspense' uatU thjyWha
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