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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (June 11, 1886)
1 VOL. XVIII. SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 188G. NO. 18. OREGON PIONEER HISTORY. SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS. MEN AMD TIMES IK THE FORTIES. nY 8. A CLAIIKE. Co pj right kpplloJ (jr. All rights rtierroJ. NUMiinn xxi. The Journey ot Judgo Thornton from Oregon to Washington. During tlio fow weoks from May to August that Judgo Thornton romnincil nt tlio cnpHnl, ho enjoyed tlio distinguish ed consideration of ninny of tlio grcntcst men our country has over known. "Old Bullion" hnd been Ida friend nnd corre spondent beforo lio cntne to Oregon. When n very young ninn, just ontcring practice, ho mot Douglas under favorablo circumstances. Ho called on Calhoun, who- wns ono of tho .Senate- committee who hnd the bill In chargo, nnd in sovoral interviews won his personal friendship nnd hnd his earnest support in framing tho bill to suit tho iutcrosts of tho pooplo of Oregon. All tho pro slavery olemont scomod to feel friendly to Thornton personally, nnd mndo that fact manifest. Ho hnd grcnt plonsuro in tho acqunintanco ho formed with tho "Godliko Daniel" Sonator Wobstor. Tho distinguished Sonator from Massa chusetts extended his kind regards nnd tin unlimited promiso to forwnrd to tho fullest nil Thornton desired to nc complish for Oregon. Tom Corwin wns especially n champion of tho Oregon bill. Ho gavo Thornton warm porsonnl sup port, ns well ns stood manfully up for Orogon nnd Orogonians. Henry Clay was thon nt his homo in UhlunJ, and hnd resigned forovor thu weight of public affairs. Thow wn hnvo named woro among tho greatest of American statesmen, but woro tint by any moans nil who wero icrsonnl friends to tho man who represented Oregon. It fceomod ns if tho pcculinr circumstances of his coming and of tho people ho represented so informally, gavo him ontranco to all hearts. Tho word Orcgon" was nn opon 8Csanio that unlocked all dooiv. Tho personal friondship of Uonton nnd Douglas wns no small factor in achieving results. Denton wns as rough in speech ns ho wns truly sineero uud lionost by naturo to nil frionds. Early Sunday morning, after tho paswigo of tin) Oro gon bill, which ho coiuidcicd no small triumph, Denton nnd Thornton loft tho capital together. Thornton says tho Senator was much uxeitod and spoko with great bitterness of Calhoun's op position to tho bill. Before- leaving this matter wo may as well say that while tho vote in the Senate for tho Orogon bill waa very closo, nnd tho majority small, it seems to havo depended at its passago for support from tho pro-slavery sido. It was tho good will nnd honest support of Sam Houston, Benton, Crittcndon and other southern men that gavo it tho small majority it finally received. Ono great factor tho greatest of nil among the people in the settlement of tho Oregon question nt that timo, was tho'northern press, that almost unani mously favored tho Oregon bill. Bennett of tho Herald had tact to see that Thornton represented the popular side. Tho Whig press ovorywhero wns favor able, as wero statesmen of that party. Tho Trihuno was impelled by tho genius of Grcoloy to bo already u power in politics, and Thornton had a personal acquaintance with thnt journal. He had improved tho raro opportunities afforded for correspondence with tho East to keep up a communication with tho Tribune, nnd through its columns had made tho Pacific coast known to tho country nt large. Ho had at that timo occasional interviews, in New York, with Horoco Greeley, and all the power of tho Tribuno was onlisted in favor nnd ex pended for Orogon. Tho entire pro slavery press waa against tho Oregon bill. I have claimed that its passago was duo to tho support of Sam Houston and somo others of tho Southern Senators, which implies thnta numborof Northern Senators opposod tho bill. This wns true. Tho pusillanimous doctrine of the constitutional right ot tho slavo power to claim cntranco for slavery in all now territory, had power enough to retain many Northern mon ns its expo nents. Northern "doughfaces" supple mented Southern slaveholders, and only for tho genuine manhood of n few Southern men tho nicasuro would havo failed. Oregon owes much to Tom Benton of Missouri nnd Sani Houston of Texas. Judco Collnmer of Vormont vns n noblo man, nnd took intonso intorcst in Oregon. Ho nttnehod tho Oregon ropre Rontnllvo to him by much kindness nnd by words and deeds of kindly encourage ment that wero n sourco of strength to Thornton, embarrassed as ho was. Tho powor of tho Northern press uovor wns moro evident than nt thnt timo. Thorn ton's prcsenco wns nnnouncod by ninny correspondents nnd his movements heralded ns of importance. Ho embodied a principle, nnd wns fortunately nblo to present it free from personal antagonism nnd cntnnglomont. It wns timo whou public men took sidos nnd no half-way view wns possible. Tho Narthern "dough faco" got his distinctivo namo nt thnt time, nnd tho long struggle grew florco nnd hot that was to culminate in seces sion and civil war. Caw had just retired from tho Senato, that session, to necopt a nomination for the Prosidcnoy. Dr. Linn was (lend, nnd with him died ono of tho truest friends Oregon over had. Henry Clay had loft politics forover, nnd wns roplnced by Crittondcn, who stood whoio Clay would hnvo been, for ho wns friendly to tho Oregon bill. Tho old generation of statesmen had partly left tho forum, nnd tho raco thnt wns to fight tho battlo for and ngninstfrco soil wns coming upon tho field. This bill wns the grand battlo ground that introduced the free soil olemont into national politic. What wits known ns tho Orogon do nation lnnd net waa also pending at tho session'' clow, nnd would undoubtedly have passed without, dissent, only for the prolonged delay in bringing tho organic act to a ilnnl passage. That bill went nvor for thu hosdon, but could certainly hnvo passed had thuio been time. Judgo Collnmer of Vermont took charge of it until a delegato could apinr from Oregon in Congro.". when it passed without objection, substantially as Judgo Thornton hnd drawn it up, having re ceived somo immaterial amendments. During all this timo Thornton re ceived every attontion it Bcomed possiblo to bestow on him. Ho associated con stantly with tho greatest minds of that timo, and waa allowed froo access to tho floors of the two Houses of Congress. At tho suggestion of President Polk thero was incorporated in tho organic act an item placing $10,000 nt his disposal, to bo used to pay tho expenses of mcascn gera from Orogon. Ho had given Thorn ton to understand that out of this fund hia wants should bo supplied, his ox pensos fully repaid and his services well rewarded. In privoto conversation ho had also assured him that, having mndo Ida acquaintance, it would bo n pleasure to rcmemborhuu in making judicial ap pointments for Oregon. Theso kind as surances kept hopo alivo nnd woro very fluttering to tho recipient ot them. Thero camo n cloud over this natter ing horizon, a cloud that rose at thu far north at Hudson's Bay, and overshadow ed tho hero of tho Oregon bill at Wash ington, and this incident forms ono of tho most important features of Judgo Thornton's journey. Somo weeks bo- foro the session adjourned Thornton re ceived a call nt his lodgings from tho. privato secretary of President Polk Major Knox Walker who introduced n friond of his Mr. Georgo N. Sanders and excusing himself loft his friend to disclose his privato business. This visi tor commenced conversation by somo re marks about tho relations of tho Hudson's Bay Compuny to tho pooplo of Oregon. He talked of n possible conllict of interests; of war ns a result between tho two nations, from tho fact of nn Knglish company holding such possessions on our soil, and argued thegreat ndvnntngo to result to Oregon should tho United States govornmcntbuyouttliUeompany. Tlwmton gavo occasional dissent us tho speaker advanced his propositions, but ho as often reiterated thorn, and finally announced that Sir George Simpson, governor of tho Hudson's Buy Company hnd placed in his hands seventy-fivo thousand dollars (75,000) to bo used ns in his judgment might best facilituto tho nalo of their Oregon interests to tho United Stntos for tho sum of thrco millions of dollars (.1:1,000,000). This announcement wns followed by a comfortahlo pnuso, nnd the glittering bait f7",000- -was nllowed to dwell for awhile in the imagination of tho simplo minded Orogoninu, thnt tho idea might tako root that somo part of this muni ficent brilio was to bo had for tho moro taking. But tho Orogon man had not learned Washington ways, nnd mndo no sign thnt ho appreciated his opportunity. Ho knew it wns a swindle thnt nil tho proporty involved was not worth to tho United Stntos one-tenth the sum named. Ho hnd no intention to return to Oro gon with his skirts soiled with tho dis credit of having indorcd such nn out rageous claim. Tho denouement enme in n direct oiler of n stupendous bribe. Thornton wns to wrilo letters brielly endorsing tho purchase, to two members of tho cabinet who rofuscd to favor the treaty ponding for tiiis purpose, for it teems a treaty was actually negotiated botweon Great Britain and the United States for this purchnso and nt tho figtiro named, but theso two cabinet officers had dis sented from it. Thoy expressed u wish to hear from Thornton, for if tho Oregon messonger would endorso tho rnlu they would necopt his opinion ns authority, and mako tho voico of the cabinet unanimous for ratifying tho treaty. When Thornton should write the two notes to thu member, of thu cabinet ho was to receive n check on Corcoran A Itiggs for 1:25,O0U .i prico nbout u thousand times greator than Judas got, nnd as much as Benedict Arnold received, perhaps Thornton's iesonso was that tin- cmivernAtion was not agrceablo, and he desired it to stop there. He had tried hcvoral times to stop tho subject and to find other topics, but his visitor was determined, and would tako no hint of that kind. Ho wns naked to leave tho room, and could not under stand that tho judgo was in earnest. Ifo only did Icavo when tho indignant Oro goninu held tho door opon and threaten ed to kick him down stairs. Sanders as was nftorwards learned wont direct ly to Major Walker's room at tho Whito House, uud told his friends that ho "would as toon try to approach a griz zly boar ns thnt dd Oregoninn." It cornea in properly to sny here thnt during tho conforenco Sanders assiirod Thornton that tho tioaty was nlready agreed to by the majority of tho cabinet and tho President, and would in any cueo go to tho Souate, but those who had tho matter in charge wero anxious to have the President and his cabinet united in its favor. Thornton hud tho discretion not to tell this unpleasant incident to even his Iwst friends, but ho wroto out the partic ulars tho same evening fully for the in formution of tho President nil of which wns donn from a very unsophisticntod senw of duty. While ho felt mortified nnd indignant at having been approach ed in that manner, ho realized that it would bo inexpedient to communicate anything of tho Sanders interview to other, save tho President himself, to wards whom ho felt iho highest senso of J duty. So ho forwaidod his statement through tho postofiluc. Tho noxt morn ing Major Knox Walker cnlled ngain and politely explained that tho messen ger at tho poitofllco had brought Thorn ton's letter, and ho called to urgo him to withdraw it. It was his duty to open nil business letters, ho said, so thn. ho hnd i'cen this before handing it to tho President, but ho hoped Thornton would H.avo him tho troublo of bringing thu matter to Prosident Polk's attention. Thornton nuswered that ho had written tho Prosident under a Strang conviction of duty, and could not with draw it, though ho would not communi cate tho facts to anyone else, and had not dono so. Walkor begged and en treated, but Thornton remained firm the lottor must go mid tho President must kuow tho facts. Suddenly tho manner of tho private secretary changed from entreaty to menace, and ho snid : "Well, you'll find thoro's ninny n slip 'twixt tho cup mid thu lip" a significant hint thnt Thornton very well understood nnd lived to renlizo the forco of to tho fullest. Sanders had told Thornton that ho had conversed with Jo Meek, nnd that worthy froo trappor had ns&urod him that tho property of tho Hudson Bay Company was cheap at thrco millions. After Thornton's departure from Oregon tho Whitman massacre occurred, uud Jo Meek hnd boon sent post hnsto to Washington to advise tho government of the fnct of tho great dnngor thai sur rounded tho far off settlements. Meek afiectcd in Washington all tho eccentri cities of tho mountain man, woro n buck skin suit, full fringed nt nil the scnnis, nnd mndo himsolf ns conspicuous its was possiblo thorcby. Ho was n hero with tho rabble, nnd it seemed that ho had freo and ncccss to the Whito House, be ing rolatcd to tho Polk family by mar ringo of one of his brothers to somo lady rulntivo of tho Probidont. This fortuitous circumstance, however, gavo him no in Uueuco ; ho soonied not to have been consulted as authority. Ho only served tho purpose of u mesongor to convoy curtain paper to thu President. His astonishing 'yarns" weio repeated with out credenso mid ho remained without special iufluoiico, though hu gavo choor f ill testimony possibly for a vnluab ' consideration as to thu value o' the Hudson Bay Company's proporty in Oregon. It would bo n closo matter of doubt if Jo Meek really had a correct idea of how much monoy thrco millions t BEE NOTES FOR JUNE. IIV K. Y. tillAHK. Tne Nucleus System of Bwirmlng. "Tho introduction of a mature fortilo queen to n colony two weeks sooner than when they swarm naturally, is nn advnntngo sufficient 'to pay for extra trouble. Tho timo gained in breeding is equivalent to u swnrm." 5L Qiiimby. Ill swarming Ih'CH on this systom, wo first rear n queen in a small cluster nucleus of beos, allowing tho nucleus hive to remain in its plnco until the queen becomes fertile, when wo swnrm tho becB by simply causing tho two hives to change places. Unliko natural swarm ing, tho old queen remains in tho parent stock ami its labors go on uninterrupted. Tho system is basod upon tho well known law, that boos after ltixnriatiug upon tho flowers will return to tho exact spot of their old habitation. Form a nucleus from mi Italian or populous stock by blowing u few whiff of smoke into tho entrance, nnd open ing tho hivo, select a frame of comb con taining capped brood, but especially plonty of eggs and young larvie. After looking this carefully over, lest the queen be romoved, placo it with its ad hering Bees in tho empty hivo, and noxt to it another comb containing honoy, which will a fiord protection to tho brood and food for tho beos. As many of the old bees will return to tho parent stock, give tho nuclous hivo nt least a quart of beos and set it on a now stand two or tbreo rods distant. Contract tho entrance fo that but ono or two bees can imss nt the samo timo, nnd set a feed pan on tho frames, or n spongo filled with swootened water will supply thoir wants until tho young bees go to work on their now locations. In place of thu combs romoved from tho parent stock, set in empty frames with n full ono betwoon. If tho frames nro put near tho centre, tho old stock will increase nil tho fnstcr, ns tho queen will fill tho now comb with eggs as fast ns it is built. Tho removal of tho two combs stimulates tho bees to great nc tivity by giving them room enough to work, mid dotnehes just enough bees to provont their clustering idly nbout tho cntranco. Tho nucleus will con struct queou colls nnd rear tt queen ns well ns a wl.olo swnrm. Ilcsidcs, the queou is easily found nmong a fuw bocs. Wo now wait until tho tonth or olovonth day, from tho timo tho nuclous was formed, when wo open it, and, with u sharp thiu-bladcd pockot-knifo, out out all tho queen colls but one, and uso thorn immediately in forming nuclei, by at taching ono of thorn to n frnmu of comb and beos takon from nn old stock as boforo doscribed, and placed in an ompty hivo. In transfer ring queen colls groat euro must bo taken not to press or dont thorn, or ox posu them long to tho hot sun or cool nir fur fear of destroying thu roynl oc cupants. Tho boginuor should remove but ono nt a timo, returning tho frnmo from which it is takon to its plnco in tho hive until tho royal coll is adjusted in its now location. Whon praoticnblo lonvo nbout an inch square of comb attached to tho cell, and upon taking tho comb or brood from thu old stock, mnko nn opening among the eggs ndd larva where tho bous will bo suro to cluster upon it nnd koup it warm, and carefully iusort it, leaving an opon spneo bolow. If lb'1 first nuclous wns formed only from Italian stock in thu yard, and muru queen eel Ik are wanted, rcmovo every quoun eoll from it, and add an othet emu!) of eg,; and brood from its parent clock. Ilui when no moro queen (vllriitio needed, leiitwima to hatch and ic by thi-i time t ( luool will nil ho cipjx d ovor, thu Ik'ih will bo liablo to 1 iliiw tbu young quoon on her oxcur ninn ti meet tho dronus. To prevent thli,exehmme one of tho combs for ono containing ejign mid young larvie, when forming the othei uuelous. Ynungquceus will leiurn imlest lot by birds or othor cn.Mi.iltlfH, to which all queens nro onco oxpoK'il. Such lots is easily nsccitained among so fow hoes and wo have only to insert another queen coll.nddinguoomb containing oggs and brood, and repeat tho trial. Should tho pnront Btock bo very pop ulous, it may bo swarmed by taking u queou from a nucleus belonging to a less populous stock, ami another queen reared thero. King. Weather Report ror May, 1888. Kola, Juno 2, 188a. I'Mitor Willamette Farmer: During May, 188(5, thero woro J I dnyH during which rain foil, with an aggregato of 1.60 in. of wator, thero woro 8 clear, 10 fair and 2 cloudy duys, other than thoso on which rain fell, Tho mean tcmieraturo for tho month was 60.05 deg. Highest daily menu tciiipcnituro for tho mouth, GO deg. on thu 22d. Iiweitt dnily iiienn temperature for the mouth, 10 deg. on tho 1st. Mean temj,eraturo for tho month at 2 o'clock i'. m., 00.19 deg. Highest tcmjiemturo for tho month, 70 nt 2 l, M. on the 22d. Lowest tempemturo for tho month, 12 deg. nt 7 A. u. on tho 1st. Thero was a light frost on tho 2d. Tho prevailing wjnds for tho month wero from tho southwost during 8 days, south 10 days, north 11 days. T. Pkaiick.
