The Daily Astorian., April 05, 1881, Image 1

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Vol. xiv.
Astoria, Oregon, Tuesday Morning April 5, 1881.
Wo. 80.
Ditl Dr. Whitman Save Oregon Z
In The Daily Astokiax of Sun
da', March Gth, is a four column
article under the lKiadiiiir "Did
Dr. Whitman Save Oregon?" over
the signature of F. F. Victor,
whom we believe to k a woman
possessed of a peculiar talent.
Mie admitting or presuming the
signature to be correct, in the com
mencement of her four column
article says:
"When I published my article with
the above title m the Caiiforitiaii, I
expected some notice to be taken of it;
in fact, I was rather glad Mr. Clarke
had furnished me an occasion for
pointing out the truth to those who
ihink, as I do, that a love of truth i
abo e a devotion to an idea, whether
it is religious or political.
This fact as stated in the cocn
mencement of her effort shows that
she seeks notoriety. In our first
article, in answer to a portion of
her effort at notoriety; we review
ed it to the following statement
and charge against the 37th chap
ter of Gray's History of Oregon,
m the following werds:
But what I now propose to show,
since I have been fairly
fairly challenged, is
that the thirty-seventh chapter of
Gray's History of Oregon is a tissue
of fictions. To begin with, he repre
sents that the lied river emigration
brought out by Governor Simpson,
was in 842. It was in 1841. (See
Sir George Simpsons 2sarratnc, Vol
1. page 89.)
I can think of but one idea at
this moment that expresses a fact
in this reference, and that is Quib
ble number one. Suppose we ad
mit that Gov. Simpson started his
emigration as per his book in 1S41,
and suppose another fact, that it
did not arrive in Oregon till in the
fall of 18A2, which is a positive
fact easily proven, what then? Is
Simpson or Gray mistaken and
both writing a tissue of fiction?
Mrs. Victor centinues:
2sext he represents himself as being
at Waiilatpn, September, 1842; he
-was in the Willamot valley, (see chap
ter twenty-nine of Gray's History,
page 211, and Bines' Oregon and Its
Institutions, page 154), where he had
one on account of difficulties they
had become fully satisfied would ulti
mately destroy the mission or drive it
from the country.
Here is Quibble number two
fully proven by both Hines and
Gray himself, and Gray must now
come squarely up to the scratch
and admit that in September of
1842 he was m the lllamet val
ley, which can be fulhy proven by
living witnesses, anU the two
books quoted. But uufortunatelv
for Mrs. Victor's Quibble he didr
not have his good wife and eldest
son and two little daughters with
him, consequently he had to re
trace his steps, back to "Waiilatpu
to Dr. Whitman's mission, where
he had left them on the 1st of
September, 1842, to go to the
"Willamet valley to learn what
business or labor he could engage
in to supply his wife and little
family with bread and clothing.
The Methodist missionaries con
cluded that themselves and all the
white settlers in tlie valley wanted
a school house lor the white and
half-breed children and contributed
liberally for the school building
and employed "W. II. Gray as their
ajrent. Gray returned to his fam
ily on the 21st of September, 1S42. !
Dr. "Whitman and Lovejqy left for
"Washington before "W. II. Gray
was ready to move to the Wil
lamet. 1 hope Mrs. Victor and all
for whom she writes and quotes
treaties and history will not lorget
these explanations, for they are
quite fresli upon ray mind and my
wifes journal, though thirty-nine
years have passed since that time.
There is another little item in Mrs.
Victors statement and quotation
which her reading of history, and 1
will add of treaties, that she can
not or will not understand, nor
truthfully quote.
She says, in order to prove that
I was not at Dr. Whitmans at the
time Dr. Whitman started for
"Washington, after referring to
'chapter and page of our books,
"where he, Gray," "had gone on ac
count of difficulties, the'," (referr
ing to Rogers, Smith and Gray,)
"had become fully satisfied would
ultimately destroy the mission or
drive it from the country." -To
be as brief as possible, I will ask
if our conclusions were not correct?
If the facts since developed has
not proved them correct? But
from the labored effort she has
made to prove that white is black,
and black is white and not to
prove myself as captious and as
much of a. finished 'quibblcr as
Mrs. Victor is, 1 will admit tlmt
Rev. A. 13. Smith was dissatisfied
with his missionary position, and
location from the time he arrived
in the country. That his corres
pondence with the prudential cm
mitte of the board was not favor
able to the continuance of the
mission. That he used his influ
ence with Mr. Iiodgers and "VT. H.
Gray to have them leave the ser
vice of the mission. Also that the
Jesuit missionaries were actively
working in the same direction, in
connection with the Hudson Bay
company and Indians, not only to
divide and destroy the American
missions but the American settle
ments in Oregon. The same as
Mrs. Victor is working to destroy
the character and the good name
of the dead, and of the living. It
occurs to me that she might find
a better use for her time, talent
and pen. Permit me to quote an
other passage from her long dia
tribe. She says:
Just at this critical momont, Doctor
Whitman bom" naturally averse to
,Sii,K "P P ",. "-"
- i .: : .. ... 4. wr-::
1"j more rvu ui um.ui ui -,
the first Oregon immigration a com
pany of "one hundred and eleven
persons, some forty-two families"
according to Gray, under the lender
ship of Dr. White. This opportune
arrival solved, to Doctor Whitman's
mind, the knotty problem. American
immigration overland had set in.
Xow, he could have assistance and
moral support, with social intercourse;
and now the mission could be made
self-supporting for all the travel
over that route would have to pur
chase supplies, which he could furnish.
He saw his opportunitj, and grasped
it.
This is Mrs. F. F. Victor's por
trait of a man that Oregon will yet
honor for his unparalleled effort to
save it from becoming a British
territory; she would have us be
lieve that all his efforts were su
preme selfishness, that he was
ready "to take everv advantage of
the incoming immigrant to sup
port his mission. So far as Mrs
Victor is concerned she is deter
mined to make people believe by
her false quotations and erroneous
inferences that she is correct in her
conclusions, but unfortunately for
her, as the Walla-walla Statesman
says of her reply to Mr. Clarke,
"she proves too much."
Let us look at another para
graph about the person whom Mrs.
v ictor says in tins same diatribe
that, "from all I can learn of Dr.
"Whitman, he was a manly man,
and held in esteem by all" classes."
She says:
He knew the order would come in
the spring to quit Waiilatpu. This he
was determined not to do. All that
agreeable and mtriotic fiction of Mr.
Gray's, abont being at the fort and
hearing of the Red river emigration,
must fall to the ground, for inatend of
starting for the states in twenty four
hours after hearing of their arrival at
Colvilhr, lie had x whole 3'ar in which
to get ready, and it is not rotable
would have thought of going, hut for
the arrival of Dr. White's party, and
the ivpect it opened up for these
iuimigraiiU aasured him that others
would folio-, in largtt niiinlers, the
succeeding year.
The order to abandon the mis
sion, 1 confess is new to me, and
in looking at Mrs. Victor's proof I
hnd she quotes from the Missionary
Herald of 1S43. This explains to
me a remark found in an article
in the "Willamette Farmer of iiept.
24, 1SS0.
And of his after visit to the offi
cers of tlte American board at Boston,
who objected to his journey and its
object but lived afterwards to le
proud of their share in the good he
accomplished.
And if Mrs. Victor has quoted
correctly, it does not add to my
respect for the board that made
the order.
I have positive living testimony
that the Boston board and Mrs.
Victor are both mistaken as to the
time of Dr. Wit man's starting to
return to Oregon. In April, 1843,
he was met in St. Louis, in the
early part of May he was with the
emigration assisting them in get
ting ready for the journey, and
was with the immigration from
"Westport to the Grand Ronde, and
regarded as their most reliable
pilot during the whole journey,
notwitnstanaiiig tney nau employ
ed Capt. Gant to pilot them to
fort Hall.
But we must investigate Mrs.
Victors sophism a little more be
fore we close this discussion. She
centinues:
Taking in the whole prospect open
ed up by the arrival of Dr. White's
party, and having no time to lose, Dr.
hvhitman called a meeting of the mis
sionanes, at which lie announced jus
determination to ge cast and lay the
case before the board in person. Un
der date of April lat, 18-17, Dr. Whit
man said: "1 pointed out to our
mission the arrangements of the pap
ists to settle in our vicinity, and that
it only required that these arrange
ments should Iks completed to close
our operations." It is said that he
met with opposition from the other
members but of that I know nothing,
and do not wish to go outside of that
which can be proven. At all events,
he started for the states early in
October (I think the 3d), having per
suaded Mr. Lovejoy to accompany
him.
First there was no such meeting
of the mission called at the time
Mrs. Victor refers to. Second,
under date April 1st, 1847, three
years and four months after he
started to go to "Washington the
letter Mrs. Victor refers to was
written. I am fully aware that
during the summer, or autumn of
1S42 before the arrival of the Red
river settlers, that the mission was
terribly annoyed by the Jesuits
intcrferance with the Indians, and
that there had been a meeting of
the members of the mission at the
Doctors' station, between the 9th
and 15th of July, 1S42, at which
meeting my decision to become a
settler in the Willamet, was reluc
tantly approved. I remained at
the station in charge of the mill
and farm till the first day of Sep
tember, 1842, went to the Metho
dist mis ion by the trail north of
Mount Hood on horseback, en
gaged myself as agent to build the
Oregon institute, returned up
country, reached the Whitman
station September 21, 1S42. JNb
news of the Red river immigrants
had then reached any person at
the Doctors' station, nor the Amer
ican settlers in the valley. Mr.
Lovejoy and a few of the Dr.
White immigration were then at
and about the station recruiting
their animals having left their
wagons before reaching the Blue
mountains, or at fort Hall.
Passing over many erroneous
statements of Mrs. Victor's pre
tended proofs by which she is at
tempting to convince her readers
that she has produced conclusive
arguments to show the incorrect
ness of Mr. Gray's statements con
cerning the instrumentality of Dr.
Whitman in raising the emigrating
company of 1S43, she says:
Now it will be observed that in this
declaration of the motive -of Doctor
Whitman's visit, it is asserted that an
emigration had already begun; that
Doctor Whitman was not certain of
taking back with him any ''christian
families," and that he did not set out
on his return until June. Those as
sertions, of course, it must be allowed,
upset Mr. Grays statement concern
ing the instrumentality of Doctor
Whitman in raising the emigrating
company of 3843. That emigration
was a mouth n its way, with wagons
and stock, before he left his old home
to return to WaiilxtiHi.
On icadins: the alove statement
1 addressed a note to lion. John
llobsou, of Astoria, requesting
him to answer tle following ques ques
teons: First. Pleawi inform me, wliat
time and when did you first meet
Dr. Marcus Whitman? His ans
wer: "We met and talked wirii
Dr. Whitman first in St. Louis m
April, 1843, and there bought
teams for the trip. We met him
again at Weston or "Wast port in
the early part of May. While
at the rendezvous at Weston
he assisted us in purchasing
additional teams. lie was then
stopping at the agency awaiting
the immigration to start for Ore
gon, and was with us and at our
camp at various times and places.
Was at the crossings of Platte and
two crossings on the Snake river,
and remained with us until we
reached the Grand Ronde. and
there procured an Indian guide for
us over the Blue mountains.
Second. About Ikjw long was
he in or about your place of stop
ping or camping before your com
pany started upon the journey to
Oregon? I saw him about every
day while camping at "Weston.
Third. Did Dr. Whitman to
your knowledge use any influence
or argument to get persons to
come to Oregon? He induced us
and others to come to . Oregon
while at St. Louis. "We were on
the way to Wisconsin.
Fourth. "Was he of anv par
ticular service in piloting the im
migration of that year as a pilot or
as a physician? He assisted us
and piloted in all the difficult
places, and assured us we could
get our wagons through to Oregon.
Fifth. Did he demand or re
ceive any sums of money for his
services as a pilot? He did not
demand or ask for anything, neith
er did wc pay him for any services.
No one was asked or paid any
thing. 1 knov that we left two of
my sisters with him, and I returned
for them the following July, and
there was no charge made for
keeping them.
Signed, John IIo?ox.
The next witness we will ex
amine is "Recollections. of an Old
Pioneer," Hon. Peter II. Burnett,
page 101. He says: I kept a con
cise journal of the trip as far as
Walla-walla, and have it now be
fore me. On the 18th of May the
immigration at the rendezvous
held a meeting and appointed a
committee to see Dr. Whitman.
On the 20th I attended the
meeting at Big Springs, -where I
met Colonel John Thornton, Colo
nel Bartlcson. Mr. Kickman, and
Dr. Whitman. "William Martin
and Daniel Mathew were appoint
ed a committee to engage Capt.
John Gant as our pilot as far as
fort Hall, he was accordingly cm
ployed; and it was agreed in camp
that we should start on Monday
morning. May 22.
"We, at this point in this discus
sion, will give one other witness to
show the character of Dr. Whit
man before he entered upon his
mission, as also the ignorance of
Mrs. Victor as to the character of
the man she attempts to slander:
Dnur.vM, Butte Co., CaL.Jui:c 14,1SS0.
Mr Dear Sir: Your favor dated
April 2ith, my Gist hirthday, reached
me on my return from New York x
San Francisco, and I was pleased to
hear from you. While in New York,
and after writing you, I found your
history and read it with much avidity.
By your letter I was much gratified to
learn steps were heing taken to erect a
monument to the memory of Dr.
Marcus Whitman, who, with others,
fell in the autumn of 1847, at his
missionary post in Oregon, a victim to
savage brutality. I knew him well and
greatly respected him, many years be
fore he entered upon the duties of
teaching and seeking to christianize
the Indians of the upper Columbia
river. It fell to my oflicial lot in 1850,'
to preside over the court which tried
and committed five of the Indian
chiefs who were the principals in this
fiendish murder; and naturally enough,
I am deeply moved that something is
about to be ddne to perpetuate the
memory of one of the best men,
whose tireless energies wero unselfish
ly directed toward and employed,
until worn out and terminated by
bcastlv assassination, in the interest
a'one of humanity, Christianity and
civilization. Such a man, bearing as
he did so high a type of benevolence
and disinterestedness, honors, and is a
blessing to any age or country, and
the only wonder is that a character so
good and great has so long been left
without other commemoration than in
the perishable memories of the curliest
pioneers of Oregon, most of whom
are already voiceless in the grave In
this tardy elfort at perpetuity of the
virtues and worth of- one of the
noblest men who ever even led either
a band of christian missionaries or the
vanguard of civilization, I Ihk not
merely to raise my voice, but if al
lowed shall gladly contribute, and
with a grateful heart, as much as
anybody else. Concluding, will add
that it will always gratify me to hear
from you. Letters can be sent to my
address at Sin Frnheisco or here,
Durham, Butte county, California.
Very trulv your friend.
O. C. Pratt.
Judge Pratts' letter has already
been published in Tiik Astokian,
but as the character of a dead man
has been assailed in so wanton a
manner by Mrs. Victor, I must ask
for its republishing in this contro
vers'. In my next article I pro
pose to meet Mrs. Victor with
lion. Jesse Applcgatc, and investi
gate her allusions and quotations
from him. Respectfully, etc.
V. II. Gn.vr.
AllNDT & JFERCHEN,
ASTORIA. - OREGON.
The Only Machine Shop
And the best.
r,
BLACKSMITH ---tL?S
&!&
C LI 13 ttAiifi
. ci f i x ?; J
v . -
In the city.
All kinds of
VZ
ENGrfNE, CANNERY,
STEAHBOAT WORK
' Promptly attended to.
A specialty made of repairing
CANNERY DIES,
MACHINE SnOP, NEAR KINNEY'S AS
TORIA PISHERY
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BANKING AHDJNSURANGL
BROKER, BANKER
INSURANCE AGENT.
- - - OREGON
ASTOKIA,
OFFICE HOURS:
FROM S O'CLOCK A. 31. UNTIL 1
O'CLOCK P. .r.
Hoe Intial Insurance Co.,
OF CAL1FORH1A.
J. F. IIOl'OUTON-
Ciias. K. Stokv...
Uho. L. Stokv...,
...President
....... Secretary
..Agent for Oron
Capital aiu up m
coin ....
U. S. gold
S 300 000 W
I. IV. CASE, Agent,
Ciieiifcmus street, Astoria, Oregon.
67,000,000 CAPITAL.
LIVERPOOL AND LO'HON AND
GLOBE,
NORTH BRITISH AND MERCAN
TILE OP LONDON AND
EDINBURGH.
OLD CONNECTICUT OF HART
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COMMERCIAL OF CALIFORNIA
FIHE INSURANCE COMPANIES.
Representing a capital of SC7,000,000.
. A.VANDUSEN.Agent.
HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS.
A.J. MHGLKK.
C.S. WEIGHT
OCCIIE.VT nOTEJL.
MEGLER & WKIGIIT. Propzietors.
Astoria, Oregon.
THE PROPRIETORS ARE HAPPY TO
announce that the above hotel has been
repainted and refurnished, adding greatly to
the comfort of itsguetsandisnowthe best
hotel north of San Francisco.
c. vr. KNOWLKS.
CLAltEXDOX
PORTLAND, - -
AL.ZIKBKR.
1IOTEX,
- - OREGON
ZIEBER & KN0WLES, Proprietors.
Free conch to and from tlte house.
ea-TiiK Daily Astokian Is on file at the
Clarendon Hotel reading room.
Pioneer Restaurant Hotel.
MAIN STREET. - -
- ASTORIA
Proprietor
3Ir.s. S. X. Arrisoni.
TnE TRAVELING PUBLIC "WILL FIND
the Pioneer first class in all respects. and
a snare of their junronage " respectfully
solicited.
J3T"Board and lodging by the day or week.
The New York Oyster Saloon
"Will serve to their customers from this
ate as follows :
TEA, COFFEE, CHOCOLATE.
Eastern Oysters Alivays on Hand,
Ami will Imj kept as a first class Oyster Sa
loon, in ilrst class style.
DANIEL GRANT. Manager.
Fair Wind Coifee Saloon
A"l
CISOF Ha"USE,
WATER STREET. ASTORIA.
Ntt duor to Dr. Kiuses.
ConVc. Tea anil Chocolate, with
Calte. IO Cents.
Choiis CooktMl to Order.
Fine Wine. Liquors and Cigars
Of tin Im-1 brand-.
Having jitt H-!H'd the hIhivo otablisli
MHMit w cordially invileottr friend. and the
MiMIe xewrally to give us a trial.
.Vi-tl FOARD & EVANSON.
ROSCOE'S FIRST CLASS
Ovsfov Siilnnu.
w. .. .. .
MAIN STREET. ASTORIA.
nnilE I'NDERSIGNED IS PLEASED TO
JL HiiiMMtnce to the
Ladies' and Gentlemen of this City
That he is now preiKtred to furnish for them,
hi nrt emss it vie, ana every style,
OYSTERS. HOT COFFEE. TEA, ETC.
AT THE
Ladies and Gent's Oyster Saloon,
MAIN STREET.
Pie? give me a call.
ROSCOE DIXON, Proprietor
C. H. STOCKTON,
sxolxjszs, sxGbisr
AND
-CARRIAGE PAINTER,-
PAPER HANGING AND WALL COLORING
A SPECIALTY.
GLAZING PROMPTLY ATTENDED TO.
eo-Shon next door to Astorian, Office, in
Shuster'souildins.
TIN PLATE,
BLOCK TIN
For sale ex "Warehouse at Astoria or Portland
by
55-U
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Portland, Oaegon.
BUSINESS CARDS.
J.Q-
A. BOWLBY.
ATTORNEY AT LAAV.
Clienamtts Street. - ASTOKIA. OKEGON
fi IV. PULTOX,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
ASTOKIA - OKHGON
Office over Page & Alton's store, Cass street
t w. noun,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
ASTOKIA - - - - OKEGON
Office over "Warren & Eaton's Astoria Mar
ket, oiiositc the Occident Hotel.
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AUCTIONEEK, COMMISSION AND
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NOTARY PUBLIC.
Clienamus Street, near Occident Hotel,
ASTOKIA, OKEGON.
AgcnfYVclIs, l'argo & Co.
Tjl P. IIICKS,
PENTIST,
ASTORIA, - - - OREGONZ.
Koonis In Allen's building up stairs, come
of Cass and Sqemocqhe streets.
Tys. 3r. i). jEXxixus.
TIIYSICIAN AND SUKGEON.
Graduate University of Virginia, J868.
riiysician to Bay View hospital, Baltimore
City, 1SCQ-T0.
Office In Page & Allen's building, up
stairs, Astoria.
J T-VY TCTTXiE, 31. I.
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON;
j Office Over the "White House Store.
Kksidexce Next door to Mrs. Munson'a
Hoarding house, Chenainus street, Aston
Oregon.
J.
C. ORCHARD,
DENTIST,
Dental Itooms.
SHUSTKK'S
PhotograplfBuiIdin;
T A. aicIXTOSH.
MERCHANT TAILOR,
Occident Hotel Building.
ASTORIA - - - OREGON!
Q H. BAIIV & CO.,
DEAfcEK IX
Doors, Windows, Jllinds, Traa
sonis, .Lumber, tc.
All kinds of Oak Lumber, Glass, Boat Ma
terial, etc,
.Steam Mill near Weston hotel. Cor. Gen
cvive and Astor streets.
J G. FAUIEOWI, & SON",
STEVEDORES AM) RIGGERS
Portland and Astoria, Oregon.
Refor by pennision to Rogers.Moyors&Cc.
Allen i Lewis, CorbittiMacleay,
Portland. Oregon.
yHr. TJHIiEXHAKT.
Occident Hotel Hair Dressing Saloon
ASTORIA - OREGON.
lint, Cold, Slimier,
Steam and Sulphur
BATHS.
J3""SpecIaI attention given to ladles' and
luldreu's hair cutting.
Private Entrance for Ladies.
WILLIA31 F3tY.
PRACTICAL
ISOOT AIYI SHOE
MAKER.
Ciikxamus Stiekkt. Ooo!ite Adler's Book
store, - Astoieia, Okkgox.
Z&- Perfect His guaranteed. All werk:
warranted. Give nie a trial. All orders
ltroui(tly tilled.
Music Lessons.
T. F.'CULLEN and C E. BARNES1
TEACHERS OF
VIOLIN, PIANO, GUITAR, COR
NET AND BANJO,
Would like a few pupils on either of the
above instruments.
Terms Eight Icasons for five dollars.
C3r-Orders left at Stevens & Sons boek:
store will he promptly at tended to-
J. T. B0RGH&RS,
COXCOHLY tTKEET. ASTOKIA.
Manufacturer and Packer of
GAVrAR, SMOKED SALRHW.
Cash paid for fresli
BLACK STUKGEOX SPAWN.
Smoked Stunreon, and smoked Salmon put
up in tins to ship to any jwrt of the world.
aim), iroui nan tsannon eggs) put up in cana
and warranted to keep any length of time.
Depot at Rogers Central Market, comer
Cass and Cheuamus streets. Astoria.
To-JS'iglit. To-Night
GRAND BALL,
AT MUSIC HALLy
THIS EVJEXIXG.
dealer In
FAIHII.X GROCERIES,
WAILS, MUX TJEED AITO HAS
Cash paid for country produce. SmaX
profits on cash sales. Astoria, Oregon, coc
ner of Main and Squemocqhe streets.
s
PILES.
llfi!
The undersigned is prepared to foraMk.
a large number of Spiles and Spars at' his
place on short notice, at reasonable rates.
Apply to C.G.CAPLES,
Columbia (Mj