"In one of Bro. Abernethy's letters, he tells you that the Superintendent [Jason Lee] refused to send the report of the state of the property home. There is some error in this. I cannot, I will not, believe that A. intended to charge me with opposing the sending of that report.
"Before I had left Oregon I was aware that Bro. Hines had written to the Board. He had read part of his communication to some persons, who had hinted to me about it. He started from Oregon with me, and I was in hopes we should have met face to face before this Board. He returned, however, from the Sandwich Islands to Oregon.
"Bro. Kone complains of my treatment of him, and professes to know my secret reasons for wishing to keep all in the field. I never had any secret reasons.... Bro. Kone by his injudicious remarks caused great excitement among the laymen, and made much difficulty.
"He considered Dr. Richmond his enemy because he had so declared himself, and sent word to him [Mr. Lee] that he was his antagonist. And he hoped as they had heard his enemy they would hear him.
"Of Bro. Frost I cannot say much. He has made no thorough effort to bring sinners to God. I mean such an effort as would render it probable that these Indians could not be benefited by the Gospel."
In this report Jason Lee also spoke of some other Methodist missionaries who had made charges against him, without giving their names.
As the Board seems to have exonerated Jason Lee from all charges, it must have found that these charges made in Oregon were untrue, or unfounded, or not justified. Exonerating Jason Lee was, in effect, condemning those persons who made the charges, and finding that their charges were false. In this report Rev. Jason Lee also said: "When the Board sent out its last large reinforcement, its object in my view and I believe in theirs was that Methodism should spread throughout Oregon; for what purpose else, I ask, did so large a number of laymen go out? If it was only to form one or two stations, it appears to me that both the Board and myself as their agent must have taken leave of our senses. If my associates had stood firm to their post, and persevered willingly in the work consigned them, I have not a doubt but far more favorable accounts would have reached you from that distant country. The plans I assert were well formed and had I been sustained the object would have been accomplished. A great mistake was made in selecting some of those who were sent out. I allude not to the number but the qualifications of certain individuals. I forewarned the Oregon Committee that if the persons who applied for situations were not examined by a proper committee the plan would fail. Such proved to be the case. As proof I aver that we had not reached our first stopping place in South America, before some desired to return to the United States, and even after touching at the S. [Sandwich] Islands before we had reached Oregon one wanted to return and secure the Chaplaincy at the Islands. I have had much to contend with, and I regret that men of more steadfast minds had not been chosen. Such persons do more injury to a distant Mission than they do good, and no one knows the difficulties I have had to pass through."
In this report Rev. Jason Lee said further: "He [Dr. McLoughlin] is a Catholic. Previous to the Priests going there, I was his intimate friend,—his confidant. Such was my influence with the Canadian part of the settlement, that they would have been pleased to give me their church and have no Priest come. Since my return I have not time to instruct their children as we used to do, and the Priests have taken them."