Halleck writes a cordial letter in reply to the governor’s, and gives him a glimpse “behind the curtain” of California and Southern Democratic politics, which throws light on Jefferson Davis’s action in shutting off the further exploration of the Northern route.
“I have by no means lost my interest in the Democratic party, or the great public questions of the day. The first and most important of these is the great continental railroad. Present examinations would seem almost conclusive against Benton’s central project. If so, this road must run from some point in New Mexico to some pass near Los Angeles, and thence to San Francisco (and San Diego, perhaps).
“If this southern route should be selected, it would lead to another northern route, perhaps the one explored by yourself to Puget Sound. Even if a single road should be adopted on the central line, it must fork to San Francisco and Puget Sound, the two great termini of the Pacific coast.
“The pro-slavery extension party will work very hard against the North Pacific States, which must of necessity remain free. The first branch of this project was to call a new convention in California dividing it into two States, making the southern one a slave State, with San Diego as the port and terminus of a railroad through Texas. Circulars and letters to that effect were sent to pro-slavery men in California, and the attempt made to divide the State, but it failed. The next move was to acquire Lower California and part of Sonora and Chihuahua, making Guaymas the terminus, and the newly acquired territory slave States. Two separate plans were set on foot for the same object, the Walker ‘filibustering’ expedition against Lower California and Sonora, and Gadsden’s treaty with Santa Anna. The former is thus far a most complete and contemptible failure, but rumor says the latter is likely to be successful, and will be undoubtedly, if backed with sufficient money. If the territory is acquired, it will be slave territory, and a most tremendous effort will be made to run a railroad if not the railroad from Texas to Guaymas, with a branch to San Francisco.”
Amid all these pressing and engrossing official duties the governor found time to purchase his future homestead in Olympia, Block 84, and also a tract of ten acres a little farther back, where Maple Park is now situated. He also contracted for the purchase of the north half of the Walker Donation claim, a tract of three hundred and twenty acres situated a mile and a half south of the town and half way to Tumwater. All these tracts were then buried in the dense and tall fir forest; but when the country was cleared, it appeared that the governor had selected them with unerring judgment, for they are the finest sites in the town or vicinity.
During all this time the governor and the officers and scientific men of the exploration were hard at work on the reports of their operations, working up the observations, and classifying the collections. As McClellan, Donelson, Lander, Suckley, Gibbs, Arnold, Tinkham, and Grover successively reached Olympia, bringing fresh contributions of information gathered in their trips, each took hold of the work. The offices of the survey were in two small, one-storied buildings on the west side of Main Street, between Second and Third, hired of Father Ricard, and presented a busy scene, filled with desks, tables, instruments, collections, maps, and papers, among which the young men were writing and working for dear life.
Lieutenant Arnold and Dr. Suckley executed the reconnoissances intrusted to them most satisfactorily. Lieutenant Grover, starting from Fort Benton in January with his dog-train, crossed the main range to the Bitter Root valley, finding only eight inches of snow, and thence continued with horses down Clark’s Fork and Pend Oreille Lake and to the Dalles. On reaching Vancouver the governor dispatched an express to Lieutenant Mullan by Spokane Garry, who had accompanied him to that point, and in January he sent wagonmaster Higgins with a second express to the same point. Thus, by these expresses going and returning, he had the route between the Bitter Root valley and Olympia traversed four times in addition to Grover’s trip. Lieutenant Mullan crossed the main continental divide six times that winter, extending his trips to Fort Hall, on the upper Snake River, and traveling nearly a thousand miles. The explorations made by the young officers, including Tinkham and Doty, were very remarkable and valuable, and were attended at times with great exertions and privations, and full accounts of them are given in the final report.
Thus, by his winter posts and parties, the governor was solving, in the most complete and satisfactory manner, the questions of mountain snows and climates. From Olympia he reported to Secretary of War Davis the results of the explorations, and particularly on these points. He urged that the posts be continued, and a closer examination made of the more favorable mountain passes, and that lines be surveyed from the Northern route to Great Salt Lake and to San Francisco.
At this juncture Governor Stevens received a curt and peremptory order from Secretary Davis, disapproving his arrangements, and ordering him to disband the winter parties and bring his operations to a close. Acknowledging the receipt of the order, February 13, he declares that it shall be promptly obeyed, and continues:—
“But I earnestly submit to the department the importance of the continuation of these surveys, and indulge the hope that Congress will make liberal appropriations, both in a deficiency bill and in the general appropriation bill, in order that the field now so well entered upon may be fully occupied.