Many important facts can only be reached by carefully studying the language of this priest, in connection with the evidence obtained from the survivors, and their subsequent conduct, and the foreign correspondence of the parties who were seeking the exclusive occupation of our country.
From the statement that follows, it will be seen how careful this Jesuit is to inform us that these propositions come from the Nez Percés.
He says, on page 65: “After having deliberated together, the chiefs concluded by adding something to the propositions of the Nez Percés, insisting principally upon the reasons which they pretended ought to excuse their action, and requested the bishop to send to the governor in their name the following manifesto.”
Before copying this important document and the letter which accompanied it to the governor of Oregon, we will place before our readers the “preface” to the book in which we find it, that they may see the full object of the author of that narrative in publishing it:—
“New York, June, 1853.
“The following interesting narrative was prepared by the very Rev. Mr. Brouillet, vicar-general of Wallawalla, at the time of the excitement consequent on the murder of Dr. Whitman by the Indians, and in answer to Mr. Spalding, and other of Dr. Whitman’s former associates. Although the immediate occasion has passed away, it is proper, still, to put the facts of the case on record; and these pages, which appeared recently in the columns of the New York Freeman’s Journal, will form an interesting and authentic chapter in the history of Protestant missions.
“J. A. McMasters.”
We will now turn to the 65th page of this false and malicious narrative, and find a document carefully prepared, as stated by its author, in grand council assembled under the eye of Bishop Blanchet, then bishop of Wallawalla, by the very Rev. Mr. Brouillet, etc. By a cursory glance at this narrative and document, it will be seen that it is prepared as coming from the Indians for the express purpose of blackening the character of Dr. Whitman, his wife, Mr. Spalding, and Mr. Rogers, and of charging them with being the cause of their own murder, and the murder of all who fell at Wailatpu by the hands of their own Indians, the Cayuses. That it embodies all the foul slanders against those missions that have been collected for a series of years, and asserts them to be true, without a single deposition or statement having been made before any court or justice of peace, known to the laws then in the country. These statements, from preface to finis, go upon the presumption that the title and professions of the men whose names are attached are sufficient evidence of the truth of any statements they may make, however unreasonable or false they may be. The documents above referred to are as follows (J. R. Browne, page 45):—
“The principal chiefs of the Cayuses, in council assembled, state: That a young Indian (Joseph Lewis) who understands English, and who slept in Dr. Whitman’s room, heard the Doctor, his wife, and Mr. Spalding express their desire of possessing the lands and animals of the Indians; that he stated also that Mr. Spalding said to the Doctor, ‘Hurry giving medicines to the Indians, that they may soon die;’ that the same Indian told the Cayuses, ‘If you do not kill the Doctor soon, you will all be dead before spring;’ that they buried six Cayuses on Sunday, November 28, and three the next day; that Mr. Rogers, the schoolmaster, stated to them before he died that the Doctor, his wife, and Mr. Spalding poisoned the Indians; that for several years past they had to deplore the death of their children; and that, according to these reports, they were led to believe that the whites had undertaken to kill them all; and that these were the motives which led them to kill the Americans. The same chiefs ask at present—
“1st. That the Americans may not go to war with the Cayuses.
“2d. That they may forget the lately committed murders, as the Cayuses will forget the murder of the son of the great chief of Wallawalla, committed in California.
“3d. That two or three great men may come up to conclude peace.
“4th. That as soon as these great men have arrived and concluded peace, they may take with them all the women and children.
“5th. They give assurance that they will not harm the Americans before the arrival of these two or three great men.
“6th. They ask that Americans may not travel any more through their country, as their young men might do them harm.
“(Signed,)
“Tilokaikt.
“Camaspelo.
“Tawatowe.
“Achekaia.“Place of Tawatowe, Umatilla, December 20, 1847.”
“The bishop accompanied this manifesto with a letter addressed to the governor, which concluded in these terms: ‘It is sufficient to state that all these speeches went to show, that since they had been instructed by the whites they abhorred war, and that the tragedy of the 29th had occurred from an anxious desire of self-preservation, and that it was the reports made against the Doctor and others which led them to commit this act. They desire to have the past forgotten and to live in peace as before. Your excellency has to judge of the value of the documents which I have been requested to forward to you. Nevertheless, without having the least intention to influence one way or the other, I feel myself obliged to tell you, that by going to war with the Cayuses, you will likely have all the Indians of this country against you. Would it be for the interest of a young colony to expose herself? That you will have to decide with your council.’”
Reader, you now have before you a full statement of the most important facts of the Whitman massacre, and of the part taken in it by “the holy fathers, the Catholic priests,” as they were styled by Mr. McBean, of Fort Nez Percés, to Mr. Kimzey and his wife.