Your obedient servant,
George Abernethy.
To the Honorable Legislative Assembly, Oregon.
Journal of the House, December 8, 1847
At two o’clock the house met. The sergeant-at-arms announced a special communication from the governor, which was read by the clerk. It consisted of letters from Messrs. Douglas and McBean, of the forts on the Columbia, announcing the horrid murder of Dr. Whitman’s family and others, accompanied by a letter from the governor, praying the immediate action of the house in the matter.
Mr. Meek moved the reference of the communications to a committee of the whole house, which was lost. Mr. Nesmith offered the following, which was adopted:—
“Resolved, That the governor be, and is hereby, authorized and required to raise, arm, and equip a company of riflemen, not to exceed fifty men, with their captain and subaltern officers, and dispatch them forthwith to occupy the mission station at the Dalles, on the Columbia River, and hold possession until re-enforcements can arrive at that point, or other means be taken, as the government thinks advisable.”
Messrs. Nesmith, Reese, and Crawford were appointed a committee to wait on the governor and inform him of said resolution.
The communications concerning the Indian depredations were referred to a committee consisting of Messrs. Ford, Rector, and White.
The committee appointed to wait on the governor concerning the resolution for raising a company of riflemen, reported that they had discharged their duty, and received, in answer, that the governor will use his utmost endeavors to accomplish the object.