Respectfully submitted,
T. Hartley Crawford.
Hon. William Wilkins,
Secretary of War.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Dr. E. White’s letter to the Secretary of War.—Excitement among the Indians.—Visit to Nez Percés, Cayuses, and Wallawallas.—Destitution and degradation of the Coast Indians.—Dr. White eulogizes Governor McLaughlin and the Hudson’s Bay Company.—Schools and missions.—Mr. Jesse Applegate.—Dr. White’s second letter.—Letters of Peter H. Hatch and W. H. Wilson.—Seizure of a distillery.—Search for liquor.—Letter of James D. Saules.—Fight with Indians.—Death of Cockstock.—Description and character of him.—The Molallos and Klamaths.—Agreement with the Dalles Indians.—Presents to Cockstock’s widow.—Dr. White’s third letter.—Letter of Rev. G. Hines to Dr. White.—Letter of W. Medill.
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Wallamet Valley, Oregon,
November 15, 1843.
Honored Sir,—Since my arrival, I have had the honor of addressing you some three or four communications, the last of which left early in April, conveyed by the Hudson’s Bay Company’s express over the Rocky Mountains, via Canada, which I hope and judge was duly received.
Immediately after this, I received several communications from missionaries of the interior, some from the Methodists and others from those sent out by the American Board, representing the Indians of the interior as in a state of great excitement, and under much apprehension from the circumstance that such numbers of whites were coming in, as they were informed, to take possession of their lands and country. The excitement soon became general, both among whites and Indians, in this lower as well upper district; and such were the constantly floating groundless reports, that much uneasiness was felt, and some of our citizens were under such a state of apprehension as to abandon their houses, and place themselves more immediately within the precincts of the colony. As in all such cases, a variety of opinions was entertained and expressed,—some pleading for me, at the expense of the general government, to throw up a strong fortification in the center of the colony, and furnish the settlers with guns and ammunition, so that we might be prepared for extremities. Others thought it more advisable for me to go at once with an armed force of considerable strength to the heart and center of the conspiracy, as it was represented, and if words would not answer, make powder and balls do it. A third party entertained other views, and few were really agreed on any one measure.