USA > Washington > History of Washington; the rise and progress of an American state, Vol. III > Part 37
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They held out stubbornly for two days, when hunger compelled them to yield. When the fight began they had 117 warriors present, besides their women and children. During the fight 27 were killed and 21 wounded, one of the latter being a chief. Being without canoes, or other means of leaving the country, they were now taken on board the Massachusetts and conveyed to Vancouver Island, where they were landed and furnished with provisions enough to supply them until they could again provide for themselves.
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The loss, on the part of the Massachusetts, in the engage- ment was one man killed and one wounded.
The Haidahs left the country promising never to return to it, but they had hardly been set on shore in British Colum- bia before they began to threaten that they would have a "Boston tyee"* for every warrior they had lost. Knowing their implacable nature, the settlers realized that they would attempt to make this threat good, and they were for a long time thereafter the cause of much anxiety among the settlers, particularly during the war years. But it was impossible to make absolute defense against their attacks, and so no defense was made. On the IIth of August following, a party of northern Indians numbering about 200, as was supposed, called at Whidby Island and visited the home of Colonel Ebey, where they were kindly received. During the night they returned, called the colonel to the door, where they shot him, cut off his head and carried it away. George W. Corliss and his wife were in the house at the time, and together with Mrs. Ebey and her three children made their escape, the Indians firing a volley after them as they fled to the woods.
These Indians made no hostile demonstration against any of the other settlers in the vicinity, but soon dis- appeared, carrying Ebey's head with them. It was afterwards recovered by agents of the Hudson's Bay Company, who found it at the home of the Indians in British Columbia. It is not positively known that the murder of Ebey was a direct consequence of the murder of the northern Indian by Butler and Burt, on Budd's Inlet three years earlier, but many believed it was.
* A prominent American.
BLOCKHOUSE ON WHIDBY ISLAND.
This blockhouse was built during the Indian war, on Whidby Island near the claim which Colonel Ebey had taken, and where he was subsequently murdered by the northern Indians.
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
Isw nsitAs partof theMassachusetts, lanathe engage-
The Hirdahs left the country promising never to return w it, but they had hardly been set on shore in British Colum- bhi before they began to threaten that they would have a " Waston tyee"* for every warrior they had lost. Knowing their implacable nature, the settlers realized that they would attempt to make this threat good wol they were for a long time thereafter the cause of much wong the settlers, particularly during the impossible to make absolute defense aps
defense was made () the August following, a party of northern Indan mumlerag about 200, as was supposed, called at Whudby Iwant and visited the home of Colonel Ebey, where they were & idly received. During the night they returned, called the colonel to the door, where they shot him, cut at his head and carried it away. George W. Corliss and his we were in the house at the time, and together with Mrs Khey and her three children made their escape, the Indiam bring a volley after them as they fled to the woods.
These Indians made no howile demonstration against any of the other settlers in the vicinity, but soon dis- appeared, carrying Ebey's head with them. It was afterwards recovered by agents of the Hudson's Bay Company, who found it at the home of the Indians in British Columbia. It is ner positively known that the murder of Ebey was a direct consequence of the tounder of the northem Indian by Butler and Burt, un Mudd's Inlet three years earlier, but many believed
* A *comment American.
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OF AN AMERICAN STATE
Late in January 1859, another tragedy occurred, supposed to be traceable to the same cause. On the 25th of that month, the schooners Blue Wing and Ellen Maria left Steilacoom for points down Sound, with some eleven persons on board, including officers and crews. Among them was Ernest Schroter, a merchant who owned the first-named vessel. Both ships were attacked by northern Indians when off the northern end of Vashon Island, and all on board were murdered, and the ships plundered and burned. An Indian known as Jim subsequently boasted of his connection with these murders, while in Victoria, and was arrested; but, upon a hearing before a justice, was discharged for lack of juris- diction in the court to try the case. Subsequently an attempt to extradite him was made, but it failed and no one was ever punished for the piratical act.
APPENDIX.
I.
SEIZURE OF THE CADBOROUGH.
The story of the seizure of the Cadborough in the fort journal is in Dr. Tolmie's handwriting and is as follows:
Saturday, April 13, 1850. In the afternoon Cadborough arrived, and having a large number of Indians in pay and rations, I employed them in discharging the schooner. A Mr. Huggins, lately from England on the Norman Morrison, arrived per Cadborough to act as clerk and shop- man for one year. Mr. U. S. Ogden and Mr. Fenton arrived in the evening, bringing letters from Mr. C. F. Ogden, informing me that the Cadborough was to be seized for non-payment of duty when next at Nisqually.
Sunday, April 14, 1850. Rode out to see Captain Hill at Steilacoom, and met on the way Lieutenant Dement, of the U. S. A., coming with some soldiers under arms, to seize the Cadborough, which he accordingly did. I proceeded on to see Captain Hill, and learned that he had been instructed to detain the Cadborough until the arrival from Oregon City, of a Mr. Dore (Dorr) who would probably seize her. Returned to Fort Nisqually and went immediately on board the Cadborough, and found Lieutenant Dement on board, and in possession of the vessel, the British flag having by his orders been hauled down. Protested in presence of Captain Sang- ster and a Mr. Kenny, an American, against the seizure, on the principle that we were not smuggling, but were ready to pay duties as soon as a custom house and collector should be established on Puget Sound, or any properly authorized person appear to attend to the business. In the afternoon Mr. Dement had the Cadborough taken to Steilacoom by Mr. Kenny, and some of the soldiers who had formerly been sailors.
April 15-In the evening Mr. Dixon, mate of the Cadborough and Ma- how (S. I.) Cook, arrived from Steilacoom, having at 5 p. m. been ordered by Captain Hill to leave the vessel, and Mr. Dixon states that when he applied to Captain Hill to know where he was to be quartered, the reply made was that he should come to me.
April 16-Having learnt from Mr. Dixon that Captain Sangster intended taking inventory of the rigging, sails etc. on board the Cadborough, sent Mr. Huggins down to assist, but that gentleman, on getting abreast of the Cadborough, found that he could not be admitted on board, without an order from Captain Hill, and it being too late to go in quest of one, he returned home without having seen Captain Sangster. In the even- ing I wrote Captain Hill an official note, requesting his reasons in writing for having seized the Cadborough, in order that I might report on the matter in the proper quarter. In the afternoon rode down to Steilacoom, and called on Captain Hill for an order to go on board the Cadborough,
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which having obtained, in the shape of a drummer boy attendant, I went down and spent an hour with Captain Sangster, who requested me to send a canoe for him tomorrow. Sangster asked me whether I though he had better leave the vessel, and my reply was that I thought it would be better for him to do so, and that I did not see how his leaving could be prejudicial to the Company's interests.
April 17-Captain Sangster arrived in the afternoon.
April 18-Had a note from Captain Hill, stating that the inspector of customs for Puget Sound, Mr. Dorr, had arrived. Rode down in the afternoon to see him and learnt that he had seized the Cadborough, and was to be at Fort Nisqually tomorrow to seize the goods in the beach store, that have been brought by the Cadborough.
April 19-Clowdy-Mr. Dorr accompanied by Captain Hill arrived about I P. M. and after having some wine and cake, proceeded towards the beach store where, in presence of myself, Mr. Dixon of the Cadborough, and Captain Hill, and calling Glasgow the squatter as a witness, he seized on all the imported goods in the store, including the Oahu salt and the wheat from Victoria. He said he did not feel quite certain about seizing the salt, but would give his agent Glasgow positive information on the subject tomorrow. He compared the packages in the store with the invoice and bill lading which I had shown him, and having some doubts regarding the contents of a keg of nails he had it broken open-Before leaving he committed the store and its contents to Glasgow's care and gave him the key in charge-He agreed however that as we had some Columbia River flour, with some hides and lumber in the store, that were not seizable, Glasgow should come and open the store as often as access to it should be required-On returning to the fort I applied for the invoice and bill lading, but Mr. Dorr stated that as the ship had no manifest he should retain the invoice and bill lading instead, whereupon I had a copy taken of the invoice. Mr. Dorr then, as a matter of courtesy, as he said, to the officers of the Cadborough and myself, read me his in- structions which required him to seize any vessel found violating the revenue laws, in particular the schooner Cadborough, or "Beaver Steamer"-The instructions also empowered him to enter and examine any building where he supposed smuggled goods were stored, and after finishing reading them, he demanded the keys of our stores, and entering seized the imported goods therein-He entrusted the keys to Glasgow for the night-I made several remonstrances against his proceeding but without effect-he maintained that he was justified in seizing any goods landed since the ratification of the boundary treaty in 1846. As a favor, he allowed me to have a few blankets, shirts, and other articles for the payment of Indian labor.
April 20-Busy in the stores from sunrise till evening, assisted by Cap- tain Sangster, Mr. Dixon, Huggins, & C. Ross, and occupied in making
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the inventory of goods seized by Inspector Dorr yesterday, which after account taken, were removed into store No. 2. Mr. Glasgow was present, and when the above mentioned operations were concluded, he put the custom house seal on store No. 2. Have decided on proceeding to Victoria tomorrow morning to communicate with Mr. C. F. Douglas on the doings of the U. S. authorities at this place.
II. THE MONTICELLO MEMORIAL.
To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress Assembled :
The memorial of the undersigned, delegates of the citizens of Northern Oregon, in Convention assembled, respectfully represent to your honor- able bodies, that it is the earnest desire of your petitioners, and of the said citizens, that all the portion of Oregon Territory lying north of the Columbia river, and west of the great northern branch thereof, should be organized as a separate Territory, under the name and style of the Territory of Columbia.
In support of the prayer of this Memorial, your petitioners would respectfully urge the following, among many other reasons:
First. That the present territory of Oregon contains an area of 341,000 square miles, and is entirely too large an extent of territory to be embraced within the limits of one state.
Second. That said territory possesses a seacoast of 650 miles in extent. The country east of the Cascade Mountains, is bound to that on the coast, by the strongest ties of interest, and inasmuch as your petitioners believe that the Territory must inevitably be divided at no very distant day, they are of the opinion that it would be unjust, that one state should possess so large a seaboard, to the exclusion of that of the interior.
Third. The territory embraced within the boundaries of the proposed Territory of Columbia, containing an area of about 32,000 square miles, is in the opinion of your petitioners, about a fair and just medium of terri- torial extent to form one state.
Fourth. The proposed Territory of Columbia presents natural resources, capable of supporting a population at least as large as that of any state in the Union, possessing an equal extent of territory.
Fifth. Those portions of Oregon Territory lying respectively north and south of the Columbia river, must from their geographical position, always rival each other in commercial advantages, and their respective citizens, must, as they now are, and always have been, be actuated by a spirit of opposition.
Sixth. The southern part of Oregon territory having a majority of voters, have controlled the Territorial Legislature, and Northern Oregon
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has never received any benefit from the appropriations made by Con- gress for said Territory, which were subject to the disposition of said Legis- lature.
Seventh. The seat of the territorial legislature is now situated, by the nearest practicable route, at a distance of four hundred miles from a large portion of the citizens of Northern Oregon.
Eighth. A great part of the legislation suitable to the south is, for local reasons, opposed to the interests of the north, inasmuch as the south has a majority of votes, and representatives are always bound to reflect the will of their constituents, your petitioners can entertain no reasonable hopes that their legislative wants will ever be properly regarded under the present organization.
Ninth. Experience has, in the opinion of your petitioners, well estab- lished the principle that in states having a moderate sized territory, the wants of the people are more easily made known to their representatives; there is less danger of a conflict between sectional interests, and more prompt and adequate legislation can always be obtained.
In conclusion your petitioners would respectfully represent that North- ern Oregon, with its great natural resources, presenting such unparalleled inducements to immigrants, and with its present large population, con- stantly and rapidly increasing by immigration, is of sufficient importance, in a national point of view, to merit the fostering care of Congress, and its interests are so numerous, and so entirely distinct in their character, as to demand the attention of a separate and independent legislature.
Wherefore your petitioners pray that your honorable bodies will at an early day pass a law, organizing the district of country above de- scribed under a Territorial Government, to be named the "Territory of Columbia."
Done in convention assembled at the town of Monticello, Oregon Territory, this 25th day of November A. D. 1852.
R. V. WHITE, Secretary.
G. N. McCONAHA,
President of the Convention.
C. S. HATHWAY.
B. C. ARMSTRONG.
A. COOK.
S. S. FORD, SR.
A. F. SCOTT.
W. A. L. MCCORKLE.
WILLIAM N. BELL.
N. OSTRANDER.
L. M. COLLINS.
E. L. FERRICK.
N. STONE.
H. MILES.
C. H. HALE.
Q. A. BROOKS.
E. J. ALLEN.
E. H. WINSLOW.
J. R. JACKSON.
A. A. DENNY.
A. WYLIE.
G. B. ROBERTS.
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517
F. A. CLARKE.
L. L. DAVIS.
J. N. Low.
S. D. RUDDELL.
A. J. SIMMONS.
A. S. DILLENBAUGH.
M. T. SIMMONS.
D. S. MAYNARD.
L. B. HASTINGS.
WILLIAM PLUMB.
SETH CATLIN.
C. C. TERRY.
S. PLOMONDON.
H. A. GOLDSBOROUGH.
G. DREW.
H. C. WILSON.
H. D. HUNTINGTON.
C. F. PORTER.
S. P. MOSES.
III.
THURSTON'S LETTER.
Extract from Delegate Samuel R. Thurston's personal letter to mem- bers of Congress, in regard to the land claim of Dr. John McLoughlin:
J. FOWLER.
A. CRAWFORD.
P. W. CRAWFORD.
"I will next call your attention to the eleventh section of the bill, reserving the townsite of Oregon City, known as the 'Oregon City claim.' The capital of our territory is located here; and here is the county seat of Clackamas county. It is unquestionably the finest water-power in the known world; and as it is now, so it will remain, the great inland business point for the territory. This claim has been wrongfully wrested by Dr. McLoughlin from American citizens. The Methodist Mission first took the claim, with a view of establishing here their mills and mission. They were forced to leave it, under the fear of having the savages of Oregon let loose upon them; and successively a number of citizens of our country have been driven from it, while Dr. McLoughlin was yet at the head of the Hudson's Bay Company, west of the Rocky Mountains. Having at his command the Indians of the country, he has held it by violence and dint of threats up to this time. He had sold lots up to the 4th of March, 1849, worth $200,000. He also has upon it a flouring mill, granaries, two double saw-mills, a large number of houses, stores and other buildings, to which he may be entitled by virtue of his possessory rights, under the treaty of 1846. For only a part of these improvements which he may thus hold, he has been urged during the last year to take $250,000. He will already have made a half million out of that claim. He is still an Englishman, still connected in interest with the Hudson's Bay Company, and still refuses to file his intentions to become an American citizen, and assigns as a reason to the Supreme Judge of the territory that he cannot do it without prejudicing his standing in England.
"Last summer he informed the writer of this, that whatever was made out of this claim was to go into the common fund of the Hudson's Bay
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THE RISE AND PROGRESS
Company, of which he and the other stockholders would share in propor- tion to their stock; in other words, that he was holding this claim for the benefit of the company. Now, the bill proposes to reserve this claim, subject to whatever rights he may have to it, or any part of it, by virtue of the treaty, and confirms the title to all lots sold or donated by him pre- vious to March 4, 1849. This is designed to prevent litigation. That day is fixed on because, on that day, in Oregon City, Governor Lane took possession of the territory, declaring the laws of the United States in force, and apprising Dr. McLoughlin and all others, that no one had a right to sell or meddle with the government lands. Dr. McLoughlin ought to have been made to pay back $200,000; but, not wishing to create any litiga- tion, the committee concluded to quiet the whole matter by confirming the lots. Having in this way made $200,000, and his possessory rights, if it shall turn out that he lawfully acquired any, being worth $300,000 more, the people of Oregon think your bounty is sufficient to this man, who has worked diligently to break down the settlements ever since they commenced; and they ask to save their capital, their county-seat, and the balance of that noble water-power from the grasp of this British propa- gandist, and bestow it on the young American generation in Oregon in the shape of education, upon whom you and the country are to rely to defend and protect the western outposts of this glorious Union.
"When the Methodist Mission was driven from this claim, they went onto an island in the middle of the river, and constructed mills and made other improvements. This island is known as Abernethy Island, and is of no value, except for the improvements upon it. It consists of about two acres of barren rock. This island was subsequently sold to George Abernethy, and the bill ought to confirm the same to Abernethy or his assigns. This is a simple act of justice to American citizens, who now have their mills and property staked on those rocks, and on which, for a long time, stood the only mill in the valley where an American could get any grain ground for toll."
IV. TREATY OF JUNE 15, 1846.
Treaty between the United States of American and Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, concluded at Washington on the 15th of June 1846.
Art. I. From the point on the 49th parallel of North latitude, where the boundary laid down in existing treaties and conventions between Great Britain and the United States terminates, the line of boundary between the territories of her Britannic Majesty and those of the United States shall be continued Westward along the 49th parallel of North lati- tude to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from
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Vancouver's Island, and thence Southerly through the middle of the said channel, and of Fuca Straits, to the Pacific Ocean: Provided, however, that the navigation of the said channel and straits, South of the 49th parallel of North latitude, remain free and open to both parties.
Art. 2. From the point at which the 49th parallel of North latitude shall be found to intersect the great Northern branch of the Columbia river, the navigation of the said branch shall be free and open to the Hudson's Bay Company, and to all British subjects trading with the same, to the point where the said branch meets the main stream of the Columbia, and thence down the said main stream to the ocean, with free access into and through the said river or rivers; it being understood that all the usual portages along the line thus described, shall in like manner be free and open. In navigating the said river or rivers, British subjects, with their goods and produce, shall be treated on the same footing as citizens of the United States; it being, however, always understood that nothing in this article shall be construed as preventing or intended to prevent, the Government of the United States from making any regulations respect- ing the navigation of the said river or rivers, not inconsistent with the present treaty.
Art. 3. In the future appropriations of the territory south of the 49th parallel of north latitude, as provided in the first article of this treaty, the possessory rights of the Hudson's Bay Company, and of all British subjects who may be already in the occupation of land or other property, lawfully acquired within the said territory shall be respected.
Art. 4. The farms, lands, and other property of every description, belonging to the Puget's Sound Agricultural Company, on the north side of the Columbia river, shall be confirmed to the said Company. In case, however, the situation of those farms and lands should be considered by the United States to be of public and political importance, and the United States government should signify a desire to obtain possession of the whole or of any part thereof, the property so required shall be transferred to the said government at a proper valuation, to be agreed upon between the parties.
Art. 5. The present Treaty shall be ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by her Britannic Majesty; and the ratifications shall be exchanged at London at the expiration of six months from the date hereof, or sooner if possible.
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