A History of Oregon, 1792-1849: Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic InformationGray, W. H. (William Henry)
History
A History of Oregon, 1792-1849: Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic Information
Gray, W. H. (William Henry)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Oregon; Oregon Territory -- History
This fact alone makes our history the more important and interesting to
the American reader. Mr. Greenhow, upon pages 360 and 361 of his work,
closes the labors of the eleven different American fur companies with
the name of Captain Nathaniel Wyeth, and upon these two pages introduces
the American missionaries, with the Roman Jesuits, though the latter did
not arrive in the country till four years after the former.
On his 388th page, after speaking of various transactions relative to
California, the Sandwich Islands, and the proceedings in Congress
relative to the Oregon country, he says: "In the mean time, the Hudson's
Bay Company had been doing all in its power to extend and confirm its
position in the countries west of the Rocky Mountains, from which its
governors felicitated themselves with the idea that they had expelled
the Americans entirely."
Page 389. "The object of the company was, therefore, to place a large
number of British subjects in Oregon within the shortest time, and, of
course, to exclude from it as much as possible all people of the United
States; so that when the period for terminating the convention with the
latter power should arrive, Great Britain might be able to present the
strongest title to the possession of the whole, on the ground of actual
occupation by the Hudson's Bay Company. To these ends the efforts of
that company had been for some time directed. The immigration of British
subjects was encouraged; the Americans were by all means excluded; _and
the Indians were brought as much as possible into friendship with, and
subject to, the company, while they were taught to regard the people of
the United States as enemies!_"
In a work entitled "Four Years in British Columbia," by Commander R. C.
Mayne, R. N., F. R. G. S., page 279, this British writer says: "I have
also spoken of the intense hatred of them all for the Boston men
(Americans). This hatred, although nursed chiefly by the cruelty with
which they are treated by them, is also owing in a great measure to the
system adopted by the Americans of removing them away from their
villages when their sites become settled by whites. The Indians often
express dread lest we should adopt the same course, and have lately
petitioned Governor Douglas on the subject."
Commander Mayne informs us, on his 193d page, that in the performance of
his official duties among the Indians, "recourse to very strong
expressions was found necessary; and they were threatened with the
undying wrath of Mr. Douglas, whose name always acts as a talisman with
them."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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