Dr. John McLoughlin, the Father of OregonHolman, Frederick V.
History
Dr. John McLoughlin, the Father of Oregon
Holman, Frederick V.
McLoughlin, John, 1784-1857; Oregon Territory -- History
I am happy to say that among those who took part in these proceedings
and signed this memorial were my father, James D. Holman, a pioneer of
1846, and my uncle, Woodford C. Holman, a pioneer of 1845. October 26,
1850, a public meeting was held at Salem, the stronghold of the Mission
Party. At this meeting a committee on resolutions was appointed. The
resolutions reported by the committee were adopted. They "highly
approved all the actions of Samuel R. Thurston in Congress," and said
"that facts well known in Oregon will sustain him in all he has said
about Dr. McLoughlin and the H. B. Company." Another of these
resolutions heartily approved the course taken by Thurston, in Congress
upon the Donation Land Bill "especially that part which relates to the
Oregon City claim," and "that if that claim should be secured to Dr.
McLoughlin it would, in effect, be donating land to the H. B. Company."
Another of these resolutions was, "That in the opinion of this meeting,
the children of Oregon have a better right to the balance of that claim
[Oregon City claim] than Dr. McLoughlin." Another of these resolutions
was, "That the H. B. Company, with Dr. McLoughlin as their fugleman,
have used every means that could be invented by avarice, duplicity,
cunning, and deception to retard American settlement, and cripple the
growth of American interests in Oregon."[50]
There are certain qualities in some men which move them never to forgive
a favor bestowed on them; to ruin those they have wronged or cheated; to
endeavor to cover with obloquy those they have lied about; and to seek
to hurt any one of better quality than they are. As a native son of
Oregon I am ashamed of some of its pioneers and their actions. But in
such a movement as the early settling of Oregon, there were, of
necessity, some men of coarse fiber, and of doubtful integrity and
honor. But such men were rare exceptions. To the honor of the
overwhelming majority of the Oregon pioneers, be it said that they took
no part in these actions against Dr. McLoughlin, nor did they endorse or
sympathize with Thurston's actions and those of his co-conspirators
against Dr. McLoughlin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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