Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/275



THE CHNTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON 1(31

And here at lliis jiiiirtiire arose tlie coiile.sl lieUveeii the I'rutestants and the Catholies. 'I'he rroteslaut Jiiissionaries were first iu the Oregon field. They haii eoiiie out to save the Indians, and especially the Indians that had been hunt- ing for the ■■Book of Ileaxeii." The record does not show at any point, in meet- ings back in the States, or in any wise liere in Oregon, that the Protestant mis- sionaries had at any time considered the si)iritual salvation of the American mountaineers like ileek, Newell, Doughty and their companions. But on the con- trary, as these mountaineers had a very low opinion of Indians in general, the Protestant missionaries rather avoided or at least ignored them as God-forsaken sinners, whose example would militate against the conversion of the heathen. But the Catholic priests, in their object and purpose of coming to Oregon, occu- pied a position directly opposed to that of the Protestant missionaries. The Catholies had answered a call from their fellow religionists, settled in the Wil- lamette Valley. They were brought out from Canada to Oregon by the Hudson's Bay Company to minister to the Catholic employees of the Company and their discharged employees settled in Oregon — all white men, or half white men — members and communicants of the Catholic church. That the Catholic priests did preach to and teach Indians was quite true ; but that was not their motive in coming to Oregon. Father De Smet was the Catholic who came to Oregon to con- vert the Indians. He had no connection with the Hudson's Bay Company, and was an ardent American citizen who followed the American flag and defended the principles, constitution and laws of the American government under all circumstances.

Here, then, was the line of cleavage between the Americans and Protestant missionaries on one side, and the Hudson's Bay Company (Englishmen) and the Catholics on the other. The Catholic priests must perforce support the British side, because they were themselves, as also all their membership, subjects of Great Britain. The American mountaineers having no religious associations must perforce support the Protestant missionaries because they were all Ameri- cans in favor of holding the country against England and the Hudson 's Bay Com- pany. From the time Jason Lee came over the mountains in 18:54 until the time Vicar General Blanchet came in 1838, the question of a government, provisional organization, or preferably territorial organization b.y Congress, was talked of in a general way as a desirable movement to be accomplished sometime. But the settlers w^ere all friendly with each other and no lines were drawn until the Catholic leader came to the front. He was at once discovered to be a man of force and ability, and a great organizer. If Blanchet had not come to Oregon there would not have been a contest about an organization. For no matter how much the Fur Company, or the British Government might have been opposed to a Provisional Government, there was no man on the ground to organize the forces against it but Blanchet. ]\IcLoughlin was at the head of the Fur Company and had all the ability, and all the resources, and far more than Blanchet to organize opposition to an American organization but he had no disposition to do so. Why he did not do so has always been a puzzle to historians. He was condemned by his employers and lost his position and a salary of twelve thousand dollars a year because he befriended Americans who were in want for food and clothing. But he might have humanely assisted every naked starving American immigrant, as he did, and yet effectively opposed the organization of a Pro