Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/277



THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON ](:3

Meanwhile these tentative efforts to establish some sort of rule or authority in the country to protect life and property were going on, other efforts were being quitly pushed forward to secure some recognition if not protection from Con- gress. The lirst step in this direction was taken in March, 1838, when a memor- ial was prepared, signed and sent to Senator Linn of Missouri who presented the document to the United States Senate on January 28th, 18:5!). This memorial set forth to some extent the natural resources and social condition of the coun- try. Himes and Lang's history says that this memorial was signed by "J. L. Whitcomb and thirty-five other settlers," while Bancroft's history recites that "it was signed by ten preachers and laymen, Ewing Young and ten other col- onists, and nine French Canadians." It was the first appeal to the Congress of the United States for recognition and protection, and for that reason alone is of great historical interest, it was doubtless the work of Jason Lee, who before the memorial was drawn up and signed made a trip to Umpqua Valley to see what was there, and on his return called a meeting of the settlers to consider the sub.ject of the memorial. Banci'oft's history, citing Edward's sketches of Oregon MSS. says that P. L. Edwards was Lee's instrument in drafting the memorial. "i As that memorial was important historically and otherwise, the following paragraph is copied: "We are anxious when we imagine what will be, what must be, the condition of "so mixed a community, free from all legal restraint and su- perior to that moral influence which has hitherto been the pledge of our safety. We flatter ourselves THAT WE ARE THE GERM OF A GREAT STATE and are anxious to give an early tone to the moral and intellectual character of our citizens — the destinies of our posterity will be intimately affected by the char- acter of those who immigrate. The territorj' must populate — the Congi-ess of the United States must say by whom. The natural resources of the country, with a well-judged civil code, will invite a good community ; but a good community will hardly immigrate to a country which promises no protection to life or property. ulterior resort of self defense. * * * We have thus briefly shown that the security of our persons and our property, the hopes and destinies of our children, are involved in the subject of our petition. We do not presume to suggest the manner in which the country should be occupied by the government, nor the extent to which our settlement should be encouraged. We confide in the wisdom of our legislators, and leave the subject to their candid deliberations." This first petition to Congress for protection to the infant Colony in Oregon was read in the United States Senate, laid on the table. But prior to the receipt of this memorial, Senator Linn had on his own initiative introduced a bill in the Senate, authorizing "The occupation of the Columbia or Oregon river; organizing a ter- ritory north of latitude 42° and west of the Rocky Mountains, to be called Ore- gon Territory ; providing for the establishment of a fort on the Columbia, and the occupation of the country by a military force, establishing a port of entry.
 * * * We can boast of no civil code. We can promise no protection but the

1 Philip L. Edwards was a layman who came to Oregon with Jason Lee, in 1834, on a salary to help establish the Methodist Mission among the Indians. He was a Kentuckian by birth, twenty-three years of age when he reached Oregon, a lover of order and refinement; but knew well how to accommodate himself to the crudities of frontier life and manners. He never considered himself a missimiary ; and afterwards returned to Missouri, studied law, and did military duty against the Mormons in 1841. Tn 18.50 he emigrated to Cali- fornia, settled in Nevada County, engaged in politics as a Whig, afterwards as a Repub- lican, and died May 1st, 1869.