Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/298



The above list was compiled by George H. Himes, secretary of the Oregon Pioneer Association foi* the past twentj'-eight years, and assistant secretary of the Oregon Historical Society since the date of its organization, December 17,. 1898. It is the result of careful investigation for over twenty-five years, and the information indicated was secured largely by personal intercourse with a number of the persons named.

By comparing the list of these who voted against organization with the list of those signing Bishop Blauchet's address against au organization, it will be seen that twenty-one Catholic Canadians including the Bishop himself, signed the address but did not attend the public meeting to vote against the Provisional Government.

The names of the French settlers were secured from Hon. P. X. Matthieu, who, as a merchant at Butteville for more than thirty years, had their names upon his books.

There has been much discussion of what did actually take place at the Cham- poeg meeting. It is evident upon the face of it, that what has been printed as ■the proceedings of that meeting is an imperfect report. The Hon. L. P. Grover was authorized by the territorial legislature of 1849, to collect all the papers and records of the provisional government for publication ; and in a note ap- pended to the work says: "Within the proper depository of the public papers, he has not been able to find entire and satisfactory records of all that he is sat- isfied has transpired in Oregon of a public general nature, and which would be of eminent historic importance." The fact that the three secretaries of that meeting were active partisans of the purpose to form a government, and were actively advocating such purpose at the meeting, will explain why a fuller ac- count of the proceedings was not made. The most striking and important event of the meeting was Meek's dramatic appeal for a "division," and yet that is not mentioned in the "Archives" but that it actually took place there can be no doubt. The following persons told the writer of this book substantially what Meek told him, viz. : Rev. J. S. Griffin, Medorem Crawford, Robert Shortess, Wil- liam M. Doughty, George W. Ebberts and P. X. Matthieu.

But while much may have been lost of interesting history, there is the printed record of 335 octavo pages to show the minds, thoughts, sentiments, and prin- ciples of the pioneers as ' ' state builders ; ' ' and the state of Oregon is the glorious monument to their memory.

In organizing this provisional government, the Americans did not seek to ex- clude the Canadians from any part in the work ; but on the contrary used all their influence to have them co-operate. At the meeting of Pebruary 2nd, 1843, they adjourned to meet at the house of Joseph Gervais. a Canadian, who voted against organization; and at the "Wolf Meeting," Gervais and Maitune were appointed on the standing committee — both Canadians.

That the Americans long and earnestly sought to have the Canadians unite with them in organizing a Provisional Government is proved by the statements of John McLoughlin. In a statement prepared by McLoughlin evidently to make clear his record, but not published in his lifetime, a copy of which was published by Mrs. P. P. Victor in the Quarterly of the Oregon Historical So- ciety, June, 1900, Dr. McLoughlin says:

"In the spring of 1842 the Americans invited the Canadians to unite with