Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/331



TIIIO CENTKNXIAL IIIS'I'OI.'Y OK OREGON 205

support the interests that were opposed lo ii possible American organization. .Vnd tile address prepared by him, and signed by all Ihe Canadians, was the most adroit and diplomatic document that could have been constructed for that occasion. It was Ml of fair dealing, patriotism and good-fellowship — yet it was clearly against an American organization. And the harmonious acceptance lit the final result showed that Blanchet was a good citizen, and for peace, no matter who ruled.

The conduct of Jason Lee has been to many persons a puzzle. After insjjir- iiig and leading the movement for organization up to a certain point, he suddenly- dropped out, and does not appear at all at the Champoeg meeting. There is nothing difficult about this. Lee was himself a native of Canada, and knew bet- ter than any other man in Oregon whom he had to deal with. We are warranteil in believing that as Blanchet and Lee were the acknowledged leaders of rival, if not hostile religious movements, it was poor politics for the man, wfio of all others most desii-ed an American organization, to appear at a meeting where his mere presence would provoke unfriendly opposition. Lee absented himself from the Champoeg meeting for the real purpose of misleading, if possible, the Canadians — or at'least to avoid drawing their fire. The Methodist preachers, Hines. Leslie and Parrish, and the Congregationalists, Griffin and Clark, were there, but Blanchet did not fear them. How far the absence of Lee abated the activity of the Canadians cannot be known.

The course of another man at that meeting was puzzling to some people. F. X. Matthieu's vote decided the result; and yet Matthieu was the last man to line up with the Americans; although he had fled from British intolerance in his native land, and had advocated American organization to his Canadian countrymen. His course at Champoeg was dictated by the hope that by staying with his own people to the last, he might in the end. take over with him to the American side one or more wavering Canadians who were halting between two opinions. If there were any such, and there doubtless was, they had been braced up against just such a crisis, and did not dare to incur the displeasure of their leader.

THE HISTORIC SITE

To preserve for all time the historic site of the birth place of the first Ameri- can government on the Pacific coast, and all the glorious memories that cluster around it, Joseph Buchtel, of Portland, one of the patriotic pioneers of 1852, has devoted much time to raising the means to secure a tract of 12 acres of land at Champoeg, ad.joining the monument erected there in 1901 to honor the memory of the pi-ovisional government convention of May 2, 1843 ; the additional ground to be used as a state park for celebrations and pioneer gatherings. The purchase of this land has been effected by ilr. Buchtel aided by a number of friends, and the deed is being held in escrow until the state makes an appropria- tion to cover the cost.

"No event in the historj' of the Northwest was so impoi'tant as the convention at Champoeg in 1843," says Mr. Buchtel, "which saved all this country to the United States. The ground ought to be secured, and will be secured, in com- memoration of the event and the men who voted to retain the country under the .iurisdietion of the United States Government." ^

1 The movement for the monument and paik eonimentcil with a few members of the I irijxon Historical Societv — F. V. Ilolmon. i[. C. George.