Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/431

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lieing a rebel, lie employed his leisure iu purehasiug iuul sliij)j)iug arms to the centers of the rebelliou, and was obliged at last to quit Canada to save his life, and come over to the United States, which he did in 1838. Going first to Albany, New York, and thence to St. Louis, he .joined a party of the American Fur Company to trap and trade up into the Yellowstone region. But the Indians being ftir- nished with rum, which Matthieu did not approve of, he left the party and joined a partj- of 1842 immigrants on their way to Oregon. Reaching Oi'egon he went to Champoeg, and hired out to Etienne Lucier for two years as a carpenter and farmer. Married a good woman iu 1844, and settled at St. Paul in French Prairie as a farmer. He is the only survivor of the 102 men taking part in the Champoeg meeting to organize a new state, and now resides with a daughter in Portland, enjoying life and his friends at the age of ninety-four.)

But as "Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war." so we find that after the hazardous and strenuous contest to establisli the provisional government and launch the frail ship of state on the unsounded seas of inexperience, that the right man finally came to the helm. Sooner or later the right man always comes to a good cause ; and when plain, modest citizen, George Abernethy, was elected the first governor of Oregon, the good people of the new-born state had insured the success of their great enterprise. A spark of genius may strike out a great idea, a dashing general may win a great battle for a noble cause, and a close student may solve a great scheme of government ; but the even-tempered, patient, tireless, honest, practical nian of common sense is absolutely necessary to utilize the great idea, the great battle, or the great scheme. So also with the Oregon provisional government. From its very inception there were ambitious men thirsting for glory and anxious to lead, but had not the necessary brains or bal- last. A three-fold executive was tried and found inefficient. Impatience for re- sults, the jealousies of little men and petulant tempers of bigger men, all conspired to threaten the government experiment with failure. The final success of the effort was only secured by the majority of citizens, who asking nothing for them- selves but peace and safety, determined that their efforts should not be wrecked by incompetency or lack of conscientious effort. And so after more than two years of careful consideration of every name in the whole country favorable to the government, Abernethy was chosen to pilot the ship of state, and continued at the helm until the United States government assumed all responsibility and relieved him of the great duties he had discharged with singular integrity and efficiency, without salarj', fee or reward.

To raise money to support a government in a country where half the people did not want any government, and where there was not even the power to en- force taxation, and where the legal tender was wheat, beaver skin, etc., and serve the government for years without salary or pay, was not half a list of the trials and difficulties Governor Abernethy had to contend with and overcome.

That he was able to keep the little craft afloat, and steer clear of the opposi- tion of open enemies, and the petty annoyances of racking rivalry, until he finally reached the secure harbor of national protection, is a marvel of good management, patient forbearance to all criticism and patriotic devotion to the welfare of his fellowmen. Wlaere all Americans were ardent patriots, and many were captious critics, the slightest deviation from the straight and narrow way of strict rectitude, and even self-sacrifice, would have lost him the confidence of