Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/475



THE COLONIAL PERIOD—WORKING OF THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT—RIVAL FACTIONS SILENCED BY LAND CLAIMS TOMAHAWK CLAIM DESCRIPTIONS TITLES TO LAND CLAIMS—PRICES, AND COST OF LIVING FOUNDING RIVAL CITIES, AND HOW THEY STARTED IMPORTATION OF HORSES, CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOATS—FOUNDATION OF THE FRUIT GROWING INTEREST ORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES—COMMENCEMENT OF TRADE AND COMMERCE—DISCOVERY OF GOLD, AND THE OREGON MINT—BRIEF SKETCHES OF EARLY PIONEERS.

The American colonist in Oregon started with their little Provisional Government in 1843, under the spectral danger of serious trouble from two different, and to them, uncontrollable sources. If the British occupation of the region, in the guise of the Hudson 's Bay company, should decide to starve out the Americans, or drive them out through control of the Indians, they would be powerless to offer effective opposition until succor could come from the States—if, indeed, it would come at all. Or if the Indians upon their own initiative should commence a war of extermination, it was easily possible for them to Mil every American before help could reach them by either land or sea. Entertaining the opinions, which the great majority of the Americans did, of both British and Catholics, it is not surprising that great danger to the little colony was generally feared, and that the hostile feelings against their supposed enemies have come down to us in the writings and correspondence of the Protestants and Pioneers. History is replete with vast volumes of the experience of mankind showing the bitterness, malignancy and unreason for religious contentions and persecution, so that no apology is necessary for stating frankly that the progress of Oregon as an American Colony was shadowed by two ever-present questions of vital import: First, and greatest of all, was Oregon to be American or British territory? Second, the fear of an Indian uprising instigated by British, or British and Catholic influences. On the first question all the Americans were lined up in solid column to fight a British control of the country.. On the second question all the Americans stood solid to fight the Hudson's Bay Co. and the Indians as a common enemy; but as to Catholic influence on the Indians, the Protestant missionaries alone, feared trouble from that quarter. The mountaineers and old trappers like Joe Meek and Dr. Newell among the Americans did not take much if any interest in the fears of the Protestant missionaries; and did not consider one form of religion better than the other. That these sentiments of nationality and religion had a large influence, and did color the thought and social conditions of the early colonists cannot be doubted, no matter how hard it is to be believed bj" the people of Oregon in 1912. The correspondence, books and literature of that early day, and of the pioneer survivors of later times clearly show