Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/140

 mitted to occupy an hour at the commencement. He made an able, eloquent and effective speech.... Lane followed and for two hours poured forth the most atrocious false hoods, the most disgusting epithets, the most insulting tirade of fanaticism and abuse ever uttered by the poisoned tongue of a rotten-hearted traitor. His boldness was astounding....

They were indeed days to gladden the heart of an orator. Such a man could practice the profession of eloquence and gain prestige and the comforts of life according to his gifts in this field alone. There were occasions when he could stimulate to concrete action or could furnish the stimulus and poetry their meager lives craved as a trapper craved sugar.

W. H. Gray came west with Marcus Whitman. He assisted in the construction of the two missionary posts at Waiilatpu and Lapwai. He is best known as author of an early History of Oregon. At the Second Wolf Meeting "William H. Gray . . . arose and made the assembled settlers a little speech. He said that no one would for a moment question the propriety and judiciousness of their action. It was just and natural to thus seek to protect their animals from the ravages of wolves, bears and panthers. Continuing, he said:

How it is, fellow citizens, with you and me, and our wives and children? Have we any organization on which we can rely for mutual protection? Is there any power or influence in the country sufficient to protect us and all we hold dear from the worse than wild beasts that threaten and occasion ally destroy our cattle? Who in our midst is authorized to call us together to protect our own and the lives of our families? True, the alarm may be given, as in a recent case, and we may run who feel alarmed, and shoot off our guns, while our enemy may be robbing our property, ravishing