Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/223

172 was not idle. The petition prepared in Oregon was forwarded by him to congress, whereupon Caleb Cushing of Massachusetts wrote to Lee, desiring further information concerning the population of the country, the classes composing it, and the objects of the Mission. Lee replied from Middletown, Connecticut, January 17, 1839, that there were in Oregon belonging to the Methodist Mission 25 persons of all ages and both sexes, who would shortly be reënforced by 45 more, making 70. As a matter of fact, the number reached was 77. There were 16 persons belonging to the missions of the American Board; and about 20 settlers, missionaries, and others, going out from the western states in the spring; in addition to which there were about 45 men settled in the country who had Indian wives and half-breed children. After declaring the objects of the Mission to be the benefit of the Indians west of the Rocky Mountains, by the establishment of manual-labor schools, making it necessary to erect dwelling and school houses, to farm, to build mills, and in fact to establish a colony, Lee proceeded to the main object as follows:

"It is believed that, if the government of the United States takes such measures in respect to this territory as will secure the rights of the settlers, most of those who are now attached to the Mission will remain as permanent settlers in the country after the Mission may no longer need their services. Hence it may be safely assumed that ours, in connection with the other settlers already there, is the commencement of a permanent settlement of the country. In view of this, it will be readily seen that we need two things at the hand of government, for our protection and prosperity.