Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/749

698 even admitting the monstrous idea that its officers were capable of such acts; the lack of both opportunity and motive on the part of the priests, admitting that these young men just out of European or Canadian colleges could be thinking of murder, should be sufficient proof that they did not instigate the Indians. The country belonged by treaty to the United States, hence the company had nothing to gain. The priests had not yet established a mission, or obtained control of the Indians. They knew that Whitman intended leaving the Walla Walla Valley, and would if they wished it sell them his improvements at Waiilatpu. Why then kill him? Or why, if he must be killed, did the Protestant instead of the Catholic Cayuses do the deed? It was the Indians nearest to Whitman who killed him, even those almost of his own household. But the captives, saved and liberated by those they now accused, being instigated by sectarian hatred, were put upon the stand, and tricked into saying things the most abominable and absurd. It was Spalding himself who should have been examined, under oath, and not all those afflicted and bewildered captives who understood little or nothing of the causes which led to their great misfortunes. Finding the Protestants taking depositions, the Catholics also resorted to sworn statements; and it must be admitted that so far as the depositions go the latter have the best of the cause. But the rancor on both sides! The merely secular mind shrinks from contemplating it. I have in previous chapters stated my belief that the interference of the Catholics augmented Whitman's troubles with the Cayuses; but it is evident to my mind that had there not been a Catholic in the country the catastrophe would have come in the identical shape that it did come, from Indian jealousy alone. Blanchet, in attempting to account for