Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/417

 Peter Skene Ogden 385 Mr. Holman read the following letter from Hon. John E. Bell, His British Majesty's Consul at Portland, Oregon : "BRITISH CONSULATE PORTLAND, OREGON Oct. 27th, 1923. My dear Mr. Holman, It is a matter of keen regret to me that I am unable to be present at the dedication of the monument to Peter Skene Ogden, but I greatly appreciate the compliment of having been invited to assist. In the hurry and bustle of modern civilization, one is apt to forget these early pioneers. Modern America has got very far away from the conditions under which they lived, yet it is a seemly thing that we should pause a moment to perpetuate their memory. One cannot but admire the admirable self- sufficiency of men who dared to live alone in the wilder- ness, and to die alone if necessary. Such men made the path easy for us. Few modern men and women have such pluck. Let us then humbly and reverently pay tribute to their memory. Yours very sincerely, John E. Bell, H. B. M. Consul. Mr. F. V. Holman, Pres. Oregon Historical Soc, 501, Cham. Com. Bid., Portland."