Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/467

 Colonel Grimsley's Proposed Expedition 435 and who made electioneering temples of their offices, may be in due time removed. Now for the Origon. For the last twenty years I have had a constant intercourse with the various trading companies to the Mountains to Santafee and California. Nearly all of them have been fitted out by my establish- ment. I am not a man of letters but profess to be some- thing of an observer of human nature. Aside from my personal acquaintance with many of the leading men now in the Mountains I am sure I can gain an ascendency over the various roaming tribes of Indians as soon if not sooner than any man you can find in this country. Should it be the policy of the Nation to take posses- sion of the Origon country and the will of the appointing power to give me the command of the expedition I will on your requisition Show you a map of the whole country from the western bounds of the Missouri to the Pacific Oceon on which you will see clearly delineated all the water courses the names of the various tribes of indians, and the countrys they inhabit. This map, as I before stated, was compiled from the notes of Mr. J. Smith, who was of the firm of Smith, Sublett and Jackson, successor to Gen'l Ashley in the fur trade. The British traders take from that country an- nually from one to one and a half millions of dollars of furs, and I see no reason why our own people mite not have the benefit of that valuable branch of our commerce. I am aware I may worry your patience by addressing you such long epistles on this subject, and more particu- larly so when you have never known me personally and of course have but an indefinite idea of me, if you recol- lect me at all. Our only interview was a mere introduc- tion at the Nashville convention. I have had the offer on several occasions of the com- mand of an expedition to California, and at one time had the offer of 700 names all enrolled. These men would mostly all go with me to Origon, and I assure if the Gov-