Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 9.djvu/393

 Slavery Question in Oregon. 365 certain favorable contingencies, will never be known, but that such was imminent was the prevalent opinion among those cognizant of the secret work of the Knights. Of course they were not drilling and preparing their guns (muzzle- loading rifles brought across the plains) and amunition for protection against the assaults of Unionists, for they knew there was no particle of danger from such a source, so long as they did not raise the flag of rebellion against the legally constituted authorities. No! such was not the animus; they were miseducated, misguided enthusiasts, attached by kindred ties of blood and fond recollection to a brave and generous people, struggling against fearful odds for their independence. It was not, with many of them, the cement of slavery which attached them, as I knew very many had voted against the adoption of the institution in 1857. One communication I had from the lips of Hon. B. F. Harding may throw some light upon the occult conditions of that period, and I will give it from memory as I heard it from him a quarter of a century later. It was, I think, in February of 1863, when a man by the name of McDonald, living in the forks of the Santiam River, in Linn County, a very influential person and well known in the adjoining counties, came to see Mr. Harding and notify him of what was about to happen, so that he might keep out of harm 's way. Mr. Harding had been his confidential friend and legal adviser for many years, and he was impelled to give his old friend a word of warning. There was an interesting colloquy which I will give from memory. McDonald began: ^'Ben, we rebels in the forks of the Santiam are going to begin work next week. We have got our guns and amuni- tion ready, and have endured Yankee domination as long as we can. ' ' "What," asked Harding, ''you are not going on the war- path, are you?" "Yes, we are." "Who is it you are going to fight? I thought everything