Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 9.djvu/73

 Political Beginnings in Oregon. 61 the Indians was more serious. The establishment of agri- cultural settlements meant loss of lands and the changing of habits of a wilderness existence. It became necessary for the National Government to take some steps to protect the set- tlers from the Indians. CHAPTER IV. OREGON, 1845-1849. The Hudson's Bay Company censured McLoughlin severely for his friendship to the American mission, and his interest in the .American movement. So in the autumn of 1845, feeling himself spied upon by the British Government,^ and having large property interests south of the Columbia, and being weary of the responsibility that with increasing years became unceasingly burdensome, he tendered his resignation as chief factor of the company, and took up his residence at Oregon City the following spring, with the intention of becoming an American citizen, when the boundary question should be set- tled or his resignation accepted. The next spring came the news of Polk's election on the "54-40 or fight" platform. The threatened war with Eng- land caused McLoughlin much perplexity. He could not change his allegiance in time of war without forfeiting his estates in Canada, and, perhaps, his life, as a traitor. Neither could he, in event of war, have held his dearly bought claim in Oregon City. His resignation was promptly accepted, how- ever, and Jesse Applegate advised him to take the oath of al- legiance at once. He would have done so, but Burnett claimed that he had no authority to administer the oath. To Burnett's timidity, Applegate attributes much of McLoughlin 's subse- quent trouble. In 1845,2 for the first time there was a prospect of having the laws printed, a company having been formed, which owned a printing press and materials, at Oregon City, to which ap- 1 McLoughlin Document. Oregon Pioneer Association Report, 1S80, p. 54. 2 Grover, Oregon Archives, p. 141.