Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 13.djvu/184

 176 DOCUMENT tered in entering upon his mission deterred Slacum. He seems to have advanced a large part, if not all, of the funds neces- sary for the undertaking. The data he succeeded in collecting during some twenty days while he was on land in Oregon were repeatedly used in later committee reports to both the Senate and the House, "and referred to in debates in both houses as of the highest value." While he was commissioned simply to observe what the situation in Oregon was, he seized every opportunity to im- prove conditions and was the leading factor in bringing the Oregon community up so that it was upon a higher plane because of his few days of wholesome functioning there. The success of the Oregon Cattle Company's undertaking made for peace as well as plenty. In bringing about an understand- ing, good will and co-operation, where feud, defiance and de- structive tactics were developing, Slacum's visit to Oregon was a veritable godsend. Not the least of his good offices to the community was the assurance he gave the "Canadians" that their pre-emption rights would be recognized by the American Government. What far-reaching national interests demanded did not es- cape him. He emphasized as strongly as Wilkes was to en- force a few years later the vital necessity of retaining Puget Sound as an American possession. A mission like his into a region dominated by the representa- tives of another nation made his status not far different from that of a spy. Word of his coming gave this suggestion to those in authority at Fort Vancouver. Nevertheless, his bear- ing was such as put him immediately on terms of mutual defer- ence with them. The many courtesies he, enjoyed from them did not make him forget his duty to report faithfully those elements in the Oregon situation affecting American interests there, however much the seamy side thus brought to view re- flected on the magnanimity of the Hudson's Bay Company authorities. The fearful handicap put upon American enterprise on the Columbia by their monopoly tactics ; their introduction of tar-