Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/188



176 SAMUEL ROYAL THURSTON

Indians west of the Cascade mountains, and carried it to the U. S. Hotel and left it for him. I then came home, and after writing some and reading, I went to bed at eleven.

January 8, 1850 This morning I went to see the Secretary of the Treasury to get him to declare Portland and Nesqually Ports of Delivery, and appoint Surveyors. He wished me to recommend names for Surveyors, when it should be done. In the evening I wrote him the letter and recommended Wm. M. King for Portland and [Michael T.] Simmons for Ne- squally. I then went to the session of the House, but received a letter there from the Secretary of War requesting me, in answer to a letter I had written him, to call on him at one P. M. I immediately went and [had] an interview with him relative to employing the troops in Oregon in constructing military roads. He said he would have them so ordered. He also wished me to give him a statement in writing about Major Hathaway's chartering the British vessel and sending out the expedition to meet the troops. I then left them and went to the Post Office Department to see to having the commissions of postmasters and the Post Office agent sent by the mail of the 13th. They were done so. Next came home to dinner, and after that visited Col. Benton's, by invitation, to tea. After that came home, wrote a letter to Col. King and D. H. Lowns- dale, wrote another letter to the Secretary of War to inquire whether Oregon was entitled to present a pupil to the West Point Academy, and the necessary steps to get admitted. Also wrote another letter to the Secretary of the Treasury giving an act of the British vessel carrying Government troops and stores to Nesqually from Vancouver, and requested him to order Adair to seize the vessel and have it confiscated. Also wrote a letter to Abbott L. Lovejoy about going to Oregon. At the session in the House I also gave notice of a motion for Com. to bring in three bills, one for laws in Oregon to im- prove the navigation of the Willamette and other rivers, one for the relief of Oregon, and one to make compensation to Jos. Lane and others for expenses in getting to Oregon. Went to bed at 12.