Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/201



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letters out to Ohio about Oregon. Got the nomination of J. A. Cornwall's son, and sent it to his father. Sent several papers and letters to Oregon, and occupied the evening in preparing material for a speech on the admision of California. And here I will record a fact. Some time ago I learned from Jesse Bright that he had received letters from Jos. Lane. I went to him and looked him full in the eye and asked him if Lane said nothing about me. He paused a moment, and then replied he said he would show me his letters, but never has. I was fully satisfied at the time that Lane had written some- thing about me, from the manner Bright answered. He told me a few days ago that he got another letter from Lane. I indifferently inquired what he said. B. replied that he did not write much. I appeared perfectly indifferent, and soon he handed me a letter, and said, "Here is Lane's letter." I read it. It was but a few lines, merely informing Bright that his son Nat had come after his family. Then in another section he said, "Let no man say I have not discharged my duties well as Governor and Indian Agent." I thought at the time three things: first, that this was not all the letter Lane wrote him, 2nd, that the letter and latter section was intended for me first to make me believe that Lane had not attacked me to Bright, and second to awe me lest I might charge him with negligence and third, that there was a conspiracy to injure me. Now, when I called on Bright today I became fully satisfied; in the course of the conversation I found Lane had written Bright another letter by the last mail, besides the one shown me. I found too that Lane had been writing Bright about Dr. McLoughlin's claim. I talked indifferently. Bright asked me if Dr. McL. was in favor of my election, or opposed me. This led me to suppose Lane had been writing to Bright to get him to secure McLoughlin's claim to McL, and that he had told him that I would oppose it because Dr. McL. had opposed me. He then asked me if Dr. McL. had an agent here. I purposely replied that I did not know who he was. Bright then said he thought he had not. I replied purposely, to ascertain his motive for asking the question, "I would like