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324 ROBERT CARLTON CLARK

their countrymen, they were to seek an easy revenge by firing our premises, destroying our barns, or such like deeds of cowardly villainy."

Thus we find urged as motives for bringing about a union of the Hudson's Bay Company through its officials with the Willamette valley settlers in the formation of government the need of preventing encroachments upon the Company's land and to safeguard its property from attack by hostilly disposed Americans. Such a union would offer an easier and more certain method for the collection of debts owed the Company and a means of bringing back its employees "tempted by the certainty of immunity and high wages in the Wallamette to desert the Service." There is evident alarm at the rapidly increasing number of Americans. An average of more than a thousand each year had come into the valley during the two years just past and some three thousand immigrants were expected to arrive during fall of 1845. Such alarm is indi- cated by McLoughlin's request to the British Consul General at Honolulu for a ship of war to be sent to the Columbia river. Promise of such support could not be secured and as by August "the season was so far advanced there was no reason to expect the arrival of any Government vessel on the coast" seemed so good "as to take part in the Association." Convinced of the benefits to be derived from union McLough- lin only needed to act upon the invitation that had been ex- tended by the Oregon Provisional Government. The way toward union had already been paved by action of that body. A first step towards union with the Hudson's Bay Com- pany officials had been made in June, 1845, by the election of Frank Ermatinger, manager of the Company's store at Oregon City and in official capacity its "Chief Trader" 8 to the office of treasurer of the Provisional Government. This was manifestly intended to indicate to McLoughlin and his asso- ciates the friendly attitude of the Willamette valley settlers. A second step towards union had been made by the change made

8 Gray's, Oregon, 424. Last Letter, 115, 128.