Page:Protection afforded by volunteers of Oregon and Washington Territories to overland immigrants in 1854.pdf/13

 of that year are indebted for the safety of their property, and in many instances, no doubt, their lives. Though a detachment of dragoons had been previously despatched from Fort Jones to the same point and for the same purpose, yet, as is the case now, their force was wholly inadequate for the protection of the immigration through a country infested by numerous bands of hostile Indians of perhaps one hundred and sixty miles in extent.

No preparations are being made by traders, either of this or the adjoining counties of California, for an adventure on the plains this season, as has usually been the custom; consequently much suffering among the poorer class of immigrants must inevitably be the result.

A small detachment of dragoons will probably be despatched from Fort Lane, and will no doubt render all the assistance in their power to the immigration at large; but the entire force stationed at that post being small, numbering scarcely seventy men, it cannot be expected that more than thirty can be despatched on this service.

This number, you will readily perceive, is insufficient to perform the service necessary to be rendered in emergencies of this kind.

The present financial condition of the citizens of this section of the Territory renders it impossible to raise the means for the relief of such as may stand in need, owing to the fact that none have recovered from the disastrous consequences of the late war. Supplies could not be procured here sufficient to provision thirty men as many days without the probability of an immediate remuneration therefor. The merchants here are, many of them, paying five per cent, a month for money, with which they furnished supplies for the volunteer service in the late .Rogue river war, while others have been compelled to relinquish their former avocations altogether, not being able to effect loans even at the above ruinous rates of usury.

In view of these facts, I most respectfully beg leave to inquire whether it is in your power to render any aid whatever in this emergency? The militia law of this Territory, section 15, provides that volunteer companies may be formed within the bounds of any regiment, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the My opinion colonel thereof and approved by the brigadier general. is, however, that the law referred to has no bearing in the present instance, and I merely call your attention to this section in order that you may be pleased to correct me if I am in error in my construction Many suppose and even contend that the governor, as comof it. mander-in-chief of the militia, has power to call into service volunteer companies to suppress Indian hostilities in any portion of the Territory should there be an insufficiency of United States troops to effect the same purpose. Be that as it may, if you are invested with authority to grant aid in the present instance, or if in the alternative you should deem it prudent to assume in a measure the responsibility of rendering aid and protection to the incoming immigration, I am confident that a great saving of life and property will be the happy and should it be necessary for the next legislature to take any result action in the matter, by way of memorializing Congress to defray the expenses necessary to be incurred in carrying into effect this desired