Page:The American Catholic Historical Researches, vol. 18.djvu/59

58 malignant disappointment of the "Jesuits and the Hudson's Bay Company.

Mr. Bourne then proceeds "to examine into Spalding's veracity or trustworthiness as a source."

He shows how Spalding in reprinting a report of Elijah White, U. S. sub-Indian agent that Whitman' mill was burnt purposely by some disaffected persons towards Dr. Whitman, inserted this additional sentence, "The mill, lumber and a great quantity of grain was burned by Catholic Indians, instigated by Romanists to break up the Protestant mission, and prevent supplies to the on-coming emigration by Dr. Whitman."

This interpolation, says Bourne, was made deliberately in an official document for the purpose of manufacturing evidence of previous Catholic malignity which would render plausible Spalding's accusation in regard to the massacre.

Spalding also manufactured the famous story about three Indians coming to St. Louis to get the Bible "the book from Heaven." Says Bourne: Where Dr. White quotes an old chief as saying in regard to the conference he was holding: e Clark pointed to this day, to you, and this occasion; we have long waited in expectation; sent three of our sons to the Red River School to prepare for it. "Spalding changed the last clause to "sent three of our sons to the rising sun to obtain the book from Heaven," thus manufacturing first-hand confirmation of the somewhat doubtful story of the Indians who came to St. Louis for the Bible.

"Oregon was in no danger of being lost," says Bourne.

When Whitman was in the East he met the Mission Board at Boston. Among his requests was that five or ten Christian men should be sent to Oregon and among other effects this would have would be that of "Counteracting papal efforts and influences."

About this time a party of emigrants were to cross the country to Oregon. Whitman joined the party. This has been magnified into his "organizing and taking out a thousand emigrants." "I found it my duty to go with the party myself," he wrote from St. Louis, May 12,1843.

Calling attention to the Catholic missionary efforts, for which he refers the Committee to De Smedt's "Indian Sketches," he continues' I think by a very careful consideration of this together with these facts and movements you will realize our feelings that we must look upon this the only spot on the Pacific Coast left where Protestants have a present hope of a foothold."

On May 30th he wrote from Shawnee, "We cannot at all feel it