Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/21

Rh quent operations, however, to the headwaters of the Missouri, where his name is preserved in Henry's Fork of that river.

As early as 1820, Floyd, member of congress from Virginia, caused inquiry to be made "into the situation of the settlements on the Pacific ocean," having reference to Astoria, which had been restored to us after the war of 1812-15, and to the settlements of the British fur companies in this region.

Among the matter brought to light by this inquiry was an account in 1823 of the expedition of W. H. Ashley in the previous year. Encouraged by indications of government support, Ashley, in 1822, pushed a trading party as far west as the South Pass. In 1823 he took a wagon train to Green river, repeating his venture for several seasons, and reporting to the government all the information obtained in his several expeditions. Other companies succeeded him, and came, into conflict with the Hudson's Bay Company on the west side of the Rocky mountains; their explorations being watched with interest by those having the future of the United States under consideration.

Floyd, in 1821, presented a report to congress contain ing all the information gathered from the explorations of traders and adventurers, introducing a bill at the same time authorizing the president to occupy the Oregon territory, extinguish the Indian title, and provide a government,— occupation meaning defenses at the mouth of the Columbia, and military settlements at intervals along the route to the Columbia. This bill was discussed and amended from session to session, the military features being gradually eliminated as the temper of the nation changed, donations of land being offered to settlers as an inducement to emigration. Already, in 1822, petitions began to flow in from associations in different states, both north and south, memorializing congress to pass Floyd s bill, and books and pamphlets on the boundary question between Great Britain and the United States abounded, written not only, or not so