Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/238

 r G, 1848.

Acolti for an explanation of the matter. Acolti replied^ that he did not object to the seizure if the governor thought it prudent, unless it was the intention to confis cate it; but he reminded the superintendent that there was no law prohibiting the transportation of arms through the Indian country, but only the distribution of them to ) the Indians. His explanation of the incident was, that j the packages seized contained the annual supply of the \ four Jesuit missions of the Flatheads, Pend d Oreilles, \ Coeur d Alenes, and Okanagons. These people lived by \ the chase, and required ammunition. Indeed, the sub- I sistence of the priests themselves depended upon a proper [supply. Besides, a certain amount was required by the /white men and half-breeds about the missions; and a part / of that seized was destined to the British possessions, / where the Jesuits had an extensive mission. Dividing 1 the whole amount among all these stations, and thou sands of Indians, Acolti held that the amount was not large enough to cause any alarm.

"With respect to the advice you give me," wrote the priest to Lee, " that there is more excitement and bitter feeling against the Catholics as a body than ever has existed in Oregon before, I believe the fact. Yet, sir, I presume that you who hold authority, and who . have had an opportunity of knowing how things have been, and who are not .biased by prejudice I presume that you and all sen sible citizens know that it is not through any fault of the Catholics if this fact exists, that the Catholics have done nothing to cause excitement or bitter feeling against them, and that the fact is based only upon unfounded suspicions, growing out of unjust prejudices and a groveling jealousy. I thank you for your frankness, and I will not fail to profit by your advice whenever circumstances shall allow me; and I can assure you that I, as well as all the priests, will beware of doing nothing 23 that may be incentives to violence and disorder, or to evade or circumvent the laws of the land. I hope you will give me credit for the freedom of my expressions, and that, content with the purity of the intentions of the Catholic priests, you will no longer be surprised at my singular proceedings, but labor

23 This lapse from Grammat, as well a/s the use of the word "credit " below where " pardon " was meant, is to be charged to the translator. Acolti was an Italian. He came to Oregon by sea in 1844. He was transferred to California in 1855, and died at San Francisco in 1878, distinguished for learning and piety.