Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/345



THE ROGUE RIVER WARS. 327

resolutions and proceedings passed and adopted at a public meeting held at Coquille river (the seat of war), which were read at this meeting today, and were sanctioned and highly approved, relative to the hostilities evinced by the Indians at Coquille against whites.

Upon the meeting being called to order, H. R. Scott was ap pointed chairman, and J. B. O Meally, secretary, when the follow ing resolutions were passed and adopted :

Resolved, Whereas the Indians in this vicinity have been vei*y troublesome for some time past, i. e., ever since the discovery of the mines, on account of their many thefts, it being unsafe to leave a house alone while the inhabitants were absent at work, the Indians being in the habit of ransacking such houses, taking all the pro visions and other articles such as they could conveniently secrete, and becoming more hostile in their movements every day ; and that the threatening attitude of the Indians a few days since at Coquille river called for immediate and decisive action ; and, as it was considered necessary for the safety of the lives and property of the citizens, that prompt and energetic measures should be taken,

Resolved, That we consider the threatening and menacing aspect of the Indians at the Coquille river on the twenty-seventh and twenty -eighth, amounting to a declaration of war on their part.

Resolved, That the prompt and timely action of the citizens and miners assembled at the Coquille river on the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth instants, has struck a decisive blow, which we believe has quelled at the commencement an Indian war, which might have lasted for months, causing much bloodshed and expense to the people in general, and we have also ascertained that a large quantity of secreted firearms and powder was destroyed in the burn ing of the Indian villages.

Resolved, That duplicates of the proceedings of this meeting be drawn up for publication, one copy to be sent to the Indian agent at Port Orford, and others to be transmitted to the different newspapers in Oregon and California ; and, it is further

Resolved, That a copy of the resolutions passed and adopted at the meeting held last Saturday, twenty-eighth instant, at Randolph City, shall accompany the resolutions passed and adopted here today.

Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting are justly due and hereby given to our fellow-citizens who have behaved so nobly in suppressing with a small force of volunteers the Indians, on the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth instants, at Coquille river, who had declared war, and from the most authentic information that we have obtained, after mature investigation, we have every reason to believe that the Indians were on the eve of commencing an out break against the whites.

(Signed.) H. R. SCOTT, Chairman.

J. B. O MEALLY, Se