Page:The Whitman Controversy.pdf/55

 and others left Columbia for the United States via the Sandwich Islands January 31, 1844, and they reached the Islands February 26. Here they found no vessel sailing for the United States, but a small Hawaiian schooner, the Hoa Tita, was about to sail for Mazatlan, Mexico. It was found, however, that it could accommodate but one passenger. As Mr. Lee's business was the most urgent, it was decided that he should go, while Mr. Hines returned to Oregon. Accordingly Mr. Lee left the Sandwich Islands February 28, 1844, for Mazatlan, with the intention of crossing Mexico and so proceeding to the United States." How long it took him to accomplish the journey in such a small craft and by that route in those days, I have not been able to discover; but he certainly was not in Washington that winter, nor could he have been until late in the spring or in the summer.

Seventh—Mr. Evans' first three conclusions are that Dr. Whitman's winter journey of 1842-3 had no political intent, or significance whatever; that no feeling as to the Oregon boundary controversy, or desire or wish to defeat British claim to the territory or any part of it had any influence in actuating such journey; but that his exclusive purpose was to prevent the giving up of the southern branch of the mission. As Governor Evans knows more about it than those- who conversed with Dr. Whitman on the subject, it must be so; but it is very strange that at least eleven men, scattered from Washington to Connecticut, all of whom talked with him on the subject, some of them his most intimate friends, and some of them hardly more than passing acquaintances, as Dr. William Barrows and Mr. Hale; some of them missionaries and some of whom had but little sympathy with missionary work, and some of whom never saw or heard of each other until lately, state that he said to each of them that he went with this intent, to save the country. The statement of ten of these, some of them under oath, is given in my pamphlet. They are William Geiger, Jr., now of Forest Grove, Oregon, who had charge of Dr. Whitman's station during his absence; Rev. H. H. Spalding, Hon. W. H. Gray, Rev. C. Eells, D.D. and Mrs. Mary R. Walker, his missionary associates; Hon. A. L. Lovejoy, deceased, who was Dr. Whitman's traveling companion during that journey East; Mr. P. B. Whitman, of Lapwai, Idaho, a nephew of Dr. Whitman, and who came out with him in 1843; Hon. A. Hinman of Forest Grove, who came in 1844 and taught school the next winter at Dr. Whitman's; J. J. Parker, M.D. of Ithaca, N. Y., a son of Rev. S. Parker, who