THE OLD JACKSON HOME, TWELVE MILES FROM CHEHALIS In this house was conducted one of the first courts north of the Columbia River. For years it was a way station on the stage route between Monticello and Olympia

the Belgian brig Indefatigable. They came with that famous old priest, Father De Smet, and were accompanied by four priests of the Society of Jesus. By the close of the year 1847 the Catholic Church was represented in Oregon by three bishops, fourteen Jesuit fathers, four Oblate fathers, thirteen secular priests, one cleric, thirteen sisters and two schools.

As a Christianizing influence much of the missionary effort was wasted; as a factor of civilization it produced beneficial results. Frederick V. Holman, in his excellent "Dr. John McLoughlin, the Father of Oregon," says the Indians "had no ethical, no spiritual, words. They had no need of such. They had no religion of their own, worthy of the name, to be substituted for a better or higher one. They had no religious instincts, no religious tendencies, no religious traditions. The male Indians would not perform manual labor—that was for women and slaves. The Religion of Christ and the Religion of Work go hand in hand."

In the main that is true, yet the Catholics appear to have made progress toward Christianizing the natives. The Indian believed in a semi-spiritual Tamanous, a being which he represented by an image. For this reason the pictures and symbols of the Catholic worship were more appealing to him than were the abstract teachings employed by the Protestants. The Indians learned the "Catholic ladder," a simple device contrived to carry the religious lessons to them. Several generations of Indians have been born and reared since the missionaries began their labors on this coast, and while the present generation contains many individuals who have attained a mental equipment and a moral character entitling them to rank as civilized and educated persons, the great inass of the Indian population still prefers the old easy-going, unambitious mode of living. Holman says the Religion of Christ and the Religion of Work go hand in hand.

To most of the old Indians, notwithstanding some seventy-five years of effort upon the part of missionaries, the symbolism of the Tamanous still is potent. This is no reflection upon the Indian mind. Measured in periods of time, the Indian has, perhaps, made more rapid progress out of the primitive state than the white race made.

When the missionaries began to realize that their efforts were nonproductive. and in fact sometimes derided with mean ingratitude, they turned their attention toward colonization. Families were brought to Oregon. Schools were founded. The mission as a religious institution was abandoned; the school took its place and carried on the work in a manner that has caused the present generation to place the laurel upon the graves of those who labored so long and so earnestly for the salvation of the Indian.

Willamette University rests upon the Methodist mission school. Pacific University had its beginning in the home of Grandma Brown, who, when the white fathers left for the California gold fields, took the half-orphaned white. and half-breed and Indian children into her home and established a school, taught by Rev. Mr. Harvey Clarke. Clarke, an independent missionary, was disappointed because of his failure to convert the Indian. Half of his homestead was given to the school in which he did a work that has lived. Whitman still lives in the Whitman College-a far greater monument than any doubtful credit of having "Saved Oregon." Rev. Ezra Fisher, pioneer Baptist,

is remembered, not for any excellence his sermons may have possessed, but for his tireless efforts in behalf of the Oregon City College.

Pioneers of the 1843 immigration found good farms at the Williamette mission. Wilkes' "History of Oregon," rewritten by George Wilkes from the letters of Peter H. Burnett, says: "All the missionaries whom I have seen within it (the territory) have succeeded much better in making farms, raising stock, erecting mills, establishing stores, and improving their own worldly condition, than they have in saving the souls of the Indians. I have, however, no right to criticize and condemn the peculiar system of these gentlemen, for they should certainly know more about the redemption of souls than I, who never worked at it. It, therefore, is not for me to say that the Indian will not more readily imbibe regenerating grace by digging the ground and carrying logs on his shoulders, than in wearing out his knee-pans in fruitless ejaculations."

After the change in method was adopted, the missionaries continued to carry the Bible in one hand; but the other carried an axe, a hoe, a package of seeds and a primer. Old Oregon's first printing plant was brought from the Hawaiian Islands, in 1839, by E. O. Hall, a printer connected with the Lapwai mission. Civilization by way of the printing press began at an early date in the Northwest.

CHAPTER VII

OLD OREGON

DEATH OF PROPERTY-HOLDER BRINGS CITIZENS FACE TO FACE WITH THE NEED OF GOVERNMENTAL MACHINERY-THEY ORGANIZE TEMPORARILY AROUND GRAVEATTEMPT AT GENEROUS DEMOCRACY FAILS-LINN BILL BEFORE CONGRESS-DR. ELIJAH WHITE ORGANIZES FIRST WESTWARD PARTY FOR ACTUAL SETTLEMENT IN "OLD OREGON"-DISSATISFACTION AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL-THE "WOLF MEETINGS" AND FINALLY THE HISTORIC VOTE "WHO'S FOR A DIVIDE?" CRIES JOE MEEK-AMERICANS WIN BY TWO VOTES-OREGON'S FIRST LAWS-THE BURNETT EXPEDITION—A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE CAMP-IMMIGRATION OF '44-DR. MCLOUGHLIN JOINS LEGISLATIVE BODY-JESSE APPLEGATE'S GREAT INFLUENCE— THORNTON'S MAGIC STORY-PATHETIC NOTES FROM A WOMAN'S DIARY.

Ewing Young, whom Kelley had induced to come to Oregon, died February 15, 1841, leaving an estate but no known heirs. Oregon was without lawsave that conferred upon the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company by the British king. All realized that steps toward the formation of government must be taken. To allow the Hudson's Bay Company officials to administer the estate of an American was repugnant to the settlers. Around the grave of Young, February 17, they decided to organize a government; or enough of "government" to probate an estate.

Jason Lee was elected chairman, and Gustavus Hines, secretary, and a committee consisting of Rev. F. N. Blanchet, Rev. Jason Lee, Rev. Gustavus Hines, David Donpierre, M. Charlevon, Robert Moore, J. L. Parrish, Etienne Lucier and William Johnson was instructed to draft a code of laws. That the probate matter might be carried on while the committee was doing its work, Dr. Ira L. Babcock was elected supreme judge with probate powers; George LeBreton, clerk; William Johnson, sheriff, Xavier Ladevant and Pierre Bilique, constables. The originators of the plan for a legislative committee doubtless thought best results could be obtained by choosing as members men representing the different elements in the settlement. It was made up of Protestant ministers, the Catholic priest, American, Canadian and British settlers. But the very tincture which should have given it strength was that which made it weak-the various elements could not, or would not, work in harmony. Blanchett, who had been elected chairman, failed to call a meeting and finally resigned. The non-church element considered it top-heavy with religion, and, doubtless fearing the passage of Blue Laws, took no interest, and the first attempt at organized government in Oregon was at an end. However, Doctor Babcock and his officers took steps which protected the estate of Young. Following the organization of the Provisional Government the money was carried as a liability and

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