Judge Lander's reply was an order for the governor's imprisonment. Some of the governor's friends paid the fine. One of the regretable things about this disgraceful travesty on justice is that the records show signs of having been tampered with-they are incomplete and many papers are missing. The respite issued by the governor was stolen from the archives, taken to Seattle by a prominent attorney, and destroyed during the fire of June 6, 1889. Governor Stevens' appeal to the President met a prompt response and on September 12th, Secretary of State William L. Marcy, wrote the governor that the President "After a full consideration of them" (the facts relating to the declaration of martial law) "has not been able to find in the case you have presented a justification for that extreme measure." January 24, 1857, the Territorial Legislature in joint resolution, decided that the governor "in any attempt to interfere with our courts of justice, or to try citizens before a military tribunal, acted in direct violation of the Constitution and laws of the United States, and that any such attempt to exercise unconstitutional power, tends to the subversion of our institutions, and calls at our hands for the strongest condemnation." General Wool charged the settlers with having prolonged the war for the purpose of robbing the Indians and the Federal treasury. He not only indorsed Captain Cram's "Military Memoir" one of the most unjust and false attacks upon the "Oregon country" ever written-but used his influence to have it published by the Government. Cram could see nothing good in the eastern part of the territories "a region only fit for the occupancy of the nomadic tribes who now roam over it, and who should be allowed peacefully to remain in its possession." Cram, dead, is never mentioned except as his bilious attack is referred to. White men have converted the country which he said contained "but little that is at all valuable or useful to civilized man" into great wheat fields, beautiful meadows and the most prolific orchards in the world. Intended as a crushing argument against paying the claims of the volunteers for service and supplies furnished during the war, the Memoir, with General Wool's influence, delayed such payment and thus greatly retarded recovery from the paralizing conditions at the close of hostilities. Wool's narrow prejudice against the volunteers, the force chiefly responsible for crushing the uprising west of the mountains, received the condemnation of Secretary of War Floyd, who sent commissioners to the territory to investigate. This commission, consisting of Capts. Rufus Ingalls and L. F. Smith and L. F. Grover, on October 10, 1857, reported that Washington Territory had incurred an expense of $1,481,975.45 for subsistence, equipment and pay of its troops, a sum amounting to about one-third that of Oregon. Congress dilly-dallied. Two years later R. J. Atkinson, of the treasury department, was placed in charge of the work of making a settlement. Atkinson placed each bill under the microscope and reported against the claimants. The people of the territory were called plunderers and Wool's charge against them-that of keeping up hostilities for the sake of profit-was reiterated. The Hudson's Bay claim was allowed in 1859; in 1861 the Government began paying the settlers-payments which were strung out over a period of about ten years. Doubtless many of the claims were excessive, but the delay in the settlement of just claims was a great hardship and the country's development suffered accordingly. Farmers, having been driven from their fields by the hostiles, upon their return found those fields choked with weeds and underbrush. Houses and barns had to be rebuilt. Development was slow, but the pioneer spirit was strong and undaunted even by Indian war. Farms were opened, villages grew into towns, commerce was established and prosperity again took up her abode in the land. CHAPTER XVII LESCHI TWICE SAID TO HAVE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE PEACE-HE SURRENDERS TO COLONEL WRIGHT-LESCHI AND OTHER LEADERS WARNED BY GOVERNOR STEVENS THAT THEY WILL BE PUNISHED LESCHI OFFERS AGAIN TO SURRENDER TO UNITED STATES ARMY OFFICERS-FINALLY IS BETRAYED BY A KINSMAN WHO, IN TURN, IS SHOT FOR HIS TREACHERY-JURY DISAGREES AT LESCHI'S FIRST TRIAL -QUIEMUTH MURDERED IN GOVERNOR STEVens' office-LESCHI'S SECOND TRIAL RESULTS IN INFLICTION OF DEATH PENALTY-LESCHI'S SPEECH TO THE COURTHIS EXECUTION DELAYED BY A RUSE-MASS MEETINGS HELD INDIAN FINALLY IS EXECUTED BY OFFICERS SPECIALLY DESIGNATED-REBURIAL OF CHIEFS' BODIES THIRTY-FIVE YEARS LATER. Twice, Leschi's supporters allege, he met failure in his effort to re-establish peace. The first effort-his visit at Christmas time, 1855, to the former Hudson's Bay employes, resulted in their refusal to act and brought down upon them the charge of treason, martial law and the loss of much of their property. The second attempt, Leschi's visit to Agent Swan on Fox Island, was followed by the governor's announcement of a war of extermination. Then followed the battles of Seattle and Connells Prairie in both of which the Indians were defeated. They fled through Nachess Pass to the Yakimas. Kamiakin advised. Leschi to make peace with Colonel Wright, commander of the regular forces. Wright accepted the Indian chief's surrender and Leschi "laid aside all his angry feelings." Thoroughly whipped the Nisquallies and Puyallups returned in small bands to the reservation on Fox Island. In August, 1856, Governor Stevens went to the island and held a council with the Indians, who although admitting defeat, still were decidedly antagonistic to the reservation provided for them by the Medicine Creek treaty. Governor Stevens then did what he might have done a year and a half earlier-he asked the Indians what they wanted. The Nisquallies said they wanted a reservation eight miles square, the land to include their old homes. The Puyallups wanted six miles square at the mouth of the Puyallup River. The next step was to survey the lands. Stevens told Chief Squatahan, of the Puyallups, that the Indians would have to furnish a guide to show the surveyors where to run their lines. They started from a point near Fern Hill southeast of Tacoma, ran eastward, the surveyors constantly pressing the Indian guide to the northward, and struck the Puyallup River far below the point desired by the Indians. Here the surveyors told the guide to swim the river and they would pick up the line on the opposite shore at his landing place. The water flowed swiftly past the point, the Indian was carried some distance down the stream |