John McLoughlin

“ They are all dead. Eliza McLoughlin married Captain Epps, an officer in the English army. John McLoughlin, Jr., was murdered in April, 1842, at Fort Stikeen, where he was in charge. Eloisa McLoughlin was Dr. McLoughlin's favorite child. She was married to William Glen Rae at Fort Vancouver in 1838. Rae was appointed, after his marriage, a Chief Trader of the Hudson's [25] Bay Company. In 1841 he was sent to California to take charge of the Company's business at Yerba Buena, now San Francisco. ”

“ It was the emporium of the fur-trade on the Columbia, ninety miles from the sea, a fort that, like the castles of mediaeval Europe, was at once a defence in time of danger, an oasis of civilization amid surrounding barbarism, and a capital from whence its master held baronial sway. Here for a quarter of a century Dr. John McLoughlin ruled with the sceptre of a czar the vast territory from Alaska to California and from the Rocky Mountains to the ocean. Uncounted thousands of Indians obeyed his behests, feared his displeasure. ”

“ John K. Townsend, the naturalist, accompanied by Nuttall, the botanist, crossed the plains in 1834 with Captain Wyeth. In 1839 Townsend published a book entitled, "Narrative of a Journey across the Rocky Mountains," etc. On page 169 he says: "On the beach in front of the fort, we [50] were met by Mr. Lee, the missionary, and Dr. John McLoughlin, the Chief Factor, and Governor of the Hudson's Bay posts in this vicinity. The Dr. is a large, dignified and very noble looking man, with a fine expressive countenance, and remarkably bland and pleasing manners. ”

“ As Pythias waited for Damon, so McLoughlin had waited for McKay. His tender heart was touched by the sorrows of one so fair. Her well-bred ways whispered of home. No white woman could go into the Indian country, but Margaret could go because she had Indian blood.
Dr. McLoughlin married the widow Margaret McKay. There was no priest at Sault Ste. Marie, that lonely trading outpost eighty years ago, A brother chief factor said the service. That was all; enough for a loyal heart like John McLoughlin's. ”

“ John McLoughlin played the role of despot, but the despot was humane.^ As chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company, McLough- lin 's rule was absolute. He virtually held the power of life and death over the Indians and the British subjects could re- main only on sufferance by him. Of course, theoretically, he had no power over the American settlers, but they were so dependent upon the factor at Vancouver that his power over them was almost unlimited. Frederick V. Holman says of him: Nature seems to have used an especial mould for the making of Dr. McLoughlin. ”

“ John McLoughlin was chosen in 1821 to rule over such men at Fort George, or Astoria, and came to the appointment in the fall of 1824. The laborers were chiefly Canadian French, trappers and voyageurs, with a few Scottish Highlanders and less Hawaiian Islanders. The Scots were best for individual trust, and in directing Kanakas handling lumber or wheat; the French to catch and care for fur and peltries. There never were men more docile to do and to endure movement by land or water, fatigue, cold or hunger. ”

“ John McLoughlin. She has been my uncle's loving and faithful help-mate for more than fifty-nine years. She is a pioneer of 1846. She, too, is still strong, mentally and physically. My uncle said in the postscript: "I can say that I am sure no man could have done better than he did to us all. In the fall of 1845 I went out to meet the immigrants and was gone from home six or eight weeks without a change of clothing. ”

“ The people of Portland have thought to honor his memory by having his portrait painted and giving it to the Pioneer Association, to be taken to the fair city of Salem and hung in the State Capitol, where you may look at it and show it to your children, and they to their children, and say: 'This is the old doctor, the good doctor, Dr. John McLoughlin.' Thirty years ago he laid down his life at the Wallamet Falls, where he had builded and lived since 1845, somewhat in obscurity, somewhat in sorrow, somewhat in sadness and disappointment. ”

“ THE New Year of 1841 opened a new act in the drama on the Columbia. In his lonely cabin on the Willamette, Ewing Young, the Tennesseean, lay dead. Outside, his herds grazed on the hillsides, without a visible heir. The little handful of Americans, scarce thirty-six all told, gathered at his funeral. Jason Lee deeply felt the situation. No law, no court, no government, nothing from the Spanish land to Sitka, but the arbitrary will of Dr. John McLoughlin. "He is a good man," said Jason Lee, "but the one man power is not American." ”

“ It was because of his loyalty to humanity and his kindness to Americans that he lost his high official station and was left almost heartbroken in his old age. We can afford to hold up in contrast those who profited by his bounty and left him to pay the bill; also those—be they Missionaries or who—that tried to rob him of his land claim, with the nobler minded man—John McLoughlin—who did so much and lost so much for humanity, and never expressed regret. ”

“ McLoughlin was not entitled to his land claim, which they thought was a valuable one, especially as he was technically a British subject. But most of them were friendly to him for his kindness to them, and for what he had done for the earlier immigrants. They appreciated that he was justly entitled to his land claim. The love of justice and fair play were predominant traits of most Oregon pioneers. ”

“ McLoughlin's land claim] by violence or threats, no man will assert, and far less will one be found to swear so, who will be believed on his oath, in a court of justice. I have probably no other [133] enemy than Mr. Thurston, so lost to the suggestions of conscience as to make a statement so much at variance with my whole character. He says that I have realized, up to the 4th of March, 1849, $200,000 from the sale of lots; this is also wholly untrue. I have given away lots to the Methodists, Catholics, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Baptists. ”

“ McLoughlin? A man whose head is whitened by the frosts of perhaps eighty winters! Who, during that long period has been living subject to the nation under whose flag he was born. And who, at that advanced age declares his intention of becoming a citizen of our great Republic.—I say what must be his feelings? and what must be the feelings of all candid men—of all men of honor and magnanimity, who have read Mr. Thurston's letter. And yet this same Honorable (?) Delegate in his address to his constituents lectures us upon Religion and Morality. ”

“ Prior to 1841 or 1842, it was his custom, at Fort Vancouver, to read the service of that church on Sundays to the congregation of officers and employées who attended. Dr. McLoughlin was a broad man in every way. He recognized the good in all Christian sects and denominations. He assisted the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational missionaries. Had he been a member of those churches, he could hardly have done more for them than he did. While still a Protestant, he also assisted the Roman Catholic missionaries, from their first coming to Oregon, in 1838, as he had the Protestant. ”

“ McLoughlin as a British [111] subject and the head of a great British corporation, such a claim as would be recognized in law when the government of the United States should extend its jurisdiction over the country, which they believed it was sure to do in a short time.... The mission work at this general point was mostly done on the west side of the river at The Falls, and at the villages on the Clackamas where 'Gladstone Park' is now situated, and where the Mission had a farm, and a claim of a square mile of land. ”

“ Whether the justice of history, and the recognition of after times, when personal interests and partizan spites are dissipated, and a character like that of McLoughlin stands forth as one of the best ever produced under the British flag, and one of the best ever given to America, should be regarded as compensation for the injustice and sufferings of a life darkened in old age, may not be determined. ”

“ McLoughlin heard of it and told Dr. Barclay there was a sick and destitute family at the landing; to fix up a house for them, make them comfortable and attend to the sick.
"Dr. W. C. McKay had just returned from the States where he pursued medical studies. So the doctor invited him to assist in taking care of his patients. There was the mother and several children, who had all they needed for two months, until Beagle got better, when he went to Governor McLoughlin and asked what his bill was. 'Tut, tut, tut! bill, bill, bill! Take care of yourself, sir! That is the bill!" ”

“ He made his home at Oregon City, where he expected to pass the rest of his life, with the intention of becoming an American citizen as soon as possible. He invested his wealth at Oregon City in various enterprises in an attempt to assist in upbuilding Oregon. [97] His resignation marks the beginning of his tribulations which ended only with his death. The details I shall presently set forth. In assisting the immigrants Dr. McLoughlin did not count the cost nor fear the consequences. His humanity was greater than his liking for wealth or position. ”

“ McLoughlin was most impolitic, at this time, particularly on account of his land claim. But he was not a man to consider policy when there was something to be [100] done, which he thought right, just, or proper. Otherwise, he would not have assisted the missionaries nor helped the immigrants. Joining the Roman Catholic Church only added to the opposition to Dr. McLoughlin. He was then a British subject. At that time there was great prejudice by many Americans against Great Britain as the supposed hereditary enemy of the United States. The long discussion of the Oregon Question ”

“ Dr. McLoughlin was compelled to yield and agreed to pay the six thousand dollars demanded by Gary. [38] Notwithstanding the fact that this agreement executed by Waller and Leslie, dated April 4, 1844, was made as a final settlement of the matter, the conspirators determined to deprive Dr. McLoughlin of his land claim, even if they did not profit by it. They succeeded by means of the Oregon Donation Law, as I shall presently show. These conspirators had previously arranged to take or "jump" Abernethy Island.
Rev. Dr. H. K. Hines was too honorable a man to justify these proceedings. ”

“ How to act, so as to secure the approbation of the directors and stockholders in England, and at the [274] same time not to disregard the most urgent calls of humanity, was indeed the great difficulty. No possible line of conduct could have escaped censure.
"To be placed in such a position was a misfortune which only a good man could bear in patience. I was assured by Mr. Frank Ermatinger, the manager of the Company's store at Oregon City, as well as by others, that Dr. McLoughlin had sustained a heavy individual loss by his charity to the immigrants. ”

“ Jason Lee left for the Eastern States, overland, on business for the Mission. His wife died June 26, 1838, three weeks after the birth and death of their son. Immediately on her death Dr. McLoughlin sent an express to overtake and tell Jason Lee of these sad events. The express reached Jason Lee about September 1, 1838, at Pawnee Mission, near Westport, Missouri. [14] From this act alone could anyone [59] doubt that Dr. McLoughlin was a sympathetic, kind, thoughtful, and considerate man? Or think that Jason Lee would ever forget? ”

“ But such a history would be trivial, and of no value. It would fail to show what Jesus did and suffered in his endeavors to help mankind. It would be a history in name only.
Dr. McLoughlin's Memorial to Congress.
By the passage of the Donation Land Law, and also by reason of the letter and of the speeches of Thurston in Congress, Dr. McLoughlin was put in the humiliating position of having to issue a printed circular letter to get expressions of opinions of others, as to the falsity of the charges made [150] against him by Thurston, and to support a memorial to Congress which Dr. ”

“ Then Cannon built an old-fashioned over-shot wheel saw-mill. Lumber began to accumulate, so that every summer the Hudson's Bay ship left her Indian goods and taking on lumber went over to the Sandwich Islands. In November she came back for her London load of furs. The same ship was lying there now, furs all laden, her officers up at the governor's banquet.
"And how is competition now, Mr. John? How is competition now? "inquired Dr. McLoughlin of John Dunn just down from the northwest coast.
"Poor picking, Governor, poor picking for the Bos
tons. ”

“ Parker appears to me to be a man of piety and zeal, but is very unpopular with the other protestant missionaries in the country, for which I see no cause except that acting differently from them, he has published to the world the manner some of their countrymen act toward Indians, and the very different manner we treat them as may be seen by reference to his work. ”

“ In the summer a meeting of the people in the Wallamette was called in which the organization was new-modeled, and a clause put in by which it was provided that no man could be called to do any act contrary to his allegiance. ”