Letter from the Secretary of the Interior (Whitman Massacre)

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LETTER

FROM

THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR,

COMMUNICATING,

In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 2d instant, information in relation to the early labors of the missionaries of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in Oregon, commencing in 1836.

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February 9, 1871.—Referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs and ordered to be printed.

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Department of the Interior,

Washington, D.C., February 8, 1871.

Sir: In answer to a resolution of the Senate of the 2d instant, directing the Secretary of the Interior to furnish any information in the possession of his Department pertaining to the "early labors of the missionaries of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in Oregon, commencing in 1836," I have the honor to transmit here with a copy of the report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, dated the 6th instant, together with the documents therein referred to, which contain all the information in possession of this Department in relation to the subject.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. DELANO,

Secretary.

Hon. SCHUYLER COLFAX,
President of the Senate.

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Department of the Interior,

Office of Indian Affairs,

Washington, D.C., February 6, 1871.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, by reference from your Department, of Senate resolution dated the 2d instant, calling for information in regard to the early labors of missionaries of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in Oregon, and respectfully, in answer to your direction for a report in the matter, to say that the desired information will no doubt be found in the documents furnished by Dr. H. H. Spalding to A. B. Meacham, superintendent of Indian affairs, submitted by the latter to you on the 28th ultimo, and which were, with his letter, by your direction referred to this office on the 3d instant.

I here with transmit these papers as being all that are on file in this office relating to the subject.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. S. PARKER,

Commissioner.

Hon. C. Delano,

Secretary of the Interior.

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Washington, January 28, 18711em

Sir: I am respectfully requested by the Rev. H. H. Spalding, the oldest living Protestant missionary in Oregon, to place on file in your Department the accompanying documents giving a history of the early missionary work and labors of Dr. Marcus Whitman, himself, and others; the progress and civilization of the Indians under their charge, without aid from the Government; also a history of the massacre of Dr. Whitman and others; also resolutions of Christian associations in answer to Executive Document No. 38, House of Representatives, and a variety of historical information which it would seem proper to have on file or placed in some more permanent form for future history, that our people upon the Pacific as well as the Atlantic coast may be reminded of the self-sacrificing dispositions of these early missionaries, as well as their patriotic devotion to our country, which, in so great a measure, led to the acquisition of that vast territory upon the Pacific coast. All of which is respectfully submitted.

A. B. MEACHAM,

Superintendent Indian Affairs, Oregon.

Hon. Columbus Delano,

Secretary of the Interior.

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