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and policies on the Pacific coast. For these reasons it is deemed worthy and appropriate to devote a separate chapter of this book to an examination of the circumstances and reasons that led up to this unique pioneer government — the only one of its kind in American history.
There can be no civil government anywhere without resolute, independent, thinking, self-reliant men. When Hall J. Kelley who had advertised the coun- try more than all other persons or agencies combined, reached Oregon in 1834, and found here the Methodist Missionarj', Jason Lee, there were already in the country about twenty-five American mountaineers, who had drifted into the "Wil- lamette Valley as trappers, and in other ways not necessary to mention^ — most of whom had Indian wives. These men had decided to stay here and make their homes here. Up to this time the Hudson 's Bay Company had discouraged all per- manent settlements, even of their own retired trappers and servants, for the rea- son that the company wished to preserve Oregon as a great game preserve — mere hunting grounds. Dr. McLoughlin had set aside this rule in the case of Etienne Lucier, who wanted to go to farming and even proffered help to Lucier ; but did so with the express understanding that Lucier should be kept on the Fur Com- pany's books as one of their servants — and not as an independent settler or citi- zen. And that rule was to apply to all Hudson's Bay Company employees. So that it was plain that if there was to be any government for protection of politi- cal rights outsi'de of the control of the Hudson's Bay Company (no matter what McLoughlin 's private opinions were), such government must originate with and be organized and maintained by the Americans, independent of, if not in open opposition to, the influence of the Great Fur Company monopoly.
Naturally enough the first question that came up among these Americans would be^ whose country is this? And under what flag and government are we to live ? They could see, and were made to feel that the Hudson 's Bay Company represented the British Government, the historical and implacaible enemy of the government they preferred; and that it had a thousand times greater ability to prevent, suppress, and destroy any organization they might attempt than they had to build it up. Any organization seemed hopeless. And yet the desire for, and an impulse towards, an organization was manifested among these rough moun- taineers as early as 1834 when they found an educated American citizen who might become a leader had come into the Willamette Valley. These rough unedu- cated mountaineers were not destitute of the natural alertness and shrewdness which comes to the relief of men in desperate circumstances. But on the con- trary their trials and dangers on the frontier, and with the Indians had developed and quickened their perception so that they were prompt to discover their true position in the country. They were not interested in maintaining Oregon as a game preserve for the Hudson's Bay Company. They could see nothing in that for the future of an American who had a desire to live as his fathers had. There was nothing in trapping beaver for the Company but the bare living which the Company employees from Canada got at sixty dollars a year. That did not appeal to Americans. And so the line of cleavage started. The Americans look- ing forward to a settled country devoted to agriculture, with schools, towns, churches, civilization and commerce. The H. B. Co. and the Canadians under the influence of the Company, contented and determined to -keep the country in its then unsettled condition until the British Government should otherwise
