colony." Here then was the germ of the future state. On this committee was appointed Dr. J. L. Babcock, Dr. White, James O'Neill, Robert Newell, Etienne Lucier, Joseph Gervais, T. J. Hubbard, C. McRoy, William H. Gray, Sidney Smith and George Gay.
Following this meeting, the Canadian citizens of Oregon drew up and signed a memorial, which they delivered to be read at the next meeting for organization May 2, 1843. This next meeting was the turning point in the movement for a provisional government, and we give its proceedings as fully as can be gathered from the imperfect record made of it, and from the statements of those who took an active part in it.
It was now apparent in the proceedings at the time, and from the acts of the men concerned thereafter, that there was somewhere in motion an active irrepressible force in favor of organizing a government. This force, when developed, showed that it was entirely independent of Catholic priests or Protestant missionaries, neither of which was willing to submit to the rule of the other. This independent element was made up of mountain men like Joe Meek and Robert Newell, with whom were co-operating, the sea-rovers, independent trappers and adventurers of all sorts who had drifted into the Willamette valley as a haven of rest from life's failures and troubles in other quarters of the world. But few of them had any book knowledge, but all had a wide experience on the border, before the mast, or in life's struggles everywhere. They had courage, independence and confidence born of dangers and desperation. They would launch the ship of state while others talked and parleyed. And co-operating with these trappers and sailors was a man from the missionary side who was the most active and irrepressible of the whole community, and while not always politic or judicious, was always an agitator—William H. Gray. Gray wanted a government that would oppose the Catholics. Newell and Meek wanted a government that would be independent of all sects and religions. Jason Lee, the prime mover of the whole business, wanted a government with a Protestant, if not a Methodist control. It is intensely interesting to trace out all the diplomatic movements of the rival factions in this little community of a hundred men 2,500 miles distant from any organized county or state. That the Americans earnestly desired the Canadians to go in with them for organization is too plain for dispute. For at the outset the Canadians were freely appointed in the preliminary committees and meetings were held at the houses of the Canadians. But the Canadians, being Catholics, accepted and trusted the leadership of their religious teacher, Blanchet. Blanchet was a subject of Great Britain, and a stipendiary of the Hudson Bay Company. He was therefore legally and in honor bound to support the interests that were opposed to a possible American organization. And the address prepared by him, and signed by all the Canadians, was the most adroit and diplomatic document that could have been constructed for that occasion. It was full of fair dealing, patriotism and good fellowship—yet it was clearly against an American organization. And the harmonious acceptance of the final result, showed that Blanchet was a good citizen, and for peace, no matter who ruled.
The conduct of Jason Lee has been to many persons a puzzle. After inspiring and leading the movement for organization up to a certain point, he suddenly dropped out, and does not appear at all at the Champoeg meeting. There is nothing difficult about this. Lee was himself a native of Canada, and knew better than any other man in Oregon whom he had to deal with. We are warranted in believing that as Blanchet and Lee were the acknowledged leaders of rival, if not hostile, religious movements, it was poor politics for the man, who of all others most desired an American organization, to appear at a meeting where his mere presence would provoke unfriendly opposition. Lee absented himself from the Champoeg meeting for the real purpose of misleading, if possible, the Canadians—or at least to avoid drawing their fire. The Methodist preachers Hines, Leslie and Parrish, and the Congregationalists, Griffin
