Page:The Whitman Controversy.pdf/69

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life." Here is the testimony of a gentleman who has resided in Oregon continuously for more than thirty-five years, if we except a short residence in Walla Walla while in charge of the Whitman seminary. During all this time the writer has known, and known of, Mr. Lyman, a part of the time as student under Professor Lyman, and during all this time has never seen the person who would hint that he was not a gentlemen, truthful and reliable in every sense of the word. Yet, Mr. Lyman is at direct issue with Mr. Evans, for he dates back fifteen or sixteen years beyond the time set by Mr. Evans as the period back of which no person ever heard "political motives," etc., attributed to Dr. Whitman's visit East. Again, in Eells' pamphlet, we find a letter from Mrs. Mary R. Walker, widow of the late Rev. Elkanah Walker. Mr. and Mrs. Walker, and Mr. and Mrs. Eells were missionaries who came to this country in 1838. They were stationed on Walker's Prairie, in the Spokane Country, about one hundred and twenty-five miles from Whitman's station, and were there at the time of the famous winter ride, and still remained at their station at the time of the cruel Whitman massacre. Extracts from Mrs. Walker's letter read thus: "In answer to your inquiries about Dr. Whitman, I will say that he went East in 1842 mainly to save the country from falling into the hands of England, as he believed there was great danger of it. He had written Mr. Walker several times before about it. One expression I well remember he wrote, about as follows: 'This country will soon be settled by the whites. It belongs to the Americans. It is a great and rich country. What a country this would be for Yankees! Why not tell them of it?'" * * * "Mr. Walker and associates felt that Dr. Whitman, in leaving his missionary work and going on this business, was likely also to bring disgrace on the cause, and were so afraid of it that for a long time they would hardly mention the object of Dr. Whitman's journey publicly." Here we have the testimony of a woman who, at a time before I was born, left home, friends, early associations, and civilization behind her, and came here to teach and civilize. If such as she are not to be believed, then to whom can we look for the truth? The statements of Mr. Gray and the Rev. C. Eells, are to the same effect. Mr. Spalding, before he died, left the same substantially on record. Every member of the mission alive at the time that these matters came into controversy, have agreed as to the main and material facts. But, there are other witnesses, and enough of them to establish the facts as represented by the missionaries. Yet I will