oramending the sending of a messenger to congress, ad
monished the legislature to restrict the bearer of dispatches
to the federal government from carrying any communica
tion whatever other than those intrusted to his charge by
that body, or official documents from the executive.
"That such restriction is necessary," he wrote, "must be evident to your honors, when you take into consideration that in order to unite the whole population of Oregon with you in the vigorous prosecution of this just war, and to encourage capitalists to advance means to meet its immediate expenses, the measures furthering this object should be kept entirely separate and distinct from all civil measures and partisan feelings."
The same day Mr. Nesmith offered, and the legislature adopted, the following resolution : " Resolved, That in view of our critical situation with the powerful tribes of In dians inhabiting the banks of the Columbia, and with whom we are actually in a state of hostilities, it is the duty of this legislature to dispatch a special messenger, as soon as practicable, to Washington City, for the purpose of securing the immediate influence and protection of the United States government in our internal affairs," a copy of which was furnished to the loan commissioners, with what effect we have seen.
A day or two later, Mr. Nesmith introduced a bill pro viding for sending a special messenger to the United States, which the legislature passed on the fifteenth, and one of their own number Joseph L. Meek, a fearless and talented, if illiterate, mountain man, w r as selected to be the bearer of dispatches to the president of the United States and a memorial to congress.
The memorial, prepared by a committee appointed by the legislature, contained these pathetic passages: "Hav ing called upon the government of the United States so often in vain, we have almost despaired of receiving its protection. * * We have the right to expect your aid and you are in duty bound to extend it. For though we
