Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 5.djvu/192

182 PETER H. BURNETT. of good men, and was perfectly willing to await their ulti- mate decision. When I knew I was in the right, I was able and prepared to bear the censure even of the wise and good; but I "did not hanker after it." I never would engage in newspaper controversies or per- sonal squabbles. If I was unjustly censured, I paid no atten- tion to it, and gave myself no trouble about it. In this uay I have mainly led a life of peace with my fellow men. I have very rarely had the sincerity of my motives called in ques- tion. The general course of the press toward me has been impartial and just. I have never claimed to be a liberal man, as many people construe that almost indefinable term; but I have scrupulously sought to be just to all men. The character of a just man is enough for me. I esteem and reasonably desire the approba- tion of good men; but I love the right more. I can do with- out the first, but not the last. But I must depart from my usual course to notice certain charges against me by W. H. Gray, in his "History of Ore- gon." My nephew, George H. Burnett, Esq., of Salem, Ore- gon, was a guest at my house in San Francisco in January, 1878, and mentioned to me the fact that such charges had been made. I had never seen the work at that time. In May, 1878, I procured and read the book. I notice these charges because they are in the form of hi-stwical facts or opinions. Had Mr. Gray made these charges verbally, or in a newspa- per article, I should never have noticed them in any form. MISSTATEMENTS OF W. H. GRAY. On pages 374-5 Mr Gray, in speaking of the members of the legislative committee of 1844, says: Peter H. Burnett was a lawyer from Missouri, who came to Oregon to seek his fortune, as well as a religion that would pay best and give him the most influence; which in the legis- lative committee was sufficient to induce that body to pay no attention to any organic law or principle laid down for the government of the settlements. In fact, he asserted that there were no constitutional provisions laid down or adopted by the people in general convention at Champoeg the year pre-