Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 5.djvu/308

298 PETER H. BURNETT. copy of an address to the citizens of Oregon, which will explain to you our situation and the course we are bound to pursue in the event of your declining to interfere. I am, gentlemen, your obedient humble servant, J. McLouGHLiN. WILLIAM DAILY, OSBORN RUSSELL, P. G. STEWART, Executive Committee of Oregon. To this letter, the majority of the executive committee of Oregon, acting for the whole, made this reply : OREGON CITY, March 21, 1845. Sir: We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letters one dated llth of March and the other 12th of March accom- panied with an address to the citizens of Oregon. We regret to hear that unwarranted liberties have been taken by an American citizen upon the Hudson's Bay Com- pany's premises, and it affords us great pleasure to learn that the offender, after due reflection, desisted from the insolent and rash measure. As American citizens, we beg leave to offer you and your esteemed colleague our most grateful thanks for the kind and candid manner in which you have treated this matter, as we are aware that an infringement on the rights of the Hudson's Bay Company in this country, by a.n American citizen, is a breach of the laws of the United States, by setting at naught her most solemn treaties with Great Britain. As representatives of the citizens of Oregon, we beg your acceptance of our sincere acknowledgments of the obligations we are under to yourself and your honorable associate for the high regard you have manifested for the authorities of our provisional government, and the special anxiety you have ever shown for our peace and prosperity ; and we assure you that we consider ourselves in duty bound to use every exertion in our power to put down every cause of disturbance, as well as to promote the amicable intercourse and kind feelings hitherto existing between ourselves and the gentlemen of the Hudson's Bay Company, until the United States shall extend its jurisdic- tion over us, and our authority ceases to exist. We have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servants, OSBORN RUSSELL, JOHN MCLOUGHLIN, ESQ. P.. G. STEWART.