Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/84

CHAPTER III.

LANE'S ADMINISTRATION.

1849–1850.

Indian Affairs—Troubles in Cowlitz Valley—Fort Nisqually Attacked—Arrival of the United States Ship 'Massachusetts'—A Military Post Established near Nisqually—Thornton as Sub-Indian Agent—Meeting of the Legislative Assembly—Measures Adopted—Judicial Districts—A Travelling Court of Justice—The Mounted Rifle Regiment—Establishment of Military Posts at Fort Hall, Vancouver, Steilacoom, and The Dalles—The Vancouver Claim—General Persifer F. Smith—His Drunken Soldiers—The Dalles Claim—Trial and Execution of the Whitman Murderers.

Governor Lane lost no time in starting the political wheels of the territory. First a census must be taken in order to make the proper apportionment before ordering an election; and this duty the marshal and his deputies quickly performed.^[1] Meanwhile the governor applied himself to that branch of his office which made him superintendent of Indian affairs, the Indians themselves—those that were left of them—being prompt to remind him of the many years they had been living on promises, and the crumbs which were dropped from the tables of their white brothers. The result was more promises, more fair words, and further assurances of the intentions of the great chief of the Americans toward his naked and hungry red children. Nevertheless the superintendent did decide a case

1. The census returns showed a total of 8,785 Americans of all ages and both sexes and 298 foreigners. From this enumeration may be gathered some idea of the great exodus to the gold mines of both Americans and British subjects. Indians and Hawaiians were not enumerated. Honolulu Friend, Oct. 1849, 51.

(66)