Oregon

The following extract frora a letter of P. H. Jurnett, dated, Fallatine Plain?, Oregon, Dev embor 8, 1841, containa a just rcbuke upon ho foolish and wicked legialation agains % tbc. ights of all but "white" persons, which il bo. reneral in this country. We sincerely hop . 'he Oregonians wil] adopt the liberal policy of Mexico and the other American Stnte, gjyng e.qual privilegps to all, rather ihnn follovr he narrow and bigolted noUons of our owh' ' country. Our legislntion, exclnding " fifths of the human race from political rightf, is a disfrace to ílic name of republicanism. "In ynur letter you requeat mo to eee that the Anienrans ure not imposed upon by the Bn'.tsh. 'This 1 tciil do, or try.' But lhere i no danger of that. We are too strong; and besideirlc intelligent men who govern the H. B. Co., are mo.t prudem and eten for beuring. We re liere in the nvdst of Enfflish. Scotch, Irish, Conadiaiw, French and half breed frrn Lord Sellrirk's Colony on Rd river; and yct wc gel long in great harmony. Nutional animonities are not entertnined bjr any, nnd the eubjects of Great Britain scqiii !eeirous t" live nndcr the government of the U. States. They tepm to look to that governnient as freo nnd hr.ppy, and as most likely la be liberal in her legislatio. 1 have een and linstily pxumincd Uoghe' Bill to organize n territorial governmerit here. I sec that the onlv per-ons who can claim any tliing under ita provisión, are Tree white malea." Perhaps he was not inforrned in regard to tho churacter of the popula'ion in this country, v.-ill give yon sorne information in regard to hot matter, which yifii rr.ay rely upon as corect; leaving it to you, and our friend in JontroBJ. lo do whut mny bedceoied jist unler the circumstances. Prfiips one-tliird of i!ie populntio of Oregon consista of Canadian Frencli, nn'l persons from Red river, most of whom are mixed with the Indian blood. Upn the Wallamette, nenr tho Methodist nis?ion, there is a large eettlemprit of French, who have generolly fi'5e funns, we)l cullivated, largc herds of cattle, hurses, hogs and some sheep. They grow a great denl of wheat, and are considered good citizens. In thtse plams, nll aronnd me, there ore numbers of peisons from Red river. I have found tbem generally ndiiBtnous, honest, nnd ver goed neighhors. Most of them as well as the French, have Indian or half breed wives. - Besidrs thnse clnises of popula' io, we hare mony persons from the United Statoa vrho weró for years engaged as trappers Or trnder in the Rocky mountnin. Thefe men are among onr best cilizons. Many of them white in the imuntaiiii, inarried .q'taws, by whom t'ipy Imve cliiklren, o)id they 8111 Üa wilh iheir wives, and are rnising linlf-breed childrrn. For myself, os a matter of taite, I do nut ndmire ïheir choice of wives; btit t t!ie time ti cv were marricd, there were no r.ihcr womenio márrj : and flince they havo fleterntmed ; settlo in ihis country, they wore too hon.-raMe lo abandon their wive and cliildren in the mintaina. Hy ihe law of our goVèrnmenl hpre. we have admitted all the.e cÍHSsfs to tlic f 11 benefita of citizanhipt and have givc-n them preciscl) the sanie rijfhu nnd privil'-ïs as othT8. Any Imv that wourd tke from them th'ir farms, Ihe labor of rears, wou ld mo6t (Itpply mortify all rersons in this country. I Ihiok I can safely sny that alt . perb'ont herc, ore nnxious tht these tntn shuld be allowed, in smc wny, to securo the viilne of their labor. Shonld it be thonght un wise io pfrmit tnem to rnlc as citizens.the law ihoul'l give them tlieir Innds, or at least giv . thern the privilege ot seiÜDg; the piuchaaer s obtoining by virtue of such purchnso, a good tille to Lite premises."