PERSONAL AND POLITICAL.--SAN JUAN CONTROVERSY
Just before going to the Chehalis council, Governor Stevens and his
family suffered a sad and severe affliction in the death of his young
kinsman, George Watson Stevens, who was drowned on February 16 at the
debouch of the Skookumchuck Creek into the Chehalis River, as he was
returning from Portland, whither he had gone to cash some government
drafts. He was accompanied on the journey by A.B. Stuart, the mail and
express carrier, who, as they approached the stream, had occasion to
stop at a settler's house, while George Stevens kept on, and, although
cautioned by Stuart, lost his life in the attempt to cross by the usual
ford. The Skookumchuck empties into the Chehalis at right angles, and
although ordinarily a stream of moderate size, becomes, when swollen by
rains, a mighty and furious flood, which, encountering the rapid current
of the Chehalis, forms a dangerous whirlpool in the centre of that
river. Not realizing the danger, and anxious to reach his journey's end
that day, he forced his horse into the raging torrent, and was swept,
man and steed, into the whirlpool below, where, although a fine swimmer
and a strong, vigorous man, he met his death. Stuart reached the ford
soon afterwards, and finding it impassable and his companion nowhere
visible, rightly concluded that he was lost, and hastened to Olympia
with the sad tidings.
Governor Stevens with a party hastened to the scene, and diligently
searched for the missing one. The governor caused a band of horses to
be driven into the stream to test its power, but all were instantly
swept down into the larger river, several of them clear to the
whirlpool, although the water had fallen considerably. The unfortunate
youth's horse swam ashore, and was found with the saddle and saddle-bags
soaked with water, and a few days later his remains were found in the
river a mile below the whirlpool. This sad event cast a deep gloom upon
the family, and indeed all the community, for he was a young man of
great promise, noble traits, and only twenty-two years of age. The
governor said of him:--
"His whole character was an admirable blending of strength and
gentleness. He was essentially a man of great resolution, daring,
enterprise, and purpose, who adhered with great inflexibility to his
determinations; yet he was so gentle, so kindly, so courteous, and
so disinterested that his strength did not fully appear in ordinary
intercourse. To his friends his death is a sad bereavement, which
time only can obliterate. His memory will be precious, his life an
example, his bright and pure spirit is now in the heavenly mansion."
"He was a brother in the house," wrote Mrs. Stevens to her mother;
"evenings he always spent at home, and took an interest in
everything about the house, played with the children, seemed to be
happy just staying in our society. Here is my garden he made, and
the flowers he set out, and marks of him all about us."
It was a sad time when his remains were brought in, and the little toys
and candy he had thoughtfully purchased for the children were found in
his pockets and saddle-bags. He was buried on the beautiful green Bush
Prairie, amid the scenes of mountain, prairie, and forest he loved so
well. His intimate friends, Mason and Doty, were soon to be laid at rest
by his side.
In a letter to a sister Mrs. Stevens relates another instance of the
governor's firmness and fearlessness in dealing with the Indians:--
"There are three different tribes of Indians in Olympia now, all
different,--the Nisquallies, Chissouks, and northern Fort Simpson
Indians. A curious sight it is to see them. They are all gambling,
their mats spread on the ground; and you will see groups of fifty
seated on the ground, and playing all day and night. The town is
full of them. Mr. Stevens has them right under his thumb. They are
as afraid as death of him, and do just what he tells them. He told
the chiefs of the tribes he would not let them disturb the whites.
That night they kept up an awful howling and singing, making night
hideous like a pack of wolves. Mr. Stevens got up, took a big club,
and went right in among them, and talked to them, and told them that
the first man that opened his lips he would knock down. The chief
said, 'Close' (All right), and not another sound came from them that
night. When he came back, he said the biggest lodge was full of men
sitting in a circle around a big fire, smoking and singing."
Returning from the Chehalis council, Governor Stevens remained the next
two months in Olympia, hard at work with his multifarious duties,
reviewing legislative acts, preparing reports of the councils and
treaties, instructing the Indian agents, and attending to the unceasing
cares and questions arising from the Indians, and preparing for the trip
east of the mountains. In April he made the arduous horseback and river
trip to Vancouver, and there met Superintendent Joel Palmer, of Oregon,
by appointment, having previously invited him, in order to arrange with
him in regard to the proposed council with the Indians of the upper
country, some of whom were within General Palmer's superintendency.
This spring began the San Juan Island controversy with Great Britain,
which came near involving the two countries in war, and lasted with
various phases for eighteen years, until it was finally decided in favor
of the United States by Emperor William I., of Germany.
By the treaty of 1846 the main ship-channel which separates the
continent from Vancouver Island was fixed as the boundary from the point
where the 49th parallel intersects the Gulf of Georgia, in order to give
the whole of that island to Great Britain, for the parallel intersects
it. It happens, however, that there are two channels, with a valuable
group of islands between them, answering this description. The Americans
claimed the western-most, the Canal de Haro, which runs next to
Vancouver Island, and is the shorter, broader, and deeper, in every
respect the main ship-channel, while the English insisted that the
eastern channel, Rosario Straits, was the proper boundary. The shrewd
and aggressive officers of the Hudson Bay Company at Victoria, Sir James
Douglass at their head, originated the British claim, which otherwise
had never arisen, so little merit had it, and in order to gain a
foothold on, and claim possession of, these valuable islands, placed a
flock of sheep on San Juan, and stationed there a petty official of the
company. The island was included in Whatcom County by act of the
Washington legislature, the property thereon became subject to taxation,
and the sheriff of the county levied upon and seized a number of the
sheep in default of payment of taxes.
Sir James Douglass thereupon addressed Governor Stevens, complaining of
the seizure, and demanding to know if the sheriff's proceedings were
authorized or sanctioned in any manner by the executive officer of
Washington Territory. The governor promptly replied, May 12, 1855, and
firmly and uncompromisingly asserted the American right, and justified
the sheriff. After reciting the acts of Oregon and Washington assuming
jurisdiction over the islands, he continued:--
"The sheriff, in proceeding to collect taxes, acts under a law
directing him to do so. Should he be resisted in such an attempt, it
would become the duty of the governor to sustain him to the full
force of the authority vested in him.
"The ownership remains now as it did at the execution of the treaty
of June 11, 1846, and can in no wise be affected by the alleged
'possession of British subjects.'"
The correspondence was communicated to the Secretary of State, who in
reply deprecated any action by the territorial authorities pending a
settlement of the question by the respective governments, and the
dispute remained in abeyance until excited some years afterwards by
another British act of aggression. Had our government firmly asserted
its undoubted right at this time, the matter would have been settled. To
the resolute and patriotic stand of Governor Stevens on this occasion,
and his subsequent course in defense of this American territory, as will
be seen hereafter, were due the ultimate defeat of the persistent and
hard-fought British demands.
At this time the governor purchased of William Taylor for $2000 his
donation claim, a fine tract of half a section, 320 acres, six miles
southwest of Olympia, and in the northwestern corner of Bush Prairie. It
comprised a few acres of prairie, over a hundred acres of heavy meadow,
and the remainder in heavy fir timber. A small house and a field fenced
off the prairie were the only improvements. The governor always took
great interest and pleasure in the soil, in gardening and farming. He
soon put a man on the place, and laid out extensive plans of improving
it.
In April the Democratic convention met in Olympia to nominate a
candidate for delegate in Congress, to succeed Judge Lancaster. The
delegates assembled in a large store building on the southwest corner of
Main and First streets, belonging to George A. Barnes. Governor Stevens
was a candidate for the nomination. He was desirous, after completing
his treaty operations and returning from the Blackfoot council, to
represent the Territory in Congress, and there push forward his plans
for the public service, further railroad surveys, wagon roads, mail
routes, steamer service, Indian treaties and policy, and, above all, the
Northern Pacific Railroad. Many of the first settlers were strong in his
support, recognizing how much such a man in Congress could accomplish
for the Territory. There were two other candidates, Judge Columbia
Lancaster, very anxious to succeed himself, and J. Patton Anderson,
United States marshal, who had traveled all over the Territory in taking
the census the previous year, and, it was said, had diligently improved
his opportunities as census-taker by paying court to all the women,
kissing all the babies, and pledging all the men to support him for
delegate. He was a man of good appearance, cordial, pleasant Southern
manners, and well calculated to make friends. The convention divided
between the three candidates, and balloted an entire day without result.
In the evening the candidates were invited to address the convention.
Colonel Shaw, who was one of the governor's supporters, although not a
member of the convention, says that he advised the governor not to
accept the invitation, lest the friends of the other candidates, hearing
him speak, should become alarmed at his ability and power, and combine
against him. Such advice was the very last that the governor, with his
straightforward and positive character, would relish. He went before the
convention, and in a forcible and patriotic speech, without reference to
himself, set forth the needs of the Territory, and the public measures
required for its advancement, so ably and clearly that his friends were
delighted, and felt sure that he would be chosen on the next ballot. But
it turned out as Shaw feared. Although he gained votes, his opponents
combined on Anderson, and nominated him, some of them exclaiming, "It
won't do to nominate the governor, for if he once gets into Congress, we
can never get him out again."