SAVING SAN JUAN
Six weeks after the final adjournment of Congress, Governor Stevens left
New York in April, on the steamer Northerner, on the long journey to
Puget Sound, via the Isthmus and San Francisco. He was accompanied by
his family, except his son, who remained at school in Boston, and by his
brother-in-law, Mr. Daniel L. Hazard, who was going to the Pacific coast
to seek his fortune, which he found after six years' devotion to
business. The journey out was a pleasant one, and they reached Vancouver
on the Columbia, and repaired to the hotel of the town. General Harney
immediately called, and insisted on taking the governor and family to
his house, where they remained several days. The incident is significant
as showing the close relations between the veteran commander and
Governor Stevens, and helps explain the prompt and decisive action of
the former on the San Juan controversy a few weeks later. This dispute
was in the acute stage; the boundary commissioners were as busy with
arguments and contentions as a whole bar of lawyers, and as far from
agreement. Undoubtedly the governor, in his earnest and convincing
manner, fully imbued the general with his views of the American right,
and the duty of the authorities to defend it.
The journey from Vancouver to Olympia was made in the manner usual in
those days,--down the Columbia in river steamboat, up the Cowlitz in
canoes paddled and poled by Indians, and across country in wagons to
Olympia. The governor was everywhere received with demonstrations of
popular confidence and goodwill. The Democratic convention unanimously
renominated him as delegate to the next Congress.
Colonel William H. Wallace was nominated by the Republican convention.
Selucious Garfielde, having been removed from his office of receiver of
the Land Office for misconduct, now vehemently opposed the governor, and
came out in support of Wallace. Governor Stevens at once entered upon a
systematic and thorough canvass of the Territory, inviting his
competitor to accompany him, which he did. But Garfielde and Judge
Chenoweth started around the Sound ahead of the candidates, hoping to
capture the vote of the people for Wallace beforehand. Mr. Daniel L.
Hazard accompanied the canvassing party. The governor, as was too much
his habit, crowded into a short space of time a greater amount of
speaking and traveling than most men could stand. Colonel Wallace broke
down on the Columbia River under the strain, and had to return home,
whereat the governor seemed rather pleased, not at his opponent's
misfortune, but at his own superior endurance.
The election took place July 11, and he was chosen by a vote of 1684
against 1094.
Mr. Charles H. Mason, the secretary of the Territory and at times the
acting governor, died on July 23, rather unexpectedly. He was beloved by
every one, and the whole town was plunged in mourning. The governor felt
his loss as that of a brother, and was very much affected. Two days
later the funeral services were held in the Capitol building. Governor
Stevens delivered an eloquent and heartfelt eulogy, moving all present
to tears, after which a procession was formed, and almost the entire
population followed the remains to the grave. He was laid at rest on
Bush prairie, beside his friend, George W. Stevens.
A row over a pig precipitated a crisis in the San Juan dispute. An
American settler shot a Hudson Bay Company's porker found rooting in his
garden, whereupon Governor Douglass promptly dispatched a steamer to the
scene, bearing his son-in-law, who was a high official of the company
and also of the colony, and two members of the colonial council.
Landing, they loudly claimed the island as British soil, and ordered the
settler to pay one hundred dollars for the slain pig, on penalty of
being taken to Victoria for trial if he refused. But the settler, who
had already offered to pay the reasonable value of the pig, did refuse,
and boldly defied arrest, revolver in hand. The British officials
retired, baffled for the time, but declaring that the settler was a
trespasser on British soil, and must submit to trial by a British court
for his offense. A few days after this episode General Harney, returning
from a visit to Governor Douglass, stopped at San Juan, and the American
settlers there invoked his protection against British aggression,
relating the story of the pig. They also begged protection against the
raids of the northern Indians, who had committed many depredations on
Americans, while they never molested the English or Hudson Bay Company
people, whom they regarded as friends. The old soldier realized the
defenseless condition of the settlers. His blood was stirred at the
attempted outrage. On his way back to Vancouver he stopped at Olympia
and dined with Governor Stevens, and discussed with him what action the
emergency required. Immediately on reaching his headquarters at
Vancouver, General Harney ordered Captain George E. Pickett,--the same
who, a Confederate general, led the famous charge at Gettysburg,--to
proceed with his company of the 9th infantry from Bellingham Bay to San
Juan Island, occupy it, and afford protection to American settlers.
Pickett landed on the island July 27, and at once issued a proclamation
declaring that, in compliance with the orders of the commanding general
(Harney), he came to establish a military post on the island, notifying
the inhabitants to call on him for protection against northern Indians,
and stating that "this being United States territory, no laws other than
those of the United States, nor courts except such as are held by virtue
of said laws, will be recognized or allowed on this island." This was
throwing down the gauntlet at the feet of the British lion with a
vengeance; and Governor Douglass, a bold, haughty, and determined man,
hurried three warships to the island, with positive orders to prevent
the landing of any more United States troops; but Pickett took up a
position on high ground, threw up intrenchments, and notified the
British that he would fire upon them if they attempted to land.
Governor Douglass now issued his proclamation, protesting against the
"invasion," and reasserting that the island was British soil; and, armed
with this document, his three naval commanders waited on Pickett, and
formally demanded his withdrawal. On his refusal, they proposed a joint
occupation. But the daredevil American officer was equally obdurate in
rejecting this compromise, and repeated his warning to them not to land.
Nothing remained for them but to report their mortifying failure to
Governor Douglass. It happened that Admiral Baynes, commanding the
British Pacific fleet, had just put into Esquimault Harbor, the British
naval station on Vancouver Island, four miles from Victoria, with a
strong naval force. Sir James, his indignation at white-heat, and
fiercely determined to expel the Yankees from the coveted island, now
ordered the admiral to take his whole force and drive them from it. As
governor of a British colony, Sir James was authorized to give the
order, and it was the admiral's duty to obey it. But Admiral Baynes
took the responsibility of not obeying it. It would be ridiculous, he
declared, to involve the two great nations in war over a squabble about
a pig. But he reinforced the ships blockading San Juan, and renewed the
orders to prevent the landing of any more American troops. Five British
ships of war, carrying 167 guns and 2140 men, closely beset the
southeastern end of the island, charged with the execution of these
orders.
Governor Stevens visited San Juan soon after Pickett landed, and on
August 4 left it in the steamer Julia. Captain Jack Scranton, with
dispatches from Captain Pickett to General Harney, reached Olympia the
next day, and at once forwarded the dispatches by special messenger to
General Harney at Vancouver. In return, Harney's orders reached Olympia
on the 8th, were forwarded immediately by the Julia to Steilacoom, and
in pursuance of them Colonel Casey embarked on the steamer with three
companies, hastened down the Sound, silently stole through the
blockading fleet in a dense fog, and effected a landing on San Juan on
the 10th. The sight of the empty steamer anchored close to the shore in
the gray of the morning, and the cheers of the reinforcements as they
marched into Pickett's fort on the hill above, first apprised the
British navy of the successful landing.
Soon afterwards Admiral Baynes withdrew his ships and relinquished the
blockade, leaving the American forces in undisputed possession.
While the British were omnipotent on the water, they were ill prepared
to sustain a contest on land, and undoubtedly the knowledge of this fact
influenced Admiral Baynes, and Governor Douglass, too, after his first
indignation, in their forbearing attitude. Victoria and all the points
on Fraser and Thompson rivers and other places on the mainland were
thronged with American miners, attracted by the recently discovered gold
fields. The British were but a handful. The brave and adventurous
pioneers of Washington and Oregon, the Indian war volunteers, were close
at hand. The first clash of arms on San Juan would have signaled the
downfall of every vestige of British authority in northwest America,
except on the decks of their warships. There is no doubt that Governor
Stevens and the American commander intended to press their advantage to
the utmost in case of conflict. The governor of the Territory was then
R.D. Gholson, a well-meaning and respectable Kentuckian, who had
recently succeeded McMullan, and who reposed wholly on Governor Stevens
for advice and guidance, constantly consulting him. This governor now
tendered to General Harney the support of the territorial militia in
case of need, sending him a return showing the number of stands of arms
the Territory possessed, with the statement that there was a lack of
ammunition. In response General Harney immediately dispatched a large
quantity of ammunition to Fort Steilacoom and placed it at the
governor's disposal. Truly the times were changed since General Wool
refused ammunition to the settlers battling for their homes against the
savage foe, and maligned their patriotic efforts.
The directing hand of Governor Stevens is manifest in this resolute
assertion of American rights. It was his determined stand, when
governor, against the persistent encroachments of the British, which
first put our government on its guard. He it was who instructed General
Harney as to the merits of the controversy, encouraged him to take
decisive action, visited San Juan and noted the conditions there at the
critical time, and saw to hurrying reinforcements to Pickett. It is not
too much to say that he was the master spirit whose bold and decided
action repelled the foreign aggression, aroused public opinion, deterred
a weak and timid administration from surrendering our rights, and saved
the archipelago to the United States.
Judge James G. Swan, who was acting as the governor's secretary at this
time, quotes from his diary how General Harney and Governor Gholson
consulted Governor Stevens, and declares that the stand he took and his
influence were the great means of saving San Juan to the United States;
that, without his clear and decided counsel, General Harney would hardly
have felt justified in taking such vigorous action as he did; that there
was a deal of doubt felt and expressed among officers of the army, and
it needed the strong, outspoken action of such a man as Governor Stevens
at that crisis to turn the scale.
Alarmed at the risk of war, and the scarcely veiled threats of the
British minister, the government hastened to send General Scott to the
seat of war, big with compromise. He withdrew Captain Pickett and all
the troops save one company from the island. Admiral Baynes established
a post of an equal number of marines on the opposite or western end, and
the joint occupation was maintained thirteen years, and until terminated
by the Emperor William's award in favor of the United States.
Scott then endeavored to perform a still more ungracious task, laid upon
him by the administration, to wit, to remove Harney in deference to
Great Britain, without arousing the indignation of the people at such a
rebuke for his spirited and patriotic action; to cringe to the Lion
without exciting the Eagle. He gave Harney an order to relinquish his
command on the Pacific and take the Department of the West, with
headquarters at St. Louis, with permission to accept or decline the
order as he saw fit. But Harney was not disposed to assist in his own
rebuke, or smooth the way of truckling to England, and kept his post.
Hardly had Scott turned his back, when Harney ordered Pickett back to
San Juan, an order in turn countermanded by the general-in-chief.[12]
The people of the Pacific coast were enthusiastic over Harney, the
legislatures of Oregon and Washington applauded his course by public
resolutions, and the public opinion thus aroused put a needed check to
the compromising spirit of the administration.
Governor Stevens spent the remainder of August and part of September in
Olympia. He enjoyed visiting his farms and planning their improvement,
for his early and hereditary love of the soil was always strong. In
September he started eastward by the Isthmus route with his family, and
reached Washington the following month.
FOOTNOTES:
[12] Major Granville O. Haller, in an article on the San Juan
affair, states that immediately on receipt of news of the
action of the British he was sent with his company by Colonel
Casey from Steilacoom to San Juan, ostensibly as a guard
against northern Indians, but with instructions to confer with
Pickett, and if he needed aid, to land and assume command. On
reaching the scene of action he was closely questioned by the
British officers as to the latest news from the east,--the
American mail had just brought news of the battle of
Solferino,--for their mails were delayed, and they were
somewhat restrained by the reflection that their government
might have already relinquished the archipelago, and advices of
it not yet arrived. Major Haller remained on his vessel a few
days, probably not wishing to precipitate a conflict by forcing
a landing, but did land soon afterwards.