mitted to occupy an hour at the commencement. He made
an able, eloquent and effective speech...
.
Lane followed
and for two hours poured forth the most atrocious false
hoods, the most disgusting epithets, the most insulting tirade
of fanaticism and abuse ever uttered by the poisoned tongue
of a rotten-hearted traitor. His boldness was astounding...
.
They were indeed days to gladden the heart of an
orator. Such a man could practice the profession of
eloquence and gain prestige and the comforts of life
according to his gifts in this field alone. There were
occasions when he could stimulate to concrete action
or could furnish the stimulus and poetry their meager
lives craved as a trapper craved sugar.
1
Speech at the "Second Wolf Meeting"
By W. H. Gray
W. H. Gray came west with Marcus Whitman. He assisted in the construction of the two missionary posts at Waiilatpu and Lapwai. He is best known as author of an early History of Oregon. At the Second Wolf Meeting "William H. Gray . . . arose and made the assembled settlers a little speech. He said that no one would for a moment question the propriety and judiciousness of their action. It was just and natural to thus seek to protect their animals from the ravages of wolves, bears and panthers. Continuing, he said : How i... , fellow citizens, with you and me, and our wives and children? Have we any organization on which we can rely for mutual protection? Is there any power or influence in the country sufficient to protect us and all we hold dear from the worse than wild beasts that threaten and occasion ally destroy our cattle? Who in our mids... authorized to call us together to protect our own and the lives of our families? True, the alarm may be given, a... a recent case, and we may run who feel alarmed, and shoot off our guns, while our enemy may be robbing our property, ravishi
