LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE
350
houses for the defense of the whites and the regiment of
men, released from service
in the
Mexican War, had
rifle-
to be
it could be sent to Oregon. however, had been on the President's mind, for just before receiving the second communication from Abernethy he had, after consultation with his Cabinet, decided to
recruited to full strength before
The
situation,
unite the military districts of Oregon and California and put them under the command of General Persifer F. Smith. General Smith, who was then in Washington (October) had already been ordered to Oregon with the mounted riflemen as
soon as they should be ready to leave. 11 Abernethy's plea, then, could receive no other direct response, although the Secretary of the Navy was directed to order the commander of the Pacific squadron to proceed at once with a part of his force to Oregon and to furnish the inhabitants with arms and am-
munition and such of his
more took occasion
men
as he could spare. 12
to confide to his diary
what
Polk once
he believed to
be the cause of the misery of the Oregonians; "the neglect and inattention of Congress" which had failed to act in accord
had been "more occupied President-making than in attending to
with his recommendations, because at the last session in
it
public business."
Oregon, therefore, was forced to defend herself. A volunwas raised and this, together with the efforts of the Hudson's Bay Company and of the Catholic priests from teer force
the missions, succeeded in
making the allied tribes seek peace. Incidentally the massacre which had opened the strife was made the excuse of declaring forfeit the lands of the Cayuses about Walla Walla, thus throwing them open to settlement.
The expenses incurred by the Provisional Government in war became the cause of a long-standing claim against
the
the
Federal Government.
Annual Message 13 Polk did not hesitate to speak plainly on the Oregon situation and emphasized his remarks by sending to Congress the latest letter he had received from In his
last
Polk, Diary, IV, 149. 2 Ibid., 155-6. 13 Globe, XIX, 7.
1 1 1
