144 ROBERT CARLTON CLARK istered to the French-Canadians and expected them to use their influence to further its interests. 10 The Canadians were for the most part retired servants of the Company and obedient to its instructions. Now under the direction of their spiritual advisers the French withdrew their support from the move- ment to form a government. Writing in November, 1841, one of the managers of the company could boast, "This last sum- mer the Willamette community made strong effort to form a constitution for themselves, but the Company's influence over the Canadian settlers in a large measure defeated that object." 11 Though one of the Catholic clergy had been selected as head of the constitutional committee, a little pressure from the officials of the company secured his resignation. Thus the active hostility of the Hudson's Bay Company, the indifference of many of the Americans and opposition of others, the refusal of the Canadians to join the movement caused a failure to secure a constitution at this time. Besides many were satisfied with having secured a body of officials able to deal with such exigencies as might arise in the immediate, future, and the very coming together for common action in a matter of public interest had shown the colony able to deal with affairs of consequence as they might come up. 12 By the arrival in the fall of 1842 of some 140 Americans led by Dr. Elijah White, recently appointed by the government of the United States a sub-agent for the Oregon Indians, a new impetus was given to the agitation for a government. In Sep- tember of 1842 a public meeting was held to receive the cre- dentials of Dr. White. 13 As far as the formal minutes of the meeting show it came together merely to express the sentiments of the community on appointment of Dr. White. Hines says that White made claims to larger powers than those of an Indian agent, equivalent to those of governor, but no definite conclu- sion was reached on this point. '* Though the formal minutes 10 Letter of Sir George Simpson, Am. Hist. Rev., XIV., p. 81. 1 i Ibid. 12 Hines' Oregon History, p. 420. 13 White, Ten Years in Oregon, p. 168. 14 Oregon Hist., p. 421. White calls this the "largest and happiest public meeting ever convened in this infant colony."
