Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 21.djvu/207

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EWING YOUNG AND His ESTATE 195

realized and the Oregon settlement would wax strong. His actual necessities were supplied, but on terms that would have made his acceptance of them a confession of mendicancy on his part. He was essentially an outcast.

By using Kelley as a competent witness for it was evident that he had no proportionate share of the booty if the horses were stolen, along with Young's straightforward story, for he is credited with being a candid man it is strange that Lee and McLoughlin could not have reassured themselves about this assertive new-comer. But for two long years and more Young had occasion to remain embittered. He tended his bands of horses on the Chehalem hills with no prospect that he with his powers and resources could ever join in a co-operative up-building of Oregon. Should he desert, as Kelley had de- serted, his interests in Oregon and take passage back to the states defeated and discomfited?

He was conscious of being an American on American soil. From his association with Kelley, Young could no doubt give account of this faith that was in him. Furthermore, he had done nothing to forfeit his right to be accorded standing and recognition as an American. Through nearly a decade of severest testing his power to lead in progressive enterprise had been proven. He was conscious of his ability. Why should he succumb supinely? Was not here in Oregon his golden op- portunity for constructive enterprise which he had visioned?

THE DOMESDAY BOOK OF RECORD FOR EARLY OREGON

Well, how all was most happily changed at the suggestion of Slacum and the magnanimous responses of the missionaries and Hudson's Bay Company has been told. How his first leadership in community achievement with the cattle expedi- tion was followed by the saw mill enterprise the appended accounts fully show. The influence of his accumulations upon the community is exhibited in the accounts of the administra- tion of his farm and of the auction sales. Altogether these