cwith all benevolent citizens to anticipate the unfortunate effects of
the excitement which is so unjustly raised against the Catholics, is
the confidence with which I have the honor to remain, sir,
Your obedient servant,
M. ACOLTI."
Governor Abernethy endeavored to quiet the excitement, and in a letter to R. W. Ford, who had published an article in the Oregon American and Evangelical Unionist, edited by J. S. Griffin of Tualatin plains, said:
I am well acquainted with the Indian character, and know their disposition to carry false reports from one to another, sometimes merely to see what effect a report unfavorable to the person they are speaking to will have. I am, therefore, satisfied that the In dians, in making the statement they did to Mr. Rodgers, did it to mislead him. For I cannot believe that the priests would be so remiss as to say anything of the kind to the Indians while there is so much excitement in the community.
This was, it is true, a rather weak defense, but was better than the inflammatory articles that certain anti-Romanists were eager to place before the public, the influence of which remains to this day in Oregon, many respectable persons of the pioneers, and their children, firmly believ ing that the ammunition which was intercepted, and sent to Oregon City when Fort Lee was abandoned, to lie for months in the governor s storehouse, was intended by the Catholics to exterminate the Protestants in Oregon. No proof of any such intention was ever apparent.
In December, a petition was presented to the legislature to expel Catholics from the country, which was rejected. They were not permitted to return to the Umatilla, but retained possession of all their other missions. In Febru ary, 1849, the legislative assembly having inquired of the governor what disposition had been made of the arms and ammunition of the priests, he replied that he had felt himself justified in retaining possession of them until then ; but application had been made to him to return the property to Vancouver to be placed to the credit of the Catholic missions on the company s books, accompanied
