may be proper to remark in this place, however, that many of the officers of the United States army, who afterwards rendered distinguished services to their country in the war of the Rebellion, obtained their first experience of actual warfare in these Indian campaigns in Washington territory. General U. S. Grant served for a time in the territory. Gen. P. H. Sheridan was under fire of the enemy for the first time in a battle with the Indians at the Cascades. Generals Casey, Keyes, Kantz, Augur, Grier, Dent, Lyon, Wright, A. J. Smith, D. B. McKibben, our own Haller and others, served in this territory. In the year 1857, stationed at various posts in Oregon and Washington territories, there were from 1,500 to 2,000 regular troops, to hold in subjection 39,000 Indians. FOOTPRINTS OF SECESSION. Nor Many officers who served here likewise distinguished themselves afterwards in the Confederate army, among whom may be mentioned Loring, Hardie, Barnett and Pickett. were the footprints of the secession movement entirely wanting in Washington territory. There was manifestly, in the year 1859, a determined effort on the part of the secessionists who then controlled the government of the United States, to precipitate a war between Great Britain and the United States, in order to distract the attention of the country from the measures then being taken by the secessionists. On the 29th of October, 1858, General William S. Harney, the intimate and personal friend of John B. Floyd, then secretary of war, fresh from a campaign in Utah, was ordered to Van Couver to take the command of the department of Oregon, which included the territory of Washington. General Harney had been distinguished for many years as a successful Indian fighter, was a native of Louisiana and a favorite of Southern statesmen, promoted from time to time. until now he was a brigadier general of the United States army, ambitious of distinction and no doubt thoroughly informed as to the plans of the leaders of the secession movement, and was in all respects a suitable instrument in their hands to carry out their cunningly devised scheme to involve the United States in a war with Great Britain by bringing on a collision between the forces of the two nations on the island of San Juan, the possession of which was still in dispute and was jointly occupied by the two governments. Without communicating his orders through the intermediate commanders, Colonel Casey and Major G. O. Haller, which was in itself a violation of the rules and regulations of the army, unless great necessity existed therefor, General Harney, on the 18th of July, 1859, ordered Captain George E. Pickett to occupy the island, and at any and every risk whatever, prevent any further joint occupation by the British. Captain Pickett was a brave and dash Harney, on ing officer who would not hesitate to fire on any British force which might present itself. Meanwhile Colonel Casey and Major Haller, neither of whom were informed of the intended movement, were withdrawn from Fort Townsend to Fort Steilacoom, in order that nothing might interfere with the expected collision. A Kentucky secessionist, R. D. Gholson, had in the meantime been appointed governor of Washington territory, and he was expected to call out troops and facilitate the war measures on hand. He arrived in the territory in July, and in reply to a communication from General Harney, on the 11th of August, assured that officer that he might rely upon his cordial co-operation whenever an emergency demanded it, and that he had an abiding faith that the citizens of the territory would respond with enthusiastic alacrity to any call he might make upon them. On the 21st of August he wrote to General Harney that "should a collision occur" it might be desirable to have a supply of arms and ammunition in addition to that already on hand, to which General Harney answered that on the 19th of September he had placed 85,000 round of musket, 15,000 rounds of rifled musket, and 2,oco rounds of howitzer ammunition at Fort Steilacoom, subject to Governor Gholson's requisition. On the 7th of August General Harney called upon the commander of the United States navy at San Francisco to order such force as "he could render available to Puget Sound, to assist in the protection of American interests, and to enable us," as he said, "to meet successfully any issue that may be attempted," etc. When it is considered that the scene of these dastardly movements was 3,500 miles from the seat of government, and that 2,000 miles of an overland journey, through a hostile region, impracticable in winter, or a sea voyage of 16,000 miles for vessels of war, was necessary to reach assistance, it can readily be understood how dangerous was the situation, and how much mischief might have been done before peace could have been restored. Fortunately for the peace and happiness of the country, the cool, as well as patriotic, judgment of Colonel Casey, Major Haller and others, together with the good sense and discretion of Sir James Douglas and the officers of the British squadron, prevented the imminent and expected collision. The arrival shortly afterwards of General Winfield Scott upon the ground restored the statu quo of joint occupancy and peace between the two nations,-preserved until the boundary question was finally settled in 1872. Shortly after Governor Gholson and General Harney were both consigned to merited retirement and oblivion. LATER HISTORY OF THE TERRITORY. Of the history of the territory during its later years, and of the foundation of its many prosperous towns and cities, it is not my purpose now to speak. It may be sufficient to say that owing to occasional wars and almost constant difficulties with the Indians its early growth was slow and the extension of its settlements was attended with hardships and great danger. The discovery of gold, however, in 1858 in British Columbia, and shortly after on the Salmon river, within the limits of the present territory of Idaho, stimulated the immigration into Washington territory, and added largely to its population. With the long continued efforts made for the introduction of Washington territory into the Union as one of the sister States, beginning with. the introduction by our fellow pioneer, Hon. Orange Jacobs, then our territorial delegate, of a bill for that purpose in December, 1877, in the Congress of the United States, continued by the Hon. Thomas H. Brents and other delegates, in which they were especially and greatly assisted by Senators John H. Mitchell and Joseph N. Dolph, you are all familiar. These efforts were finally successful, and on the 11th day of November, 1889, Washington became one of the States of the American Union with an estimated population of 300,000 people. CHARACTER OF THE EARLY PIONEERS OF THE TERRITORY. The constitution of this pioneer association provides that all those who came to make a home in California, Oregon or Washington territory prior to the 1st day of January, 1856, and all children of such parents, when of 363 legal age, are eligible to membership. The limits of this address, already too long, do not permit me to make further reference to the details of the early settlement of the territory or to the names of early settlers. In order to show, however, the cosmopolitan character of those settlers, I have prepared from the record of the association, as furnished me by Hon. Francis Henry, its worthy secretary, the following statement of the place of nativity of those settlers as given in the records referred to: Of the 638 members of the association there were born in Maine 38, Newhampshire 4, Vermont 10, Masssachusetts 16, Rhode Island 4, Connecticut 6, New York 78, New Jersey 7, Pennsylvania 33, Ohio 48, Virginia 16, Indiana 50, Illinois 45, Kentucky 24, Wisconsin 5, Michigan 4, Iowa 15, Missouri 22, Tennessee 10, North Carolina 1, Maryland 3, West Virginia 2, Colorado 6, Oregon 21, Arkansas 2, Georgia 1, Washington territory 42, Washington, D. C. 1, Louisiana 2, England 18, Scotland 13, Canada 3, Australia 2, Wales 2, Ireland 17, Norway 3, Germany 10, Poland 2, Russia 1, Bavaria 4, Nova Scotia 5, New Brunswick 2, South Carolina 1, Texas 1, Delaware 1, Mississippi 1, Holland 1, Sweden 1, Denmark 1, Bohemia 1, Greece 1, unknown 31. With few exceptions the men and women making up this membership were worthy to become, as they were, the founders of a great State. Whether we consider their industry, ability and capacity, or their loyalty and devotion to free institutions and the general influence of the human race, they were fit instruments for the great work they were destined to accomplish. Nature has provided within the limits of the State of Washington a rich and inexhaustible supply of field and forest and commercial advantages unequalled elsewhere in the wide world, with conditions of climate best adapted to human comfort as well as human energy. It would seem that almost every State in the Union and every civilized nation on the globe had been represented by its delegates and representatives when the foundations of this State were laid. They brought with them the church, the school-house and the printing press; they believed that with a great teacher education is a companion which no misfortune can depress, no crime can destroy, no enemy can alienate, no despotism enslave. At home, a friend; abroad, an introduction; in solitude a solace, and in society an ornament. It chastens vice, it guides virtue, it gives at once grace and government to genius. Without it what is man? A splendid slave, a reasoning savage. It is to the pioneers of Oregon and Washington that the country at large owes those magnificent grants of the sixteenth and the thirty-sixth sections of every township of public land for educational purposes, for it was in answer to their appeal therefor that these grants were made to the territory of Oregon on the 11th of August, 1848, when that territory was created, and the same grant has since been made to all territories upon their admission as states into the Union. Prior to that time only the sixteenth sections were granted for educational purposes. The national homestead law passed by Congress in 1862 also was the legitimate successor and offspring of the Oregon donation law of 1850, passed by Congress in answer to repeated petitions therefor from the early settlers of that territory. This law has been the source of unnumbered blessings to millions of people. By your permission I will illustrate still further the character of the pioneers of Washington. On the 6th day of June, 1889, a frightful conflagration visited Seattle, by which the business and, therefore, the most valuable part of the city was utterly destroyed. No sooner was this fact known throughout the country than millions of money were freely and promptly offered for the rebuilding of the waste places and for the restoration of its business. Does any one suppose these vast sums of money would have been as freely furnished had it not been for the widely known and recognized honesty and integrity of its founders, Yesler, the Dennys, Horton and many others who were not only its pioneers, but its principal business men? Similar disasters at Ellensburg and Spokane Falls shortly afterwards were followed by the same supplies of money, and they have since been rebuilt more grandly than ever, be cause of the confidence of capitalists in the honor and good faith of their citizens. Within a few months the state of Washington has disposed of its bonds to the amount of $300,000 for the purpose of discharging its indebtedness at a lower rate of interest and on better terms than were ever before known on the Pacific coast. It is a peculiarity of communities and states as of individuals that the character manifested by them in their early years attaches itself to them throughout their subsequent existence. The state of Washington is now and will hereafter continue to reap the benefits which result from the sturdy integrity, personal honor and unwavering morality of its pioneers. It would be a pleasure to repeat their names in this address, but space will not permit, nor is it necessary, for those names are already written in the Book of the Immortals, and they constitute a roll of honor of which the state may well be proud in after years, and which should be held in grateful remembrance in all time to come. Many of them have gone to that undiscovered country from which no one ever returns, but those yet living, surrounded by children, troops of friends and all the evidence of great prosperity, made possible by the toils and labors of their early youth, have earned the privilege of enjoying all the pleasures and comforts in which old age can find satisfaction, "Ever the richest, fondest glow Surrounds the autumnal sun; No settler within the limits of the state of Washington now rises in the morning uncertain as to the ownership or title or the possession of the land upon which he labors. No citizen of Washington is now in doubt as to whether the flag which may float over his residence, bearing upon its folds the emblem of national States or Great Britain. Thanks to authority, will be that of the United loyalty, courage and perserverance of our pioneers, the stars and stripes now wave over the continent from ocean to ocean, and there is no one to question its rightful supremacy. The title of the aborigines of the country has been extinguished and the patent of the United States government is the best guarantee and the most perfect evidence of title on earth. Mr. President, the days of hero worship are over. We no longer by any stretch of the imagination whatever invest the leading and prominent men and women of the world with those superior qualities which are supposed, usually, to belong to gods and goddesses. This busy, bustling and practical age of ours takes no account of anything in the ordinary affairs of life except what may be actually accomplished, and it believes that what man has done man can do again. But the hope and expectation may not be unreasonable that the ex |