A Plea For The Indians; With Facts And Features Of The Late War In Oregon

JOHN BEESON

Publication: John Beeson, 1857, New York

Revised Second Edition. 7 ½" x 4 ½" in green printed wrappers. [i]-viii, [9]-143 p.p., [144 advertisement]. Rear wrapper offers advertisement for a, "proposal to publish a monthly magazine, devoted to the development of a True Womanhood and the Casuse of Humanity, especially that of the Indians. It is to be entitled, "Lafga, The Giver Of Bread." Inside rear wrapper offers review of Plea for the Indians by the New York Tribune and by the National Era. This pamphlet is filled with telling facts and comments of the intolerable wrongs perpetrated upon the Rogue River Indians. "It is sickening, it is dreadful to think that such unprincipled covetousness, recklessness and humanity as are narrated in this pamphlet, have characterized our Pacific Territorialists." Streeter 3376 says, "This pamphlet's value lies not in its account of an overland journey, which takes only a few pages, but in the description of the harsh treatment of the Indians by the emigrants, and in giving the Indian point of view of the Indian War of 1855-6 in Oregon. The publication during the Indian War in one of the New York papers of a letter of Beeson's telling of the wrongs inflicted on the Indians got back to Oregon and infuriated the military party. They made the situation so hot for Beeson that his life was threatened and he had to flee to California. Beeson speaks highly of Joel Palmer and General Wool." Wagner-Camp 284 states, "Beeson left Illinois in March of 1853 and arrived in Southern Oregon by the Humboldt River and the Applegate Trail in September. At this time, the hostilities since known in the history of Oregon as the Rogue River War were nearly ending. "Fletcher Free Library" label affixed to inside front wrapper as well as stamp to bottom of title page. Light soiling to front and rear wrappers as well as wear to the extremities and minor chipping. A very good ex-library.

Inventory Number: 52209