JAMES K. POLK.
WASHINGTON, _May 29, 1848_.
_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:
I lay before Congress the accompanying memorial and papers, which have
been transmitted to me, by a special messenger employed for that
purpose, by the governor and legislative assembly of Oregon Territory,
who constitute the temporary government which the inhabitants of that
distant region of our country have, from the necessity of their
condition, organized for themselves. The memorialists are citizens of
the United States. They express ardent attachment to their native land,
and in their present perilous and distressed situation they earnestly
invoke the aid and protection of their Government.
They represent that "the proud and powerful tribes of Indians" residing
in their vicinity have recently raised "the war whoop and crimsoned
their tomahawks in the blood of their citizens;" that they apprehend
that "many of the powerful tribes inhabiting the upper valley of the
Columbia have formed an alliance for the purpose of carrying on
hostilities against their settlements;" that the number of the white
population is far inferior to that of the savages; that they are
deficient in arms and money, and fear that they do not possess strength
to repel the "attack of so formidable a foe and protect their families
and property from violence and rapine.
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