The Oregon Historical Society has a number of original letters, files of early Oregon newspapers, and other documents relating to events in early Oregon. Many of these I have examined and taken copies of. In this I have been greatly aided by Mr. George H. Himes, for years the efficient Assistant Secretary of the Oregon Historical Society, and Secretary of the Oregon Pioneer Association. I have also obtained copies from two issues of the _Oregon Spectator_ in the possession of the University of Oregon, through the courtesy of Prof. Frederic G. Young.
_Excerpts from opinions of contemporaries of Dr. McLoughlin._
In addition to opinions of Dr. McLoughlin set forth in the address, I here set forth excerpts from other opinions, given by some of his contemporaries. I have selected these out of many high opinions and eulogies upon Dr. McLoughlin.
Judge Matthew P. Deady, in an address before the Oregon Pioneer Association, in 1876, said:[71] "Dr. John McLoughlin was Chief Factor of the Company [Hudson's Bay Company] west of the Rocky mountains, from 1824 to 1845, when he resigned the position and settled at Oregon City, where he died in 1857, full of years and honor.... Although, as an officer of the Company, his duty and interest required that he should prefer it to the American immigrant or missionary, yet at the call of humanity, he always forgot all special interests, and was ever ready to help and succor the needy and unfortunate of whatever creed or clime.
"Had he but turned his back upon the early missionary or settler and left them to shift for themselves, the occupation of the country by Americans would have been seriously retarded, and attended with much greater hardship and suffering than it was. For at least a quarter of a century McLoughlin was a grand and potent figure in the affairs of the Pacific slope.... But he has long since gone to his rest. Peace to his ashes! Yet the good deeds done in the body are a lasting monument to his memory, and shall in due time cause his name to be written in letters of gold in Oregon history."
Governor Peter H. Burnett, from whose "Recollections and Opinions of An Old Pioneer," I have already quoted, also said in that book (pp. 143, 144): "Dr. John McLoughlin was one of the greatest and most noble philanthropists I ever knew. He was a man of superior ability, just in all his dealings, and a faithful Christian. I never knew a man of the world who was more admirable. I never heard him utter a vicious sentiment, or applaud a wrongful act. His views and acts were formed upon the model of the Christian gentleman. He was a superior business man, and a profound judge of human nature.... In his position of Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company he had grievous responsibilities imposed upon him. He stood between the absent directors and stockholders of the Company and the present suffering immigrants. He witnessed their sufferings; they did not. He was unjustly blamed by many of both parties. It was not the business of the Company to deal upon credit; and the manager of its affairs in Oregon was suddenly thrown into a new and very embarrassing position. How to act, so as to secure the approbation of the directors and stockholders in England, and at the same time not to disregard the most urgent calls of humanity, was indeed the great difficulty. No possible line of conduct could have escaped censure.