A Plea for the Indians; with Facts and Features of the Late War in Oregon.

“[T]he Indian point of view of the Indian War of 1855–6 in Oregon…”

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A superb example of Beeson’s A Plea for the Indians… John Beeson, Oregon missionary, was a sympathizer of the plight of the native Americans in the Far West. After the experiences from his overland journey between 1853 and 1856, Beeson became an advocate for the rights of those native Americans whom’s rights were being abused and trampled upon as the Oregon Trail opened up, and gold discoveries were made in Oregon and California. Beeson even goes as far as to give very specific medical instructions for providing medicine and care to sick or diseased Native Americans.

Beeson left Illinois in March of 1853. Via the Humboldt Route, he arrived at Rogue River in southern Oregon in September of 1853. Beeson’s arrival coincided just as the hostilities of the Rogue River War were subsiding. He later returned to New York, by way of Panama, in 1856.

Beeson’s account of his overland journey to California and the Oregon Territory within A Plea for the Indians… is quickly told by Beeson, but as Streeter notes:

“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.”

In this third edition, in answer to his critics, Beeson trebles his reply:

A Plea “was not written to please the fancy, to gain honor or wealth, nor even merely to get up a benevolent effort in behalf of the Indians. The object was rather to speak from their stand-point, and to make public those hidden yet real reasons why they are perishing before (what is called) the march of civilization. As there are now clearer views of Religion—of human relations, needs and capacities, than were known when Railroads were not in use, and Telegraphs were unthought of, I had hoped to indicate measures more consonant with this age of progress, and by truthful adaptation to nature, at once put a stop to Indian Massacres and Border Wars.”

As Streeter observed, because of his pro-native American stance, Beeson had to temporarily leave Oregon, and fled to California to avoid bodily harm. Examples of descriptors from Beeson’s early chapters —alone— will suggest the radical tone of his publication; good reasons to make a hasty exit.

Curiously, the rear wrapper contains lengthy text under the heading “Caution to the Sick.” Here, Beeson suggests a medical regime of bath-taking for native Americans, and even suggests that smallpox could possibly be cured by a dip in the water. Beeson also presents himself as an anti-vaccine adherent: “Even the well-meant practice of vaccination is now known to be a tremendous evil, inasmuch as it transmits scrofula and its horrors to those who were previously free from its taint.” Beeson also protests vehemently against patent medicines as well.

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