Here is the story of John Beeson and his "Plea for the Indians," as well as some of the background that led to his flight from his Oregon farm home in the middle of the night. Beeson had the ear of President Lincoln concerning depredations agains Indians by whites and Lincoln told him, "If we get through this [1] war, and I live, this Indian system shall be reformed." Abraham Lincoln did not live. John Beeson was never to see a single Indian reform measure adopted that was attributable to him.