, 1853-02-12
RepOrt.

@a-
Report.
The Select Committee, to whom was re-
ferred the Resolution requesting ou Dele
gate in Congress to use his best endeavOrs
to have the Congress Of the United STATES
divide the Territory of Oregon, and estab-
lish Territorial Government north of the
Columbia River, beg leave 10 report the ac-
companyng memorial as a substitute for
said resolution.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
f, A. CHENowETH, Chm'n.
G. Z COLE,
!. N. EBEY.
WHEREAS, Oregon Territory containing
an area of more than three hundred thou
sand square miles, is entirely too large ever
to be admitted into the Union as one State,
if the wishes, interest and convenience,
Considerations not to be overlooked }, Of
the citizens are at all consulted:
And, whereas, the Columbia river, lying
near the center of said Territory, appears
10 have been intended as great natural
boundary between two commonwealths
And, whereas, it is well known to be the
general wish of the citizens residing north
of said river, expressly repeated in three
public meetings, and by their delegates in
Convention assembled, in the town Of Mon
ticello, on the 25th day of November, 1852,
without dissenting voice, did adopt their
memorial, praying Congress to pass a law
creating separate Territorial Government /:
Therefore,
Be it resolved by the Legislative Assem-
bly, OF the Territory Of Oregon, That our
Delegate in Congress be and hereby is in.
structed, TO use all means in his power to
procure the passage of law organizing
that portion of our territory. in accordance
with the prayer of the memorial.
II MEMORIAL y
To Congress upon the subject of dividing the Ter
riIoTy of Oregon.
To the Honorable the House Of Representa-.
tivcs Of the United States, in Congress
assembled
Your memorialist, the Legislative Assem-
bly, Of the Territory Of Oregon, legally as
sembled upon the first Monday in December
A. d. 1852, would respectfully represent
unto your honorable body, that a period o.
four years and six months has elapsed sine,
the establishment of the present Terrtoria
Government over the Territory of Oregon
and that in the mean time the population o
said Territory has spread from the banks o
the Columbif River north along Puge
Sound, Admiralty Inlet, aud Possession
Sound, and the surrounding country, to tn,
Canal dc AFRO and that the people Of tina
Territory labor under great Inconvenience
and hardship, by reason Of the great dis
lance TO which they are removed from th,
center Of the present Territorial organiza
ton.
Those portions ofOregon Territory lyins
south and north Of the Columbia Rive
must, from their geographical position, diff
ference in climate and internal resources
remain in a great degree distinct communi
ties, with different interests and policies il
all that appertains 10 their domestic lcgisa
ton, and the various interests that are tC
be regulated, nourishcd and cherished by it
The communication between those two
portions Of the Territory is difficult, clsua
and uncertain, although time and improve,
mcni would in some measure remove thi,
obstacle, yet il would for long period ia
the future, form serious barrier to the
prosperity and well being of each, so long
as they remain under one government
The territory north Of the Columbir riv,
er, and west Of the great northern branch
Of that stream, contains sufficient number oil
square miles 10 form a State, which in
point Of resources and capacity to maintain
a population, that will compare lavorably
with most Of the States of the Union.
Experience has proven that when marked
geographical boundaries, which have been
traced by the hand of nature, have been dis
regarded in the formation Of local govern
ments, that sectional jealousies and local
strifes have seriously embarrassed their pros
perity, and characterized their domestic
legislation.
Your memorialists, for these reasons,
and for the benefit Of Oregon both north
and south Of the Columbir river, and beliov-
ing from the reservation of power in the
first section Of the organic act, that Con,
uress then anticipated that al some future
Time, it would be necessary to establish
other Territorial organizations west Of the
Rocky Mountains, and believing that that
time has come, would respectfully pray your
honorable body, to establish a separate Ter
ritorial government for all that portion of
Oregon territory lying north of the Colum.
ba river, and west of the great northern
branch of the same, 10 be known as the
Territory Of Columbia.
THE UNiTED STATES AND PERU-THE