, 1859-04-29
Act for the Admission Of Oregon.

We publish in full the act providing for the Sd-
mission Of Oregon into the Union, as matter tf
interest to the people on this side Of the contnent
The boundaries Of the new State, and the condi.
tons prescribed BY Congress, are given in the 1st
and 4th sections The act was approved 1lth
Feb, and reads as follows:
WHEREAS, The people Of Oregon have framed.
ratified and adopted Constitution Of State Gov
ernmcnt which Is republican in form, and IN
conformity with the Constitution Of the United
States, and have applied for admission into the
Union oman equal footing with the other States;
therefore, 60,
Be It enacted by the Senate and House Of Rem
resentatives of the United States Of America. "a
Congress assembled That Oregon be, and she &
hereby received into the Union, on an equal foot.
ing with the other States, in all respects what.
ever, with the following boundaries: In order
that the boundaries Of the State may be known
and established, hereby ordained and declared,
that the State Of Oregon shall Le bounded a
follows, 10 wit: Beginning one marine league at
sea, due west from the point where ihe iorty1
second parallel Of north latitude interseets tie
same; thence northeTly, at the same distance from
the line Of the coast lying west and opposite the
State, including all islands within the Jurisdiction
Of the United States, to point due west and
opposite the middle of the north ship-channol %
tic Columbia river; thence easterly, 10 and up
the middle channel Of said river and (Whare Il Il
divided by islands, up the middle Of The widest
channel thereof, to point near Fort Walla-lValla
where the forty-sixth parallel Of north latitude
crosses said river; thence east on said parallel a
the middle Of the main channel Of the Shoshonoa
or Snake river; thence up the middle Of the main
channel Of said river, TO the mouth Of the 0wys
hee river; thence due south to the parallel Of laiil
tude forty.two degrees north; thence west along
said parallel, to the place Of beginning including
jurisdiction n civil and criminal cases upon the
Columbia river and Snake river, concurTently with
States and Territories Of which those rivers form
a boundary in common with this State. 81. ir
Sections 2. And be II further enacted, That The
said State Of Oregon shall have concurrent juris-
diction on the Columbia and al other rivers and
waters bordering on the said State Of Oregon 30
FAR as the same shall form common boundaryto
said State, and any other State or Status now or
hereafter to be formed or bounded by the same;
and said rivers and waters, and an the navigablo
waters Of said States, shall Be common highways
and forever free; as well 10 the inhabitants of
said State as to an other citizens Of the United
States, without any tax duty, imPost OF toll
therefor. nfl N ftsGgf rIfr
SEC. 8. And be Il further enacted, That until
the next census and apportionment Of represent
atvcs the State Of Oregon shall be entitled 10 ono
representative in the Congress Of the United
States. N sdit
SEC l. And be Il further enacted, That The
following propositions be. and the same are here.
BY offered to the said people Of Oregon, for their
free acceptance or rejection, which, Il accepted,
shall be obligatory on the United States and upon
the said State Of Oregon, to wit: First, That
sections numbered sixteen and thirty sir IL every
township Of public lands in said State, and Ehero
either Of said sections, or any part thereof has
been sold or otherwise been dispos d Of other
lands equivalent thereto, and as contiguous e
may be, shall be granted 70 said St1ts for the use
Of schools. Second, That scvcnty-two sections
Of land shall be set apart and reserved i6r the use
and support Of State University, 70 b selected
by the Governor Ct said State, subject 10 tha
approval Of the Commissioner Of the General
Land Office, and to be appropriated and applied
in such manner as the Legislature of said Sato
may prescribe for the purpose Aforesaid but no
other purpose. Third, That ten entire sections
Of land, to be selected by the Governor Of said
Stlte, in legal subdivisions, shall be granted 70
said State for the purpose Of completing the pub=
lie buildings, or for the erection of others At the
seat Of government under the direction Of the
Legislature thereof Fourth, That an salt
springs within said State, not exceeding twelve
in Lumber, with six sections Of land adjoining o.
as contiguous as may be to each, shall Be gEanted
TO said State for its us, same b. selected By
the Governor thereof within one year afler the
admission Of said State, and when 80 selected, 10
be used or disposed Of on such terms, conditions,
and regulations as the Legislature shall direct:
Provided, That no sat spring or land, the right
whereof is now vested in any individual OF indi-
Viduals, or which may be hereafter confirmed o.
adjudged to any individual or individuals. shall
by this article be granted to said State Flflh,
That five per centum Of the net proceeds Of sales
Of all public lands lying within said Stnte, which
shall be sold by Congress after the admission q
said State into the Union, after d.dactng ~ The
expenses incident TO the same, shall Be paid 10
said State, for the purpose Of making public roads
and internal improvements, as the Legislature
shall direct; Provided, That the foregoing propo-
sitions, hercinbeiore offered, arc on the condition
that the people Of Oregon shall provide BY an
ordinance, iTrcvocable without the consent o. the
United States, that said State shall never inter
fere with the primary disposal Oi the soil within
the same BY the United Stats, or with any regu-
lations Congress may find necessary for securing
the title in said soil to bona purchasers there
Of; and that in no case shall non-rcsdcnt proprie
tors be taxed higher than residents. Sixth, And
that the said State shall never tax the lands Or
the property Of the United States in said State.
Provided, however, That in case any Of the hnd1
herein granted TO the State of Oregon have hors-
tofore been confirmed to the Territory of Oregon
for the purposes specified in this act the amount
so confirmed shall be deducted from the quantity
specified in this act
SEC. 8. And be It further enacted, That, until
Congress shall otherwise direct the residue Of Tho
Territory Of Oregon shall be, and Is hereby IN
corporated into, and made part Of the Terri.
tory Of Washington.