New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-29
NEWS FROM OREGON.
From Our Own Correspondent

From Our Own Correspondent
SAS FRANCISCO, Jan. 3, 1859.
We have dates from Portland to Dec. %.
The Territorial Legislature met on the 1th Decem-
Der and organized the next day, vito Charles Drain
President and Noah Huber a. Clerk Of the Coun:il;
n II. Gses as Speaker, and James NJ. Pyle - Clerk
of the House. Gov. George l.. Curry, the Territorial
Governor, sent in his annual message the next day
1t will be remembered that in November 1857 the
Oregoniaps determined at general election, to apply
to Congress for admission into the UnioD and that in
June 1855 they elected full ticket Of State officers,
including Legislature II was supposed that the
act of admission would be adopted by Congress with
out delay. The State Legislature met; the State
Governor, John Whitaker, delivered his inaugural
message; the Legislature elected two United States
Senators, ard the Territorial organization seemed TO
have disappeared Territorial Governor Curry not
saying word. After the election Of the United States
Senators, however, the Legislature adjourned, and
nothing heard of the State Government for some
time. Indeed Just about the time that the State Gov
erument had apparently got start the news came
from Washington that Oregon was not admitted, and,
as the dominant faction in Oregon Of the str hes
eect Of Democratic Pharisaism, they gave up their
stropg expectations of sovereign importance, ard their
sweet hopes Of official spoil without public groan.
Some Of them argued that it wicked for Oregon TO
try TO be State before che should have 93 900 nhab
tants and the rules developed in the course of the
Presidents Kansas policy found to be TIE per-
fection Of human wisdom. So when tue time came
about for the meeting Of the Legislature, Gov.
Wbiteaker and bis associate State officers did not ap
pear at ALL but the Territorial officers seem to be in
power the political power of the country bObblng up
and down il very singular way. Gov. Curry has
delivered himself Of message and very queer mes
sage it ia.
We all know that Cd orthodox Democrat is q pro-
gressive animal; indeed, his party is progressive"
party, and sometimes an aggressive one, not 10 say
sggravatipg one. Thomas Jefferson was once the
Apostle Of Democracy" out We have progressed be-
yOnd that time TIE leading Democrats Of the Union
once laboIed 10 restrict the domsn Of Slavery, but
those have been superseded By others with ideas
better suite1 TO please the cotton Interest The ord
nance of u was long supposed to be Just, and the
Missouri Compromise TO be constitutional: but
have changed that. II supposed in the days of
Jefferson and Monroe that Congress had the same
power 10 prohibhe slayeuade IL the Territories that
1t has to make It piracy on the high seas; out tue
lawyers have sharper eyes nowadays than their pre-
decessors bad two generations siuce, aud inc eed We
know what the trainers OF the Constitution meant
much better than they themselves krew. OrthodoI
Democrats very fast ielows, but Gov Curry
OF the most progressive OF his class. He hAs given
taste Of his speed IN his message, aud though mis-
tumblirg appears rather ridiculous, Yet some pew Ne
brsska soInerset may grow out Of II. He commences
by anentDg that the last Congress did not op. the
act of admission ana then proceeds to review the ter
ritoria system of the Urion. That System wss In
ugarated, ss be says, by the ordinance of l7S bat
10 use his own words, prominent men Of the times
viewed with distrust the feature in the opera
" tons of the Government, and the adoption Of the
Constitution was urged protection against such
" unwsuantable and dangerous exercise of power"
After announcing this important and hitherto
known historical fact Gov. Curry proceeds to enuI-
ciate the startling political doctrine that Congress mas
II
Governments at all; and indeed be may be right if
il 5e suitted that Congress has power prooioit
In the Territories such great wrong the ntroduc
ton OF Slavery. lie says:
The present system Of Territorial Governments,
under the supervision of Congress cannot BE- sustained
by any strct construction OF the Constitution. IL is
an iufIingen ent OF that instrument. IL does not ac-
cord hsrmoriously with the sprit Of our institutions
IL lie wrong In principle. In nv Judgment,
Congress has constitutional authority to establish
governments anywhere upon the public domain, 10
create and ordaln any species oi constitutional " or
garic law for the gov eminent Of civil community
anywhere within the boundaries Of the Uuited States
Nor Is IL requisite fer the welfare growth snd pros
perty OF the Republic that Congress should exercise
this extraordinary power. Happily the genius Of
Government, ana the Constitution Itself afford ample
provision for the pr-parson and deveopmen nj of the
ipcipient State, with view u its utmste assumption
of independent sovereignty in becoming a member Of
the CoIfederacy The Consultation expressly gives the
pswer to enlarge the Territorial limits OF the United
States by the admission OF rev St.tes and by that
means only"
Now, at the very time that Gsv. Curry denes the
power VI Congress TO establish Territorial Govern
ments, he il acting under the act 10 orgsnzs the
Territory of Oregon, and thus be declares his belief
that his own acts, IN bis official capacity are unson-
sttutionaL
Now, the question arises whether the Democratic
party viii adopt lthe proraEeIamien,o of Mr.. Cuuy.
Are the people in the Territories to be allowed to be
sovereign in fact well as in name That's the
question: IL is true, the Constitution and Congress
should have power to make rules snd regulations for