Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1870-11-19
o he Orf9oa8 8epab.iraa.
COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER.
DALLAS. SATURDAY, NOV. 10.



that the passage of the Lock Bill was a
very wise measure, and advantageous
TO the State, aud the School Fund in |
particular, and that it was strictly con-
stitutional. Now, if oil the Herald
contends for be true, and if the thing
be so plain, as it attempts to make.it, it
is truly wonderful that the extraordi
nary talents aud precious time of the
editor should have been spent filling
the colums of that paper almost daily,
ever since the adjournment of the
Legislature, in defeace of the measure.
The people of Oregon read for them>
selves, and a proposition SO plain, can
be understood by them without the in
teryention of continued exhibitions oil
such profound legal ability, as is found
in the columns of the Herald, both As
editorials and communications.
The Herald, and those who contribute
to its columns, claim, with an air of
confidence not often exhibited by legal
men and journalists, that the said Bill
is strictly in accordance with the Con.
stitution and the Laws Of Congress.
We published the first article on that
subject during the Session, and claimed
that such a law would be palpable
violation of the Constitution of Oreso
and that there was no power whatever
to authorlse such . proceeding; and
we have seen no cause to change orr
opinion, If the position taken by the
Herald be correct, then the people of
Oregon, ever since the organization Of
the State, have been very ignorant of,
and slow to understand, their rights !;
because it is undeniable that men of
all parties have had, or entertained but
one opinion npoa the subject until very
recently-all have understood that the
100000 acres of land riginally donated
TO the State for internal improvements.
were, by the act Of the people of Ore
gon, and the Act of Congress admitting
the State into the Union, absolutely and
legally dedicated to the School Fund 10
this State; every foot of those lands was
selected for that purpose by the proper
officers, and with that understanding
the selections were sent to head quar-.
ters, the proper department at Wash
ington City, and there recognized as
school lands the selections. approved
by the department, aud returned to our
local land Offices in Oregon as school
lands; placed upon the records at those
Offices and designated on the plats as
such; officers have been duly appoints
ed to make sale of those lands as school
lands-and portion of them has been
actually sold as such -and now, at the
expiration of ten years, it turns out, by
the overpowerlng logic of the Herald,
that all who have had to do with thi.
matter, the members of the Legislature
our State Officers, Land Officers, Gov.
ernment Officers at Washinton CITY,
and Members of Congress were either
fools or knaves, save and except the late
Legislature.
Now We desire to call attention to a
few facts. Everyone who was present at
the late Session of the Legislature. and
heard the deba' es on that subject knows
this, that the argument on both sides,
for and against the Bill, proceeded upon
the assumption that the question as to
whether Congress had given its assent
TO the diversion of the fund from inter.
nalimprovements to school purposes was
a doubtful and debateable one and es
pecially those who favored the BIN and
claimed the right to appropriate the
land to internal Improvements, declared
in both houses, that the matter was in
doubt And we claim, if that position
be correct, that it was a rlain violation
of the Constitution to appropriate the
money for any other purpose other than
that directed in that instrument. be-
cause each member of the Legislature
was sworn to obey the Constitution Of
the United States, and of the State Of
Oregon, uad our Constitution declares
that the proceeds Of the SOC, 900 acres
OF land shall be set apart as an irreduc,
ible School Fund, if Congress shall con
sent. Then, most clearly, SO long a.
there remained in the mind of mem.
Der Of the. Legislature doubt as tc
whether or not Congress had given it.