The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-04-22
tFrom the Salem Press.1
HON. l.. r. GROVER.

In order to furnish those Of our
readers. who have but lately come in
to our State, with some account of the
Democratic candidat, for Governor,
and therefore of the future Governor
of this young Commonwealth, We here
give q brief sketch q his life.
To old citizens, such an account
is altogether unnecessary, for, rs will
be seen, by perusal of the following
narration, the career of no public man
among us has been more thoroughly,
constantly and prominently identi-
fed with the history of Oregon, than
has been that of Honorable l.. +.
Grover.
Mr.. Grover is q native of Maine,
and now about forty-two years of age.
He is a man of liberal education, and
has always been somewhat noted
among his political and business asso-
ciates for his scholarly and refined
tastes and habits. When quite n
young man he emigrated to Pennsyl-
vania, where he was admitted to the
Bar i'll 1850. In the same year he
started to Oregon, around Cape Horn,
and, upon his arrival early in 1851,
settled in the town of Salem. Shortly
after his location. was appointed Clerk
of the U. S. District Court Of Marion
county, in which capacity he served
for n period of six months. He then
resigned his Clerkship and entered
NJ on the practice of law in partner
ship with Hon. B. +. Harding, since
~. s. Senator from Oregon. At the
session of the Territorial Legislature
bf 1872, Mr.. Grover was elected
Prosecuting Attorney of the Third Ju-
icial District, which then extended
rom Clackamas county to the Califor-
ia line. He was also elected Com
missioner under the act of the same
ASSEMBLY, to collect and publish the
avs and archives of the late Provis-
ional Government of Oregon, which he
accomplished in the following year.
During all this time the law firm of
Harding 4 Grover continued to carry
on u general and lucrative practice.
Real estate litigation out of the Dona-
ton Act of Congress, of 1850 was the
branch # the profession to which the
firm principally devoted its attention
successfully cultivating for ..veral
years this wide and arduSus field OF
labor.
In 1853 .ne Democracy of Marion
foun..y elected Mr.. Grover member
pf the Territorial Legislature, in which
he served during the winter of 1854
N 1853, Mr.. Harding having been ap.
pointed U. s. District Attorney foI
Oregon, Mr.. Grover was appointed
Deputy, and acted on behalf Of the
United States in opening the first
courts ever organized in Southern Or.
egon; Hon. NJ. p. Deady, q. present
U. S. District Judge for Oregon, be,
ing then one of the Territorial Judges
and presiding in Oregon.
Serious Indian hostilitics occurring
in the Rogue River Valley in the fall
of 1853. a company of volunteers, oi
which Hon. j. W. Nesmith. since u
S. Senator, was Captain. and l.. +.
Grover 1st Lieutenant, was organized
and went to the relief of the southern
settlers. The following year, unde,
authority of on net Of Congress. q
commission consisting of L. +. Gro
yer, A. G. Gibbs (since Goverhor) and
DIR. Ambrose, Indian Agent, was ap.
lpointed to audit and report upon the
amount and value of the property oi
settlers destroyed by Indians during
the Rogue River War of 1853. This
duty was performed to the satisfaction
of both the Government and the set.
tiers. In 1865 Mr. Grover was a sec.
ond time elected to the Legislature by
the Democracy of Marion county. In
the fall of this year general Indian
warfare broke out and extended
throughout Oregon and Washington
Territories. After taking an active
part in raising troops, Mr.. Grover
served in the first Yakima campaign
t as aid to Col. Nesmith, who com.
manded the Volunteer troops of Ore.
gon. At the close of this service he
returned and took his seat in the Leg.
, islature, where he was elected and
, served as Speaker of the House dur
/ ing the session of 1866.
/ In 1856 he was appointed by the
! Secretary of War under law of Con.
5 gress, as Commissioner to act with
, two officers of the q. S. Army, in
: auditing and reporting the expenses
[ incurred by Oregon and Washington
t Territories in suppressing Indian hos
tilities within their borders during
the years 1866. The U. S. Army
| Officers appointed on this Board were
: Capt (now Maj. Gen. A. j. Smitf
and Capt Rufus ingalls,, late Chic
3 Quartcrmast of the Army of the Po
! tomac. The duty of this Board thu.
e constituted, was delicate and impor
, tant one. The claims exceeded 81,
| million dollars, and their paymen
: was opposed by General Wool ant
5 other leading officers of the Army
s serving on this Coast, because, a.
they said, the war out of which the,
4 had arisen, had been unnecessaril,
4 provoked by the people of Oregon
s and Washington Territory. Mr.
e Grover performed his duty as Com
missioner to the great satisfaction O
a the people, and secured report from
!. the Board, which justified the cours'
of the authorities and people of tn,
3 two Territories, and procured for thu
t climants awards which recognized
their claims substantially as presented
y Though these awards have not beer
{ fully paid, they constitute valid de
{ mand against the General Govern
| ment, which will be acknowledged
, when properly pressed.