, 1878-08-24
General Joseph Lane.

General Joseph Lane.
The following is an extrac
from notes prepared for Ban
crofts forthcoming history.
When on the 14th of August
1S48, the act of Congress estab-
fishing a Territorial Govern
ment ever Oregon became a
law, it was the wish of Presi
dent Polk that its benefits be
extended to Oregon as soon as
possible. He also had a pride
that the Territory be an estab-
lished fact Of his administration
which expired on the Sd of
March following. This involved
the necessity of a winters jour
ney across the continent. The
Territory was so distant and the
difficulties in the way of it's
speedy population SO great that
it offered no advantage to politi-
cal preferment, and the salary
too small to be u pecuniary OBJ
ject. True the Governor, was
-officio superintendent of In
dian affairs making the joint
salary $4,000 per annum, but as
the offices might at any time be
separated, the salary would
thereby be reduced one half, it
was therefore difficult for the
President to select 4 suitable
person to accept the office. Gen.
Shields and Abraham Lincoln
are said to be among others who
refused.
To Joseph Lane of Indiana,
the appointment was at length
offered, and 10. Meek was charg-
ed with the commission and a
verbal message from the Presi-
dent, to be delivered to General
Lane, then at his home at New
burg, Indiana.
Gen. Lane was at that time
the favorite son of q great state
that delighted to do him honor
and to shower upon him the
highest prizes ofambition. The
trade he had built up by his
energy and judgment was bear
ing golden fruit-to give up
these advantages Of no small
sacrifice, and had he acted from
personal considerations only, he
like the rest, would have retus-
ed to go into punishment at the
extreme limits Of the Republic.
When Meek arrived at New
burg, he found the General wri-
ting in his study, and the fol
lowing coloquy is said to have
passed between them:
Meek opened the dialogue in
his usual grand eloquent man.
ner.
care you Joe. Lane of India
ma, a General in the Mexican
WARP"
eyes"
II am 10. Meek ofOregon and
Marshall of that Terrtory-I
have the honor to bring to you
from my cousin, President Polk,
your commission as Governor
of Oregon, and a verbal message
from my cousin to the effect
that he has set his heart upon
having a Territorial Government
in actual existence in Oregon
during his administration, and
in the name Of the friendship
existing between him and you,
he conjures you to accept the
commission and proceed at once
to the discharge of the duty.
Do you aceept?'
"Yes."
CHOW soon can You start?"
"In Is minutes, if the same
requires it,"
And, in fact Gen. Lane was
on his way to Oregon three
days after.
For the journey to Oregon,
and the official acts of Governor
Lane, see the interesting nara
tive given by Mrs. Victor IN her
book 'The river Of the West"
Though no favorite Ct the lady,
on account of his "secession pro-
clivlties," and not being so much
an admirer of DR.. Mclaughlin
as herself, her respect tor truth
compelled her to bear witness to
its energy and success.
Being by conviction a state
rights Democrat, and friend of
the South by sympathy and as.
sociation, though not a slave
holder or desiring the extension
If slavery, yet, as he believed
he institution, sanctioned and
protected by the constitution,
len. Lane acted with the South
I'm wing of the Democrats so
ong Us it con:enGel 4Lr It's
L