The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-09-29
SCRAPS OF OREGON HISTORY.
rERRrroRIAL GOVERNMENT.

Il
TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
The first effort made with view TO the ss.
tablishment of civil government In Oregon
| was made at Champoeg. then the principal
settlement in the Willamette valley. on the 7th
| of February 1S41 when "a meeting OF some
of the Inhabitants was held for the purpose OF
consulting upon the steps necessary TO De
| taken for the formation of laws and the cleo
tisn of officers TO execute the same. Inc rev.
/ Jaaon Lee was called to the chair. The names
1 of nersons regarded by the meeting as suits-
bIe vera recommended TO the people at large
for Governor and for other necessary OfaseFs.
| A resolu tion was also passed stnat al sasuers
north Of the columbia river nos connected
with the Hudson's BAY oom pses, 4 = =.
i nl;eation 70 that effect" On the 18TH @ tne
| ssrss ,nonth persons were elected TO nlI the
yarioug Offices and they were instructed ITO aos
according to the laws o. New 10 nntit
| other laws should be adopteo. 1ness
| oficers did not, however, enter upon the dis
CHARGE of their duties. Various causes for dis
Confinement presented SO many obstacles to
tba organization Of civil government at that
time es to necessitate the abandonment OF ths
scheme. ;,;, 80.
| in the establishment Of 9 provisional govern
ment. with q triumvirate execuuve, SYKES,
M.a 1M0 rxscut;ve COMMITTEES. The expenses
! Of the government were borne BY the people IN
voluntary subscriptions OF sucn amount an
nually as each subscriber should cnoose %
| pay. .r.-,vv
Tn NAV. 1874, the people elected second
| Execntiye committee, and also Legislative
committee. Peter g. Stewart, Osborn Russell
and W. J. Bailey were elected Executive com.
mittee. and Peter q. Burnett, David Hill, n.
M. McCaryer NJ. Gilmore. a. l.. LoyeJoy.
Robt. Newell, Daniel Waldo ana =. y. Aeihef
| constituted the Legislative committee.
| On the 9th of June, 1874, the legislative
| committee having assembled at what Is now
known as Oregon City and received the nrss
| message of the executive committee, proceeosQ
/ to reconstruct the government. Inc execnLiVe
| power was changed from the triumvirate 70 that
| Of a single head, the legislative powers we're
| better regulated and more clearly defined, and
/ a judiciary system was established. An acs
/ was passed to create revenue which should be
| equal to the wants of an economical admins
| tration OF the government. Their session
| lasted nine days and they performed much i'm
| portant labor.
The organic law thus passed by the legisla-
| tive committee was subsequently adopted by
| the people at regular election. and became
| the basis OF all other territorial governments.
| The Legislative committee again assembled IN
| Oregon City December 10th OF the same year,
| and continued in session eight days, enacting
much necessary legislation OF Importance.
/ AN INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT.
tt ia remembered as an interesting historical
| fact. that about this time the question was
seriously discussed as to the expedlency and
necessity of an independent instead Of pro-
visional government. 1t was argued that the
geographical position OF this territory was such
as to place it at 80 great distance from the
seat of the general government. as to render IL
| almost impossible to present the needs snd
wishes Of the people to the authorities At Wash
ington, or to get assistance in return; so that
such an independent government was not only
expedient, but necessary. Some few persons
of high character and important influence we're
in this movement, and it was prompted by the
fact that this distant territory appeared to have
been left by the general government without
protection and as if abandoned by their own
country. They were not able to realize the
difficulties that beset the negotiations aboutt the
title. and the embarrassments and delay Of the
general government in consequence. But,
happily for the people Of Oregon, the inde-
pendent" movement found no favor in the eyes
of the large majority. The people very gener-
ally looked forward with honest pride and hope
to the time when the flag OF their country
would again throw its protecting @gis above
them-a visible sign that they had not been
forgotten in their distant home.
In the spring OF 1845 George Abernethy was
elected the first governor OF the territory Of
Oregon.
STARS AND STRIPES.
Saws Hon, J. Quinn Thornton, Judge Of the
supreme court OF the territory. in his narrative.
from which we have drawn largely for this 60
count: 1.-THE appearance upon the Columbia oi
the United States schooner Shark, in 184e.
fcheered the hearts OF our citizens In thai dis.
tant territory; and upon the stars and stripes
: being displayed, they were greeted by the
spontaneous shouts Of the people, whose minds
{ | were filed with q thousand glorious memories
which clustered about the emblem OF theil
Z countrys nationality. An ensign and union
: Jack being among the few articles
s preserved from the unfortunate wreck OF
& that vessel, these were, with peculiar ap
proriateness, present ted to the provisional gov.
O ernment OF Oregon, through his Excelienc,
4 George Abernethy, by Lieutenant Mel II
!. Howison, the late commandant OF the Shark
= This was emphatically the first flag Of th'
8 United States that waved over the undispnte'
j. and purely American territory Of Oregon; TO
" it was about the 22d Of February. 1S47, tha
r q confirmation OF the news OF the Oregon treat
- was receiyed Powder sufficient for natisna
salute was fired from an old rusty and dis
= mounted gun which had been given as by
y merchantmen"
,s Il was expected that immediately on the set
is tlement of the boundary and the title question
10 the congress Of the United States would 4
Ia once provide for the establishment OF . terr
torial government in Oregon. But great vi
s, the grief and disappointment, as well as q
y astonishment Of the people, to learn that eol
20 gress adjourned and left them still in Il
ID anomalous and extraordinary position Of hav
g. ing no government or protection Of the Unit
" States over them. A petition was prepar,
= for such government, signed by most Of Il
=. settlers, and sent by the Hon. J. Quinn Thor
Z. ton in person to the city Of Washington.
:. TERRITORY ORGANIZED.
Through the zeal of Senator Thomas
Behton, who had always been . friend Of Or
n gon, and by the aid Of Hon. Stephen 4. Do
:, glas assisted by the efforts Of President Pol
n who was anxious to have some important eve
"a close his administration, Oregon WAS given
=, territorial government in ls4S. Hon: jose
TO Lane, who was ever after been closely identif
n with the interests OF this State, was appoint
ID the first territorial governor. He started
IA once for bis future field, and arriving here
- sued his executive proclamation on the Sd
y March, 1849.
IN To aid further in the settlement OF Greg
IL and stimulate immigration thereto, co1grt
iy the next year passed law granting to any q
he gle man who had settled or should settle beio
or the first of December OF that year, $40 acres
- land, and to married man double that qua
q tity. This is what is known as the s.Donatl
Ia Law" It was extended by congress from III
u to time and expired in 1854.
n In 1853 the large area before known as VI
n gon territory was divided, and that portion
nc it known as the district OF Vancouver was
- off and organized into the Territory OF was
l0s | ington, March 2, 1858. The boundary line y
nt established on the north by the 4sfn paTsi, .
ny The Columbia river forms the Doundary
nd tween Oregon and Washington.
ON In 1859 Oregon, having population
~ so acg ,v.s aJuoikkad into the Union as