The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-05
which was written soon after his appointments
and received In due course Of mail some TWO
months Later:

head waters of the Mississippi to Puget sound
petition might occasion in the organization of
the territory, Colonel Anderson, the marshal,
vii take a census preliminary u,ss 70 "a
He VIII be found to be very worthy
gentleman, will consult with bis fellow citizens
on Gil subjects OF interest TO the Territory. ana
FOR bin and his brother officers bes2eak your
good Offices. military road 10 to Dc built from
Fort Walls Walla to Puget sound captain NC
Clellan, an ofiicsr distinguished ios ms es.-
1antry in Mexico, has command OF the party,
who will mike the exploration oil the CASCADE
fange and the construction OF the military ROAD
f. s ans n erssss to pierce the
Rocky Mountains and this road IL to be done ia
time for the falls emigration, so that an open
line OF commpnlestion between the states ana
the eonnd VII. Is made this year.
Desiring TO know your views on thcse ana
kindred sopics inviting yons conside1 , o.
''' Isaac L srxyKra
Though looking back over period of nearly
forty years, think II viii be readily discerneo
that from the time OF the Monticello convention,
which framed the memorial already quoted,
down 70 the organization of the first Legislature,
was most intensely interesting period in our
territorial existence; so much 50 that the time
embracing our Indian war feel safe In saying
exeels by far in interest any period OF Ike dnra-
ton in our whole territorial life; but nave not
the time aud will not attempt to enter Into
history of that psriod except to very limited
extent. Colonel Anderson, on his arrival, pro-
ceeded with all possible dispatch to take the
census. ana found total white population OF
B,ee5, and upon the arrival OF the governor ne
made an apportienment for the first legislature
and issued o proclamation on the 18th day
OF November, 1853, designating the goth day OF
January, 1854 as the day for the first election
Of members OF the legislature, and the 25th day
Of February as the time and Olympia a. the
place of meeting The council was composed OF
nine members, as follows:
Clarke county-D F. Bradford, William Tap
Lewis and Pscidc-seth Catlin, Henry Miles.
Thnsston-D. X. Bigelow, B. Z. iantlS
Pierce and King-Latayette baicn, u. w. me-
Conaha.
Jefferson and Isiand--willinm P. sayward-
The House consisted OF eighteen members, ap-
portioned a. follows:
Clarke county, F. A. Chenoweth, Heny X.
Crosbie A. j. Bolsn, John d. Biles, A. G Lewes;
Island, Samuel ID. Howe: Jefferson, Daniel T.
Brownfeld; King, A. A. Denny; Lewis, u; u.
auntington, John Jackson; faclhS T.o onnu
sor, John NJ. Chapman; Thurston, David shel-
ton, c. H. Hale. l. D. Durgin, Ira Work.
OF that council one member only now sur
wives, d. r. Bigelow, and OF the house, so far as
have been able TO learn, all are gone but seven
~-Chenoweth, Brownheld. Chapman, Denny,
Work, Thompson and Shelton. This legisia-
ture was composed mostly OF young men, active,
earnest and fairly well equipped to succeed in
whatever they undertook One OF their first
legislative acts was to call to their assistance,
as a commission, the three judges of the district
court-LAnder, Monroe and Strong-to prepare
code of laws for the territory, and it may be
truly said that the work accomplished by that
legislature aud assistant commission was
highly creditahle to all concerned.
At the time of the Monticello convention
Thurston county embraced all the territory north
of Lewis to British Columbia: the session OF the
Oregon legislature, just prior to the division of
the territory, formed out of Thurston, Pierce,
King, Island and Jefferson, making a total OF
eight counties Washington territory when
organized Clarke county at that time extending
east to the summit of the Rocky mountains.
The first session OF the legislature formed eight
new counties. Wslla Walla was formed at this
session. embracing all the territory east of the
mouth OF the Deschutes river and running to
the forty-ninth parallel on the north and the
parallel of &c. so eastward to the summit of the
Rocky mountains, and I we'll remem-
Der that board of county on
GERS was appointed and representation in
the legislature provided for, but when the sue
cceding legislature convened no members from
Wslla walln appeared, and it was found that no
organization OF the county had been made for
want OF population and the widely scattered
condition Of the lew who then inhabited that
vast territory. Questions have often been
asked, and very naturally, too, az to the hopes
and expectations OF the early settlers. Forty
one years ago all OF Puget sound north OF the
mouth of Stetlacoom creek was as wild as when
visited by Vancouver in 1872, but even then
expected to see q railroad from the Atlantic
coast to Puget sound. and was only disap-
pointed in the time OF its accomplishment by
the occurrence Of certain events which were
not then to be reasonably anticipated or for
seen.
When located on the Sound It never occurred
TO me that the vast wilderness through which
hsd so recautlv rasaed living hetwean the Mis-.
souri river and the Rocky mountains must be
populated before the settlement of this terri
tory, but suoh proved to be the case. Kansas
and Nebraska territories were organised and
opened TO settlement under circumstances Pc
Cuiiarly calculated to attract attention. The re-
peal of the Missouri compromise and declara-
tion of the Douglass squaster sovereignty doc
trine at once opened the question OF slavery In
the territories, producing a most bitter contest
between the North and the south for supremacy
IN karisss and Nebraska. The effort forsuprem-
ncy between the two sections was SO great
that it absorbed almost the en-
tire moving population OF the country.
Very few during this whole contest found their
way through that country except the California
gold seekers, few OF whom in time drifted
rorthward and reached our territory, and
shall have to admit, although there are hut few
survivors to help me bear the responsibility
that we drew il rather strong in our Monticello
memorial when we claimed ga large popula
tion, constantly and rapidly increasing" But I
think, under the circumstances, We should be
excused, as we had 30 much room and wer;
starting in TO build empire, We could not
then see ourselves rs others see now. Afte,
we began 20 feel that were really mak;ns
substantial progress the Indian war of lsS5-5
came upon us and spread ruin ana desoatior
over our fair territory, and heavy per
centage OF our population were compele,
90 seek employment aud homes abroad, and yer.
many OF them never returned. Then came the
great rebellion and psralyZed everything from
the Atlantic 20 the Pacific. effectually checkin,
all progress and improvement Tor long perio;
OF time Then, during all this period OF SLOW
growth ia Tact almost no growth at all, Oregon
was our big sister, and, ot course. must Be hrs
served but viii do her the justice to admi
that she was always willing that we should hay
what was left after She was served, and woul
Try 90 help Us get it, but were thus.
werc, clad in cass-of clothes and diued at n
second table, so that when / look back and II
call our early experience am not surprised tbs
peouis now ask how we lived aud what we sa'
IN the future TO encourage aud inspire hope
although We often experienced times of grea
trial and privauou, st times almost in want c
tho necessaries of LIE. aud the luxUries wer
not 20 he thought OF or expected. As an illustrs
ton Of the situStion which possibly may BE- AT
prcciated on the present occasion, | will meg
tion one instance only. III the fall Of 1851 Di
William +. IolTnie sent me a large canoe load
potatoes from Fort NosQsally for my winter
supply which were landed al Alki point
Edward Huggtns, one OF your worthy citizen
then a very likely young man. who, II m
memory serves NE right, slept on the aoor