Frederick Van Voorhies Holman

“ We have the honor to acknowledge your favor of the 14th inst, and beg in reply to say, that, viewing the organization as a compact of certain parties, British and Ameri- can subjects residing in Oregon, to afford each other protection in person and property, to maintain the peace of the community, and prevent the commission of crime a protection which all parties in this country feel they particularly stand in need of as neither the British nor American government appear at liberty to extend the jurisdiction of their laws to this part of America ”

“ As descendants of the United States and of Great Britain, we should honor and respect the countries which gave us birth; and, as citizens of Oregon, we should, by a uniform course of proceeding, and a strict observance of the rules of justice, equity, and republican principles, without party dis- tinction, use our best endeavors to cultivate the kind feeling, not only of our native countries, but of all the powers or states with whom we may have intercourse. ”

“ By the Act of Congress of August 14, 1848, establishing the Territory of Oregon, it was provided that the existing laws of the Provisional Government, then in force, excepting all laws making grants of land or encumbering the titles of land, should continue to be valid, and to operate therein so far as the same were not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States and the principles and provisions of said Act. ”

“ I further advised them to wait until the Government of the United States should throw its mantle over them. These views, I was afterwards told, determined a postponement of their intentions." Dr. McLoughlin, at first, was not in favor of establishing a government, unless it was absolutely an independent one and merely for mutual protection. The movement was controlled by men, some of whom he knew were unfriendly, if not openly opposed or hostile to him and to his Company. Among these were several Methodist Missionaries, with whom he had had trouble in relation to his land claim at Oregon City. ”

“ We would advise that provision be made by this body for the framing and adoption of a constitution for Oregon, pre- vious to the next annual election, which may serve as a more thorough guide to her officers, and a more firm basis of her laws. It should be constructed in such a manner as would best suit the local situation of the country, and promote the general interests of the citizens, without interfering with the real or pretended rights of the United States or Great Britain ; except when the protection of life and property actually re- quire it. ”

“ That of 1848 was few in numbers as most of the over- land immigrants went to California on account of the discovery of gold there. Among the early acts of Governor Lane's administration was the taking of a census of all, except Indians, in Oregon Territory. It showed the following population in 1849 : Total population 9,083, of whom 8,785 were American citizens and 298 foreigners. There were 5,410 males and 3,673 females. In the counties of Vancouver and Lewis, being all of Oregon north of the Columbia River, the total population was 304, of whom 189 were American citizens and 115 foreigners. ”

“ We pray for the high privilege of American citizenship, the peaceful enjoyment of life, the right of acquir- ing, possessing and using property, and the unrestrained pur- suit of rational happiness." Another petition to Congress, dated March 25, 1843, was signed by a number of settlers in the Willamette Valley. ”

“ No crime appears yet to have been committed,, and the persons and property of settlers are secure. Their principal reasons appear to me to be, that it would give them more importance in the eyes of others at a distance, and induce settlers to flock in, thereby raising the value of their farms and stock. ”

“ They were mostly strong, forcible, and determined men and women. They did not think of failure. Their main thought was that they would go to Oregon and make it their home and assist in making it an American community. There were in this immigration men of ability and leadership, such as Jesse Applegate and Peter H. Burnett, who were learned in the law and in history. Such OREGON PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT 119 men at once became prominent in Oregon affairs. ”

“ They not being the majority, and the larger part of the population being Catholics, the latter would elect officers of their party, and they would thus place themselves entirely under the control of others. ”

“ No person shall be entitled to hold such a claim upon city or town sites, extensive water privileges, or other situations necessary for the transaction of mercantile or manufacturing operations, and to the detriment of the community. ”

“ Jason Lee returned to the eastern states to obtain additions to the Oregon Methodist Mission. Even at that time, the Mission, as a mission, was a failure, for the reason that there were scarcely any Indians in the Willamette Valley to be converted. Nevertheless, he raised a large sum of money, and the ship Lausanne was chartered, which brought a number of missionaries and a large quantity of goods for a store and materials for the construction of grist and saw mills. 98 FREDERICK V. HOLMAN With the arrival of the Lausanne the Oregon Methodist Mis- sion became in effect a Methodist colony. ”

“ It is entitled "An Address of the Canadian citizens of Oregon, to the meeting at Champoeg, March 4, 1843." (Ore- gon Archives, pages 12 and 13.) The address indicates that a meeting was expected to be held at that time, but there is no record of such a meeting. It recites that the Canadian citi- zens of the Willamette "present to the American citizens, and particularly to the gentlemen who called said meeting," their views set forth in the address. The address also says "That we do not intend to rebel against the measures of that kind taken last year, by a party of the people." ”

“ The 51 French-Canadians had been carefully drilled to vote "no" on every question and motion proposed by the Americans at this meeting. 112 FREDERICK V. HOLMAN So far as I have been able to ascertain none of the Canadian immigrants of 1841 were present. On the other side there were 50 men, most of them American citizens eight of them being British subjects who affiliated with the Americans. ”

“ McLoughlin consented, but on the condition that his company should not be compelled to pay taxes on its goods OREGON PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT 133 except upon those sold to settlers, and he and James Douglas, his chief assistant, consented to receive a formal proposition from a Committee of the Provisional Legislature. ”

“ OREGON PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT 103 It was further resolved that this committee be instructed to confer with Commodore Wilkes,, of the American squadron, and with Dr. John McLoughlin, with regard to framing a con- stitution and code of laws for the community. The committee was instructed to take into consideration certain other matters. So far as can be found, there was no meeting in October., and no further proceedings resulted from this preliminary organi- zation. In Commodore Wilkes' Narrative of the United States Ex- ploring Expedition, Vol. ”

“ What Congress and the President could not do could not be done by the resolutions of a mass meeting, carried by forty-two Ameri- can citizens and ten British subjects. OREGON PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT 121 I have not found a copy of the report of the Committee of Nine which was adopted May 2, but the report of the Legis- lative Committee which was adopted July 5, 1843, began as follows : "Sec. 1. ”