Oregon Territory

“ An attempt was made in the legislature of 1845 to establish the name Oregon Territory, but it was never adopted until the boundary was determined and the question of sovereignty set at rest. Again, in the judiciary act, the nineteenth article of the organic law is repealed, the same being a resolution that a committee should be appointed to "draw up a digest of the doings of the people of this territory, with regard to an organization, and transmit the same to the United States government for their information." ”

“ I. We, the people of Oregon Territory, for purposes of mutual protection, and to secure peace and prosperity among ourselves, agree to adopt the following laws and regulations, until such time as the United States of America extend their jurisdiction over us. Be it therefore enacted, by the free citizens of Oregon Territory, that the said territory, for purposes of temporary government, be divided into not less than 3, nor more than 5, districts; subject to be extended to a greater number, when an increase of population shall require it. ”

“ Your memoralists, the legislative assembly of the Territory of Oregon, would respectfully represent that in view of the rapidly accumulating population of our Territory, its numerous and increasing interests, and the inefficiency and anti-republican character of a territorial form of government, we believe that the period is at hand when the people of Oregon will desire to terminate the existence of the territorial organization by which they are governed, and ask the admission of Oregon, as a state, into the Union on an equal footing with the original states. ”

“ I HAVE said that there were two sessions of the legislative committee of 1844, which adjourned from June 27th to December 16th, in order to have an opportunity of learning from the immigrants who were expected in the autumn the attitude of affairs between the rival claimants of the Oregon Territory. No less anxious than the Americans were the British subjects, who, being well informed by the belligerent speeches in congress, and the temper of the western people, began to look on their position in Oregon as insecure. ”

“ If we adopt the more extensive use of the term Oregon territory, as applied to the entire country intermediate between the dominions of Russia and Mexico respectively, its boundaries will be the Rocky Mountains on the east, the Pacific Ocean on the west, the parallel of 54° 40′ N. L. on the north, and that of 42° N. L. on the south. Its length will thus comprise 12 degrees 40 minutes of latitude, or about 760 geographical miles. Its breadth is not so easily determined, as the Rocky Mountains do not run parallel with the coast, but trend from south-east to north-west. ”

“ The day is not far distant when, if the general government shall do its duty in the matter, Oregon will be inhabited by a hardy, industrious, and intelligent population, and the enterprise of our citizens find a new channel of trade with the islands of the Pacific, the western coast of this whole continent, and perhaps with Eastern Asia. Notwithstanding the many obstacles at present in the way of the settlement of this territory, emigrants are rapidly pouring into it, and only demand of government that protection which is due to all our citizens, wherever they may choose to reside. ”

“ Caleb Cushing, chairman of the house committee on foreign affairs, asked him to contribute a memoir on Oregon and California, based on personal observations. To this request he gladly responded. The result appears in the appendix to Cushing's supplemental report on the "Territory of Oregon."ii
In 1839 also, Kelley presented through John Davis, senator from Massachusetts, a memorial to congress "praying a grant of land in the Oregon Territory for the purpose of establishing a colony thereon," which was referred to a select committee. ”

“ Immediately after Oregon was organized as a Territory it began to aspire to statehood. In fact, at the very first session of the new territorial legislature the formation of a constitution for a state was proposed, and in the following ten years, that covered the life of the Territory, the question of statehood was voted upon by the people several times. ”

“ What there is in the territory of Oregon to tempt our national cupidity, no one can tell. Of all the countries on the face of the earth, it is one of the least favored of heaven. It is the mere riddling of creation. ”

“ Donations of land should be made to those who would become actual settlers, sufficiently large to induce emigration. At convenient distances across the mountains, small garrisons should be placed to protect travellers from the hostilities of the Indians." These measures it was thought would secure a more important commercial position than any yet enjoyed by the United States. [25]
Forty-four citizens of Indiana also petitioned congress for the "occupation and settlement of Oregon Territory, and the construction of a road thereto;" ”

“ Resolved by the House, the Council concurring, That our delegate in congress be and hereby is requested to use his best endeavors, and to act in concert with the senators of California, to procure the passage of a law creating and organizing a new territory to be known by the name of Jackson Territory, including all that part of Oregon Territory lying south of the latitude of 43 degrees and 45 minutes, and all that portion of California lying north of the Trinity Mountains. ”

“ He predicted that the great migration to California would benefit Oregon, as many of the gold-seekers would remain on the Pacific coast, and look for homes in the fertile and lovely valleys of the new territory. And last, but by no means least in importance, was the reference to the expected donation of land for which the people were waiting, and all the more anxiously that there was much doubt entertained of the tenure by which their claims were now held, since the only part of the old organic law repealed was that which granted a title to lands. ”

“ The doctrine that a body of the people could go out and seize upon any portion of the territory belonging to the whole union, and establish such a government as pleased them without the consent of the nation, was not in accordance with any known system of national polity. The object of introducing this subject in an executive message under the existing peculiar political condition of Oregon, and at a time when his connection with territorial affairs was merely incidental, must ever remain open to suspicion. ”

“ It soon became evident, notwithstanding the first impulse of the people to stand by their delegate, that a reaction was taking place, and the more generous-minded were ashamed of the position in which the eleventh section of the land bill placed them in the eyes of the world; that with the whole vast territory of Oregon wherein to pick and choose they must needs force an old man of venerable character from his just possessions for the un-American reason that he was a foreigner born, or had formerly been the honored head of a foreign company. ”

“ Congress was next deferentially reminded that the settlers of Oregon had been induced to make the difficult journey to Oregon and cultivate its fertile fields by the promise of the government that their homes should be secured to them; and they therefore thought they had a right to expect a grant of land; and not only they, but those who should come after them for the next few years. Their claims already taken were made under the organic law of the territory, and provided that any person might hold six hundred and forty acres of land. ”

“ The American Society for encouraging the settlement of Oregon Territory, propose to enlist 1000 men for the purpose, to rendezvous in this city January next. Each man will receive gratuitously a lot of land. ”

“ The country will be settled, and that speedily from some quarter, and it depends very much upon the action of congress what that population shall be, and what shall be the fate of the Indian tribes in that territory. It may be thought that Oregon is of little importance, but rely upon it, there is the germ of a great state. We are resolved to do what we can to benefit the country, but we are constrained to throw ourselves upon you for protection. ”

“ With the news that the notice bill had been passed, and before it was known that a treaty had been concluded, the subject of sending a delegate at once to Washington to make known to congress the wants of Oregon began to be agitated; for it was not doubted that immediate action would be taken to adopt the colony as a territory, and there were those who were solicitous as to the changes which must follow, and for official positions for themselves or friends. ”

“ Our right to Oregon, up to the fifty-fifth degree of north latitude, is quite clear and our people will occupy that territory forthwith, and then Congress will limp along after them, carrying our laws to them. In the mean time, villages, towns and cities will rear their spires along the rivers, the stage driver’s horn and the steam boat’s bell will be heard there. ”

“ These sentences published in his "Thirty Years' View," in 1856, which was long accepted as a standard historical authority on this period and most widely circulated, (it is said that sixty-five thousand copies were sold soon after publication,) [13] diffused the idea that Oregon was "saved" and prepared the way for the ready acceptance of other explanations of how Oregon was saved to the Union, [14] when as a matter of fact it is impossible to show that the part of the old Oregon territory that the United States secured was ever in any real danger of being lost. ”