Hudson's Bay Company ceased to be political powers either to be courted or feared in the colony, and to the close of its existence the provisional government of Oregon attained all the ends of good government."[1]
Before following the legislative body of Oregon through its law-making achievements, let us return to its first session long enough to observe the straws indicative of the political current. Harvey Clark had been chosen chaplain, but on motion of Gray the vote was reconsidered, and Father Demers and Mr Hill were chosen to officiate alternately. The action of Gray seems to have been an ill-judged attempt to conciliate the Catholics, for Demers declined, and Clark resigned after officiating for a short time.
Then came a petition from Philip Foster, who had been treasurer, reciting his grievances at being supplanted by Ermatinger, a British subject; but the legislature sustained Ermatinger.[2] Two days before adjournment Gray offered a resolution that a committee of one from each county be appointed to report a bill for the protection of the colony, the erection of block-houses and magazines, the revision of the military law, and to make such suggestions to the house as they might deem necessary for the peace and safety of the colony. The committee was appointed, but the proceeding fell to the ground, there being no necessity for such a measure.
A resolution of Applegate's seems to be aimed at the disposition exhibited by some persons to consider the affairs of the Hudson's Bay Company as without the pale of law and justice,[3] and to prevent abuses of the legislative power generally.
- ↑ Views of History, MS., 46.
- ↑ Grover's Or. Archives, 73-7.
- ↑ ' Resolved, that the government has no power to annul a contract entered into either in the United States or Great Britain.' Grover's Or. Archives, 78. That the legislature did not act up to the spirit of this resolution is shown by the fact that notwithstanding they disclaimed any authority to legislate before the people had given them the power by voting on the laws, three divorces were granted; two of the applicants having been married in the
