members of the legislature, which would bring a sum of money into circulation annually sufficient to afford partial relief to the currency of the country.[1] But the subject of land titles had not been touched, except so far as to secure the missions in the possession of six hundred and forty acres each, and except that the territorial act deprived every one else of all the title they formerly had under the provisional government.[2]
The omission to provide the Oregon settlers with their long-promised donations was not through either the injustice or intentional neglect of congress, but simultaneously with the territorial bills both houses had been notified that a land bill would follow. Senator Breese of Illinois on the 3d of January asked leave to bring in a bill to create the office of surveyor-general of public lands in the territory of Oregon,[3] and to grant donation rights to settlers. In the house, notice of two bills on the same subject was given by McClernand of Illinois January 31st, and by Johnson of Arkansas February 10th. McClernand's bill was referred to the committee on public lands, of which Collamer of Vermont was chairman, who reported it back April 25th, with an amendatory bill, and there the subject of land donations remained while the battle was being fought over the ordinance of 1787. When that fight was over it was too late to move in the matter at that session. Its subsequent course will be related elsewhere.[4]
For the relief of Oregon in the matter of troops and
- ↑ Salary of the governor, who was also Indian agent, $3,000; 3 U. S. judges, $2,000; secretary, $1,500; legislators, $3 per day and mileage; chief clerk, $5 per day; other officers, $3; marshal the same as the marshal of Wisconsin.
- ↑ 'All laws heretofore passed in said territory making grants of land or otherwise affecting or encumbering the title to lands shall be, and are hereby declared to be, null and void.' Sec. 14 of territorial act, in Gen. Laws Or., 1843–72, 60.
- ↑ Cong. Globe, 1847–8, 95.
- ↑ It is interesting to know that the widow of Captain Robert Gray, who first entered the Columbia, had a bill for relief, on the ground of discovery, before the house committee on public lands at this and a previous session. See memorial of Martha Gray, in Or. Spectator, Sept. 3, 1846; Cong. Globe, 1847–8, 679.
