SECOND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
(May 14, 1844—June 12, 1845)
P. G. Stewart, Osborn Russell and W. J. Bailey were chosen executive committee at the election held May 14 1844.
Prohibition Law. Upon assuming charge of the Hudson's Bay Company interests, Doctor McLoughlin, who favored prohibition as a wise economic measure in transacting business with the Indians, ordered that no intoxicating liquors be sold to them. Later, when Nathaniel Wyeth brought liquors to trade to the Indians, Doctor McLoughlin at once made known to him the Company's policy on this point in such a way that Wyeth acquiesced with the Doctor's views. As soon as the Methodist Mission opened a school a temperance society was organized, which many of the whites joined through the influence of Doctor McLoughlin Therefore, since the settlers were greatly outnumbered by the Indians most of whom were subject to whiskey-craze, the legislative committee passed a law (June 1844) prohibiting the sale of ardent spirits.
Tyler's Lost Minister. A minister to a foreign country is so strictly a representative of his nation that should any ill befall him at the hands of another nation grave complications would naturally follow. In 1844 just this kind of thing seemed for a time to have taken place in America. President Tyler had appointed Delazon Smith, then of Iowa, but later U. S. Senator from Oregon, as minister to one of the South American republics. After the new minister took his leave for the scene of his duties nothing was heard of him for eleven months, during which time the possibility of all kinds of national complications resulting from his disappearance was discussed by the press and statesmen of Europe and America. Later it was learned that the new minister upon assuming the duties of his office had decided to inform himself regarding the unexplored region in the vicinity of the Andes. For this purpose he traveled horseback across the continent, and for eleven months was so completely shut off from communication that his whereabouts was unknown. In consequence of the vigilant search made for him by the State Department and the international interest which his disappearance created, Smith won the nation-wide sobriquet of "Tyler's Lost Minister."
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