ESTABLISHMENT OF PACIFIC COAST REPUBLIC 191
polls), showed a formidable strength. Their most conspicuous need was organization.
In July, 1858, the newly elected state legislature proceeded to elect Senators, in order that everything might be prepared for statehood. Both National Democrats and Regulars united in supporting Lane, and he and Delazon Smith, a man of similar political principles, were elected to represent the new state-to-be in the Senate.
In the meantime, the Statehood Bill was hanging fire in Congress. Before this special session of the state legislature, the bill for the admission of Oregon had passed the Senate. At the time of General Lane's election to the Senate, letters had been received from him and published in Oregon declaring that the Statehood Bill would pass the House, as there were no obstacles whatever in the way of its passage. 1 He appears, however, to have made no effort to secure its passage, 2 and Congress adjourned without having granted Oregon the de- sired boon.
Naturally suspicion was not slow to arise in the breasts of those leaders of the Oregon Democracy who were already in- clined to distrust Lane's honesty and sincerity of purpose. A cry of rage went up from Oregon when it was known that the Statehood Bill had failed of passage. In the Statesman, Bush gave vent to the popular outcry in a scathing editorial denouncing Lane, whom he had hitherto supported.^
The testimony that he adduced went to show that Lane was holding off the admission of the state until he could be certain of his election to the office of Senator. Later, however, a more sinister view was taken of his course, and he was accused in view of the approaching national crisis, of wishing to put Oregon into the position of a state outside the Union.
Viewing his actions in this light, very significant is the mes- sage sent by Governor Curry of Oregon, Lane's close friend, to
1 Statesman, March 15, 1859.
2 Statesman, Dec. 21, 1858.
3 Statesman, Dec. 21. 1858.
