and much attendant hardship were able to bring this distressing period to a close. The Indians here as elsewhere found it necessary to accept the bounty of Congress in the shape of a reservation, with pay for the lands which they gave up to the government. Most of the treaties went into effect in 1859.
The Oregon constitutional convention, August to September, 1857. Several years prior to the close of the Indian wars, the question of statehood for Oregon began to be seriously discussed, and in 1856 a bill for admitting the territory into the Union was introduced in Congress by General Lane. Though this failed, another bill passed the House at the next session, authorizing the people to frame a state constitution. It did not pass the Senate, but the legislature of Oregon Territory had already provided for submitting the question of holding a convention to the voters at the June (1857) election. It was carried by a large majority, delegates were chosen from the several counties, and on the third Monday in August the convention met in the town of Salem. September 18 a state constitution was adopted, which being submitted to the people was ratified by a vote of 7195 in favor to 3195 against. The state government went into operation in July, 1858, although Oregon was not formally admitted to the Union till the 14th of February, 1859.^
1 The population of Oregon in 1860 was 52,465, and of Washington Territory, 11,594.
