laws shall be so construed as to affect any claim of any mission of a religious character, made previous to this time, of an extent not more than six miles square."[1]
The reports of the various committees having been adopted, Jason Lee, Harvey Clark, and David Leslie were chosen a committee to draught and administer an oath of office to the persons elected on the 2d of May, and to the supreme judge, who should thereafter qualify all civil and military officers elected by the people. Burns having resigned his office as justice of the peace, Moore was chosen in his place. James O'Neil was also chosen justice of the peace for Yamhill district, and Amos Cook constable. Joel Turnham was elected constable for Champooick district, in place of Bridges, who had gone to California.
The choice of an executive committee was a matter of more moment, and the subject of active canvassing; it finally fell on David Hill, Alanson Beers, and Joseph Gale. None of these men had influence enough to be dangerous to the peace of the community; two belonged to the settler class, and the third was but a lay member of the Mission. The oath of office was administered the same day, by motion of the meeting, and thus the whole business of starting the machinery of the first government of Oregon was concluded.
With regard to the influence of the Methodist Mis-
- ↑ In a letter to the Oregon Spectator of Aug. 5, 1848, Gray affirms that this proviso was suggested by Jason Lee himself, and offered by Le Breton, and that none of the legislative committee were responsible for it; and to this he says he has made oath. In his History, 338, he informs us that Le Breton had been chosen secretly to the legislative committee, the members agreeing to pay his per diem if necessary. Newell, in his Strictures on Gray, says that the word 'Protestant' was inserted in the proviso before 'missions,' but that he argued for the American right to worship God according to his conscience, and succeeded in having the obnoxious word stricken out. Gray admits that Newell was opposed to the fourth article of the land law, but only because he favored McLoughlin's claim. Gray also affirms that the legislative committee were opposed to the large claims of the Mission, but feared to oppose them lest they should combine against the organization. They were, besides, satisfied that the Protestant missions would finally give up a portion of their claims in order to force the Catholics to do the same, and this, he says, is what actually took place. Hist. Or., 347. As if the United States had nothing to do with the matter.
