five thousand free white male inhabitants over twenty-one years of age citizens of the United States, they might elect a legislature, one representative for every five hundred voters, to serve for two years; the legislature to consist of a council and house of representatives, the council to consist of five members, elected by the whole legislative body, to serve five years; the president of the United States to have power to remove any member; the assembly to have power to make laws for the territory, not conflicting with the laws of the United States, the veto power being absolute in the governor. A delegate to congress with the right of debate only, should be elected immediately upon the appointment of a governor, the latter being also superintendent of Indian affairs. The bill provided also for a line of stockade forts and block-houses to the South Pass, and a fort at the mouth of the Columbia. The grant of land to settlers was promised 'hereafter;' six hundred and forty acres to every white male inhabitant over eighteen, one hundred and sixty acres to the wife of every married man, and the same quantity to the father for each child under eighteen already in existence, or who should be born within five years after his settlement on a land claim. The president was authorized and required to appoint two additional Indian agents besides the governor. The territory over which this form of government was to be extended was confined to the limit of 49°. I have given this abstract of Atchison's bill to show the gradual progress toward the idea of a government for Oregon in spite of the international question in the way.[1]
The bill which passed in the house, while claiming the Oregon Territory to 54° 40', contained several clauses intended to guard it against the charge of ignoring the treaty obligations of the United States.
- ↑ I have another object—to give the gradual growth of the donation land law, the chief new feature in this bill being that 160 acres were given to the wife, instead of to the husband.
