present City of Portland, for San Francisco, where he obtained passage in the United States sloop of war Portsmouth for Boston. He arrived at Washington in May, 1848. Senator Douglas, with whom he had personal acquaintance, introduced him to President Polk, and prepared a memorial to congress, which was presented by Senator Benton. Thornton's services were useful and important. They contributed very materially to the enactment of the territorial organic law.
It has not been my purpose on this occasion to go into details as to legislation of the Provisional Government and its organic law. Any account of these details would be too long for the present discourse. Many of them may be had in Thornton's sketch, to which I have already adverted. The organic law itself may be found in "Deady's Code" a book which, though now out of print, is readily accessible. It is also printed in Brown's "Political History of Oregon" a book of high value, containing a greater number of documents and facts relating to the Provisional Government and the early political history of Oregon than has elsewhere been collected.
What shall I say more of the impressive scene that was acted upon this spot eight and fifty years ago? All the actors save one, the venerable F. X. Matthieu, who providentially is with us to-day, have passed from earth. The results of their work remain; and what we must regard as a thing of high significance is the fact that they well understood that they were laying the foundation of a state. In what they did here that day there was a clear premonition to them that it was a work for unborn ages. The instinct for making states, an instinct that so strongly characterizes that portion of the human race that has created the United States of America, never had clearer manifestation or more vigorous assertion. On the spot where this work was done we dedicate this monument
