of the Statesman candidate in the hands of pittock of the Oregonian.
The paper had located in '51 at Oregon City, then the seat of the territorial legislature; however, when the capital was moved to Salem, the Statesman moved too. In June, 1853, the paper began publication in Salem. However, being the official paper of the territory, it followed the legislature to Corvallis in April, 1855. Fun was made of the "paper on wheels," but the publisher replied that the Statesman was published at the seat of the government wherever that might be. The new location of the capital was not authorized by Congress, but the legislature met in Corvallis in December and passed a bill to re-locate in Salem.
Located again in Salem Bush tightened his hold on the Democratic party. Bush and his political associates, R. P. Boise, Lafayette Grover, James W. Nesmith and Benjamin F. Harding soon were wearing the designation of the "Salem Clique." "A complete story of the capricious, arrogant rule in Oregon under the regime of the Salem Clique would form one of the most picturesque chapters in the political history of the West."[1] Joseph Lane had the early support of the Clique, but in 1859 they had split the party and had withdrawn their support from this "man of the people." After Lane's open advocacy of secession, Bush repudiated all connection he had ever had with him and came out strongly for the Union. On December 5, 1862, Bush declared that the radical's test of loyalty had become not "Are you for the Union?" but "Are you for Emancipation?" As for him, he was for the Union first and the Union only.
In March, 1863, the Statesman passed from the hands of Bush and his partner, James W. Nesmith, to those of
- ↑ Woodward, W. S. Political Parties in Oregon, 1843-68, p. 80.
