181 PETER H. BURNETT. UK- plains, and had seen me fully tested in that severe school of human nature. Waldo knew me by reputation, and Gil- more personally, in Missouri. As to the assertion that I was very "ambitious," the fact is not correctly stated. I had a reasonable desire for dis- tinction, but never so great as to induce me to sacrifice my personal independence or compromise my true dignity. I never sought any position under the Provisional Government of Oregon, and I do not remember to have personally asked any citizen to vote for me. I was elected a member of the legislative body in 1844, and again in 1848, and judge of the supreme court in 1845, without any serious efforts on my part. I have been a candidate before the people six times: once in Missouri, twice in Oregon, and three times in California ; and I was seccessful in every case. I resigned the office of dis- trict attorney in Missouri to go to Oregon in 1843, and my seat in the legislature of Oregon in 1848 to come to Califor- nia, and the office of governor of this State in January, 1851, when the salary was $10,000 per annum. I was appointed on the 14th of August, 1848, by President Polk, one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of of the Territory of Oregon. My commission did not reach me until the spring of 1849, in California. This appointment I declined, as I could not accept it and pay my debts. This was done before any move- ment was made to organize a State Government in California, and before I had any expectation of being governor. I can safely say that the remark of President Jefferson, in regard to the office-holders of his time, that "deaths were few and resignations none," can not justly apply to me. As to the charge of being deceitful, it is the precise oppo- site of the truth. No man of decent manners and good char- acter ever called upon me without receiving my candid opin- ion, where I had any mature judgment upon the question. I am not a disputatious spirit, ready to engage in a wordy quarrel upon any and every subject, however trivial; but in regard to all important subjects, on all proper occasions, I am frank to speak just what I think.
