340 W. C. Woodward vide local stability and security. From a national standpoint it completed the transition from the British to the American regime politically, which the settlers had begun industrially. What the United States Government had not felt free to ac- complish had been perfected by the colonists themselves and without foreign complication. 1 They had given the obvious solution to the Oregon Question. Let us see what political characteristics or tendencies of the pioneer state makers are observable as illustrated either in their form of government, its administration or in legislation enacted — what inclinations or prejudices they manifested which might be expected to influence the later political development of the state. It has been suggested that the self-constituted government was thoroughly American in form and spirit. This is readily seen in the general provisions of the Organic Law. The Bill of Rights and political guarantees generally are taken from the Constitution of the United States and provide for freedom of religious belief and worship, right of habeas corpus and trial by jury, of judicial procedure according to the course of common law, moderate fines and just punishment, the rights of property and other "inalienable rights" so dear to the Am- erican heart. This similarity to the National Constitution is still more marked in the revised constitution of 1845 which re- flects the influence of the aggressive nationalism of the pioneers of 1843 an d 1844. Additions are made to the Bill of Rights, indicating the strong sense of personal liberty and independ- ence in the cities of the embryo commonwealth. The article guaranteeing the encouragement of morality and knowledge, the maintenance of schools, the exercise of good faith and justice to the Indians, reproduces the language of the Ordi- nance of 1787, which document was used largely as a basis for the new frame of government. 2 1 Robertson, "Genesis of Political Authority," pp. 39, 40. Evans, "History of Oregon," Ms., p. 271. 2Applegate, "Views of Oregon History," Ms., p. 39.
