Political Parties in Oregon 345 Thornton being recognized as friendly to the Missionary party, of which the governor was a member. 1 Such arbitrary pro- cedure was not consonant with the western ideal of represen- tative government. On the meeting of the legislature, on December 16th, J. W. Nesmith, expressing the general belief that Thornton had secretly been sent to Washington, de- nounced the action of Gov. Abernethy and voiced his senti- ments in resolutions in which were the words : "It is im- portant and desirable in all republican governments that the selection of all judicial and executive officers should meet the approbation and confidence of the majority of the people over which they are to exercise authority ; and be as far as possi- ble removed from the intrigue and influence of odious and secret factions." 2 The legislature prepared its own memorial and elected its own representative in Jos. L. Meek, to carry it to Washington. 3 As loyal as were these western Americans to their nation they gave evidence of that independence of attitude which signified that there was a limit to what they considered the neglect and abandonment they were called upon to suffer, beyond which they were prepared to take their political destiny wholly in their own hands. There seemed always an under- current of feeling in favor of independent government, fos- tered by the British element of the population. 4 Indeed in the early years of the Provisional Government there was the Independent party. This sentiment seems to be reflected in an act of the legislature on December 24th, 1844, calling for a popular vote on the question of calling a convention for the 1 Bancroft, Vol. i, pp. 619-621. 20regon Archives, pp. 225, 226, 228, 229, 231-234. Spectator, December 25, 1847. 3The situation presented by the Whitman massacre of November 29, 30, 1847, was the special subject of the mission of Meek. 4"A few persons, respectable for their character and influence in Oregon, dis- cussed about this time (1844) the question of the expediency and necessity of an independent instead of a provisional government. It was said that the geo- graphical position of the country . . . rendered it not only expedient but necessary. The real cause, however, for this movement was the discontent and even the resentment felt in consequence of their seeming to have been left without protection and in a state indicating abandonment by their country." — Thornton, "Oregon and California," pp. 34, 35.
