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Congress to reorganize the revolted States by reiustatingr in power the leaders of the rebelliou. On the 4th of March, 1867, Mr. Williams having prepared, introduced into the Senate a bill entitled "A Bill tor the more efficient gov- ernment of the States lately in rebellion," commonly called the Reconstruc- tion Bill, which, after being amended, passed both Houses of Congress and was vetoed by the President. The bill was passed over the veto, and under this act the union was re-estabhshed and the States restored to harmonious relations with the Federal Government. Many other important measures, such as the tenure of office act, an act to regulate the election of Senators, were brought forward by the Senator from Oregon. Soon after the expira- tion of his term Mr. Wilharas was appointed one of the Joint High Commis- sion to settle by treaty with Great Britain the Alabama claims and other disputed questions between the two countries. His appointment was with special reference to the northwestern boundary between the United States and Great Britain, which had been in controversy ever since the treaty of the 15th of June, 1846. In December, 1871, Mr. Williams was appointed Attorney-General of the United States. When he came into this office the Ku-Klux clan, and various other' similar organizations in the South, were operating to deprive the Union and colored citizens of that section of their political rights, and the vigorous measures adopted by the Attorney-Gen- eral for their suppression aroused an intense hostility to him in the party opposed to the Administration. In 1873 Mr. Williams was nominated by President Grant for Chief-Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, but at his instance the President withdrew his name. In the Spring of 1875 Mr. Williams resigned the office of Attorney-General, and has re- sumed the practice of his profession in Portland.
HON. WILLIAM H. WATKINDS.
The subject of this sketch may be classed among the remarkable as well as prominent men of Oregon. William H. Watkinds was born in Greencas- tle, Putnam county, Indiana, December 7, 1835. Together with his mother and other members of the family, except his father, who had preceded them by two years, he came to Oregon in 1852, crossing the plains with ox teams. Arriving in the Willamette valley, the family proceeded to Soda Springs, Linn county, near the town of Lebanon, where the father had lo- cated a land claim under the donation act of September 27, 1850. There . he engaged in the work of assisting in improving a farm until 1855, when he went to Salem and became an apprentice to learn the saddler and har- ness trade. His advantages of obtaining an education were limited, only being able to attend school at Lebanon during a small portion of the time that he remained with his father on the farm. He is a Democrat, both by nature and education, and he early began giving much attention to politics. His first vote was cast for Gen. Joseph Lane for delegate to Congress. Having perfected a knowledge of his trade, he located at Salem and began its pursuit, which he continued with success for several years. The first State Convention he attended was at Eugene City in 1860, where he was sent as a delegate, and at which time he supported Stephen A.
