river ; and that a board of commissioners be appointed, whose duty it shall be to
examine all persons applying for a license to act as pilots, as to their capability
so to act.
Connected with this is the means to prevent seamen from deserting. If sea- men are at liberty to leave their vessels, and secrete themselves among the inhab- itants, or be provided for and protected by them until their vessels leave, we can never hope to see vessels frequent our ports, for the purpose of refitting and obtaining supplies. I, therefore, recommend that a heavy penalty be imposed on any person who shall entice a seaman to leave his ship, or who shall harbor, secrete, or employ, or in any wise assist a deserter.
This may appear severe, but when, on reflection, we consider that these men voluntarily entered into a contract to perform certain duties, and that the safety of the vessel they belong to, and the lives and property on board, depend on their faithfully fulfilling their contract, the severity vanishes at once. We should consider that a vessel lightly manned (which must be the case if part of the ship's crew desert, as there are no seamen here to supply their places, runs great risks in working out of our harbor — a risk that shipmates and ship- owners will not be likely to run. Unless regulations be made that will prevent desertion, owners of vessels will avoid our ports, and without vessels, the produce of the farmer must remain on his hands, and in this way work an injury all around, and one that will be felt by all classes in the community.
Our courts, as at present regulated, have not answered the expectations of the framers of the law; but, as the jurisdictions of our courts will soon cease, it will probably be not worth while to enter into any new arrangement.
I regret to be compelled to inform you that the jail erected in Oregon City, and the property of the territory, was destroyed by fire on the night of the i8th of August last, the work no doubt, of an incendiary. A reward of $icX).oo was immediately offered, but as yet, the offender had not been discovered. Should you think it best to erect another jail, I would suggest the propriety of building it of large stones, clamped together. We have but little use for a jail, and a small building would answer all purposes for many years I have no doubt, if we should be successful in keeping ardent spirits out of the territory. There is one subject which I would lay before you, in reference to the Indian population ; and that is the extent the law intends to allow the whites in their villages. Complaints are made by Indians, that they are encroached upon by the whites. Cannot some method he devised by which their villages can be surveyed, and stakes set, inside of which the whites may not be perrnitted to enter and build. The Indians inhabited their villages previous to our arrival, and should be protected by us. The time is, no doubt near at hand, when the agent of the United States government will be here, and these matters wijlbe arranged by him; but, until he arrives, I deem it necessary that some provision be made by you, as it may save trouble and difficulty.
Another emigration has crossed the Rocky mountains, and most of the party has arrived in the settlements. About 152 wagons reached this place very early in the season, via Barlow's road, for which a charter was granted him at your last session. About 100 wagons are on their way, if they have not already reached the upper settlements, by a southern route. They have, no doubt, been detained by travelling a new route. The difficulties attending the opening of a wagon road are very great, and probably will account, in some measure for their detention. The emigration falls very far short of last year, probably not numbering over one thousand souls. This is accounted for by a great part of the emigration turning ofif to CaHfornia.
We trust that those coming among us may have no cause to regret the decision that brought them to Oregon. I would call your attention to the subject of education, without which no country can be prosperous ; it, therefore, becomes the duty of the legislature to provide liberally for the education of the rising generation. I am happy to say that the past year has amply repaid
