the tiller's toil. Our harvest has been abundant, and the season for gathering in the crops was dry, enabling the farmer to secure the reward of his labor free from injury. During the past season we have enjoyed, throughout the territory, the blessings of health; these blessings and mercies call for our gratitude. May we ever feel our dependence on the Divine Being, through whom we receive them, and our prayers continually ascend to him for wisdom to guide us in the important duties to which we are called.
Geo. Abernethy.
Oregon City, Dec. 1, 1846."
On motion of Mr. T'Vault, the governor's message and accompanying documents, were referred to committee of the whole, and made the special order of the day for tomorrow."
This pioneer governor's message not only shows the character of the questions which the pioneer law makers and state builders had to wrestle with, but it shows also the common sense, great responsibility and patriotic conscience which these men brought to the discharge of their duties.
On December 5th, 1846, representative T' Vault reported from the judiciary committee a bill to regulate the writ ad quod damnum; which was sufficiently learned and profane to suit the most fastidious member of the Oregon Bar Association.
On December 9, the legislature passed the following resolution:
"Resolved: That the select committee on the National railroad, be instructed to memorialize the congress of the United States on that subject." There was at that time not a mile of railroad within three thousand miles of Oregon City; but Oregon was not to be behind on this subject, and got its first railroad connection across the continent thirty-seven years later by the hands of Henry Villard, via the Columbia river and Spokane and St. Paul.
On December 17th, 1846 Governor Abernethy vetoed a bill to regulate "the manufacture and sale of wine and distilled liquors;" and as this is a live issue in Oregon politics today, we give the message in full:
Oregon City, Dec. 17, 1846
"Gentlemen: I return to your honorable body the act entitled, 'An act to regulate the manufacture and sale of wine and distilled spirituous liquors,with my objections to the same.
Previous to our organization as a provisional government, public sentiment kept liquor from being manufactured or sold in this territory. Heretofore, every act of the legislature has been, as far as ardent spirits were concerned, prohibitory in character. The act laying before me is the first act that has in any manner attempted to legalize the manufacture and sale of ardent spirits. At the session of the legislature in June, 1844, an act was passed to prevent the introduction, sale, and distillation of ardent spirits in Oregon; and as far as my knowledge extends, the passage of that act gave satisfaction to the great majority of the people throughout the territory. At the session of December, 1845, several amendments were proposed to the old law, and passed. The new features given to the bill by those amendments did not accord with the views of the people; the insertion of the words 'give' and 'gift' in the first and second sections of the bill, they thought was taking away their rights, as it was considered that a man had a right to give away his property if he chose. There were several objections to the bill, which I set forth to your honorable body in my message. I would recommend that the amendments passed at the December session of 1845, be repealed; and that the law passed on the 25th of June, 1844, with such alterations as will make it agree with the organic law, if it does not agree with it, be again made the law of the land. It is said by many
