amount, but the commissary general being very much in want of cash, and upon
consideration, sooner than the money should be returned, I executed the bond
to Thomas Justins for $216.35. All bonds issued by us bear interest at the
rate of 10 per cent per annum, and all signed by the governor and counter-
signed by the secretary of this territory. All the books and papers belonging
are hereby transmitted for your examination.
Owing to the resignation of Gen. A. L. Lovejoy as one of the commis- sioners, and the absence of Dr. W. H. Wilson, this document will appear with but one signature.
(Signed) Hugh Burns, Commissioner."
Oregon City, February 8, 1849.
On February 10, 1849, some enterprising real estate agent applied to the legislature for a "charter" to enable him to get into the real estate business in the great northwest "on the ground floor." The legislature turned him down in the following resolution :
"Resolved: That it is not in the power of this house to grant a charter to any individual or company for treating for wild lands in this territory, or for holding treaties with the Indian tribes for the purchasing of lands."
On February 14th, 1849, the legislature amended the oath of office of the provisional government from the form set out on a preceding page to the fol- lowing :
"I do solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of the United States and the organic laws of the provisional government of Oregon, and faithfully demean myself inoffice, so help me God." Thus after recognizing the citizenship of the British subjects in the government for six years, they shut the doors to any further courtesies in that direction.
The last acts of the legislature and officials of the provisional government are dated February 16, 1849. On that day the legislature divorced John P. Brooks from his wife, Mary Ann; passed an act for the relief of Jason Wheeler; an act providing for weighing, assaying, melting and stamping gold coin. Against which last, act, Representative W. J. Martin filed a protest "because the act was a violation of the constitution of the United States," and made this territory a shaving machine by only allowing $16.50 for an ounce of gold dust.
The legislature then adjourned sine die ; and passes into history as the first and only state forming and successfully carrying on a provisional government on the American continent. And having during its existance of six years, two months of twenty-eight days, established courts, administered justice, punished crime, coined money, raised military forces and made war on the Indians, granted titles to land, and made laws which all obeyed, provided for common schools, education, religion and the public welfare.
The record now given of this pioneer legislature seems sufficient to show the character of the man and measures of the pioneer Provisional government of Oregon, every session of which was held within the territory this history is to cover.
The real pioneers were the men and women who came here before 1846. They did not know from any act of the United States whether this would be American or British territory. But they came to make it American. Those who came after 1846, took no chances. It was then decided to be United States territory. They came to reap where others had sown. They wanted security before they would move. The real pioneers put up the security and ran all the risks of the investment. The rooms of the Historical society furnish mute but incontestable evidence of the plain and simple lives of our pioneers. The ancient wagon, the primitive spinning wheel, and the rude weaving loom, all testify stronger than words, the slow advance from purely hand work to that of the hand made machine, taking the place of the hands.
