Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/314

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CHAPTER XI.

POLITICS AND PROGRESS.

1853.

Legislative Proceedings—Judicial Districts—Public Buildings—Tenor of Legislation—Instructions to the Congressional Delegate—Harbors and Shipping—Lane's Congressional Labors—Charges against Governor Gaines—Ocean Mail Service—Protection of Overland Immigrants—Military Roads—Division of the Territory—Federal Appointments—New Judges and their Districts—Whigs and Democrats—Lane as Governor and Delegate—Alonzo A. Skinner—An Able and Humane Man—Sketch of his Life and Public Services.

I have said nothing about the legislative and political doings of the territory since the summer of 1852, when the assembly met in obedience to a call from Governor Gaines, only to show its contempt by adjourning without entering upon any business.[1] At the regular term in December there were present five whigs, three from Clackamas county and two from Yamhill. Only one other county, Umpqua, ran a whig ticket, and that elected a democrat, which promised little comfort for the adherents of Gaines

  1. The council was composed of Deady, Garrison, Lovejoy, Hall, and Waymire of the former legislature, and A. L. Humphry of Benton and Lane counties, Lucius W. Phelps of Linn, and Levi Scott of Umpqua, Douglas, and Jackson. Lancaster, from the north side of the Columbia, was not present. The members of the lower house were J. C. Avery and George E. Cole of Benton; W. T. Matlock, A. E. Wait, and Lot Whitcomb of Clackamas; John A. Anderson of Clatsop and Pacific; F. A. Chenoweth of Clarke and Lewis; Curtis of Douglas; John K. Hardin of Jackson; Thomas N. Aubrey of Lane; James Curl and Royal Cottle of Linn; B. F. Harding, Benjamin Simpson, and Jacob Conser of Marion; H. N. V. Holmes and J. M. Fulkerson of Polk; A. C. Gibbs of Umpqua; John Richardson, F. B. Martin, and John Carey of Yamhill; Benjamin Stark, Milton Tuttle, and Israel Mitchell of Washington. Or. Statesman, July 31, 1852. The officers elected in July held over.

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