unknown, to awaken in the minds of the people, the chief part of whom were descendants of slave-holders, a desire for unpaid servitude. To meet this apparently well organized effort of the southern democrats of the United States senate and of California, the republicans and free-state democrats of Oregon nerved themselves afresh. All the newspapers of whatever politics or religion were filled with discussions of the topic now more than any other absorbing the public mind. George H. Williams made a strong appeal in an article in the Statesman of July 28th, showing that Oregon was not adaped to slave labor. On the other hand, F. B. Martin urged the advantage and even the necessity of slave labor, both sides presenting lengthy arguments convincing to themselves.[1] With more ardor than discretion, Martin said that slavery would be a benefit to the negro himself; for if proved unprofitable, it would die out, and the blacks become free in a fine country. Now there was no such hater of the free negro as the advocate of slave labor; and unless the black man could be sure always to remain a chattel, they would oppose his entrance
- ↑ See letter of J. W. Mack in favor of slave labor, in Or. Statesman, Aug. 18, 1857; and of Thomas Norris against, in the Statesman of Aug. 4, 1857; Or. Argus, Jan. 10, Sept. 5, Oct. 10, 1857. The Pacific Christian Advocate, methodist, edited by Thomas Pearne, shirked the responsibility of an opinion by pretending to ignore the existence of any slavery agitation, or that any prominent politicians were engaged in promoting it. Adams retorted: 'We should like to ask the Advocate whether Jo Lane, delegate to congress; Judge Deady of the supreme court; T'Vault, editor of the Oregon Sentinel; Avery, a prominent member of the legislature; Kelsay, an influential member of the constitutional convention; Judge Dickey Miller, a leading man in Marion county; Mr Soap and Mr Crisp, leading men in Yamhill; Judge Holmes and Mr Officer of Clackamas, and fifty others we might mention, who are all rabid "nigger" men are not "prominent politicians."' Or. Argus, Sept. 5, 1857.
Or. Statesman, Nov. 17, 1857. It was in this year that the Jacksonville Herald was first published, which leaned toward slavery. It was asserted by the California journals that the pro-slavery party of that state had its emissaries in Oregon, and that it was designed to send into the territory voters enough to give a majority in favor of slavery. S. F. Chronicle, Aug. 15, 1857. Ex-governor Foote of Mississippi, then in California, visited Oregon in August, which movement the republicans thought significant. Marysvllle Herald and S. F. Chronicle, in Or. Statesman, Sept. 8, 1857. Chas E. Pickett, formerly of Oregon, returned there from California, and contributed some arguments in favor of slavery to the columns of the Statesman. Or. Argus, Oct. 10, 1857; Or. Statesman, Oct. 6, 1857.
