QUALITY OF THE POPULATION.
37
endured, there were few who did not rejoice sincerely that they had cast their lot in Oregon.[1] Hospitality and good-fellowship prevailed; the people were temperate[2] and orderly; and crime was still rare.[3]
Amusements were few and simple, and hardly necessary in so free and unconventional a community, except as a means of bringing the people together.
- ↑ Minto, in Camp Fire Orations, MS., 17; Burnett's Recollections, MS., i. 170; White's Emigration to Or., MS., 11; Simpson's Nar., i. 170.
- ↑ The missionaries, the women of Oregon city, and friends of temperance generally, were still laboring to effect prohibition of the traffic in spirituous liquors. The legislature of 1847 passed an amendment to the organic law, enacting that the word 'prohibit' should be inserted in the place of 'regulate' in the 6th section, which read that the legislature should have power to 'regulate the introduction, manufacture, and sale of ardent spirits.' Or. Laws, 1843–9, 44. No change could be made in the organic law without submitting it to the vote of the people at the ensuing election, which being done, a majority were for prohibition. Grover's Or. Archives, 273–4. When the matter again came before the colonial legislature at its last session, that part of the governor's message referring to prohibition was laid on the table, on motion of Jesse Applegate. A bill to amend the organic laws, as above provided, was subsequently introduced by Samuel R. Thurston, but was rejected by vote, on motion of Applegate. Id., 293. Applegate's independent spirit revolted at prohibition, besides which he took a personal gratification from securing the rejection of a measure emanating from a missionary source. Surely all good people would be naturally averse to hearing an uncultivated savage who was full of bad whiskey, singing in Chinook:
'Kah! six, potlach blue lu (blue ruin),
Nika ticka, blue lu,
Hiyu blue lu,
Hyas olo,
Potlach blue lu.'Which freely translated would run:
'Hallo! friend, give me some whiskey;
I want whiskey, plenty of whiskey;
Very thirsty; give me some whiskey.'Moss' Pioneer Times, MS., 56–7.
- ↑ In the Spectator of July 9, 1846, there is mention of an encounter with knives between Ed. Robinson and John Watson. Robinson was arrested and brought before Justice Andrew Hood, and bound over in the sum of $200. In the same paper of July 23d is an item concerning the arrest of Duncan McLean on suspicion of having murdered a Mr Owens. An affray occurred at Salem in August 1847 between John H. Bosworth and Ezekiel Popham, in which the latter was killed, or suddenly dropped dead from a disease of the heart. Id., Sept. 2, 1847. In 1848 a man named Leonard who had pawned his rifle to one Arim, on Sauvé Island, went to recover without redeeming it, when Arim pursued him with hostile intent. Leonard ran until he came to a fallen tree too large for him to scale in haste, and finding Arim close upon him he turned, and in his excitement fired, killing Arim. Leonard was arrested and discharged, there being no witnesses to the affair. Arim was a bully, and Leonard a small and usually quiet man, who declared he had no intention of killing Arim, but fired accidentally, not knowing the rifle was loaded. Leonard left the country soon after for the gold-mines and never returned. Crawford's Nar., MS., 167. I cite these examples rather to show the absence than the presence of crime.
