OCR Text |
Show 62 HEALTHFULNESS, &C.-·GOVERNM.iNT. this general character; bl'ight and blooming valleys,. wallecl .with mountains, and surrounded by wastes; which, contrastma so wtdely with every thing about them, are regarded by the lonely traveler, as being, not only wildly romantic, but surpassingly beautifu I. Tl~cse howevP.r, are rare. The traveler through that dreary regwn, will climb to the eummit of many a barron height, and traverse many a sun scorched plain, ere the green Oasis glads his eyes. Those who have emigmted to the country, have had uncommonly good henlth. Notwithstanding the great exposures which the Emigrations of 1843 and 1844, were 11ecessarily subjected to, in ma· king, and aftei· having made, a long and toilsome journey throug.h a wild, and desert wilderness ; in preparing shelters from the rain-,, and obtaining the means of subsistance; there were fewer instances ef sickness in either. than is common among a like number of people, in the most healthy portions of the United States. But to describe the climate of Ot·egon, with the greatest exactness, in tha fewest words, i~, we think, to compare it with France; which laying bet ween precisely the ~arne parallels of latitude, and occupying exactly the same position, on the Eastern Continent, that Oregon does on the \Vestern, boasts a climate which has long since and universally been acknowledged, one of the finest on the Globe.The situation of Oregon, m regard to commerce, every one who knows any thing about the geography of the world, is already acquainted with. Its location is convenient to all the shores and Islands of the Pacific, theW estern portions of South America; and as all the numerous groups of Islands in the great Pacific Ocean, a!'e ready of access; they will furnish much for profitable commerce, as they lie mostly in the tropics. The people who have emigrated to Oregon, have organized a Government, deeming it right and necessary, situated as they were, in an Indian country, and so far removed from the influence of any law; not only as a means of personal safety from the natives, if they were disposed to be hostile; but also, for the protection of life and property, against evil-do~rs among themselves; and for the distri.bution of equal justice in all their intercourse with each other. This Government, however, is intended only to be temporary, and subject to the disposition of the Governm~nt of the United States, whenever 5he extends her jurisdiction over the Territory. The people of Ot·egon, gen~rally, hn.ve no disposition to set up an independent government; but on the contrary, they are exceedingly 1i'SMrORART GOVEltN.l\tENT• ~n:x:lous to be takerl into the care and under the protection of the United States. They exptect tQ receive grants from the gov~rn· tnent, and under this e.x:pectation, they have all located land cla1ms of a section each; and thes~ claims are of course resp~c~ed and protected by the existing provi~ionary ?overnment. .1 his government was orgamzed in 1843, and prevwus to the arnval of our Emigration. The citizens met in Convention, and elected an Executive Committee of three, which had the powers of a Governor; a Legislative Committee of nine, a Judge, Recorder, Tre~~urer, Sheriff, four Justices of Peace, and as many C~nstables •.. ~dtt&ry Officers were also elected, and several co'mpames of 1\thlltta organ· ized. They made a short code of' written Laws, defining the duties and powers of the different offi.cers, an~ ado pte~ th~ Laws of Iowa so far as they would apply to their condltwn. 'I hey r~gulatcd the taking of land claims, determining wh~ might hold cla\ms, an~ de-fi l iner what steps should be necessary, m order that persons m1ght ll 0 be secure in the possession of lands. They · h'm'1dtc lt 1 ese 1a n d claims by the same authority by which they laid them, (Senator JJynn':5 Bill,) to six hundred and forty acres, and made any per~on laying two claims, liable to J.oose either. In order to hold a claim, they made it necessary that the corners of the land, should be marked; and that a description of it should be entered upon tho books of the Territorial Recorde r; and the temporary gove.rn· me nt agreed to protect these land claims against a:ll o.t her c. latm· ants; except the United States of America. The ~1isswnaJ'.Ies re-siding itl the Willamrnette valley, who took an active .pat:t .m the brganization; ?esicles the c,laims allowed the~ ~s mdt.vtdual.s, succeeded in obtaining, in the name of the Mtssion, thtrty ~lX square miles; und in the best portion of the Willammette Valley. The !!Succeeding Legi~latu re, however, disregarded it;, and all except the usual claim allowed to individuals, was liable to be taken by any one who might wish it. This government was extended ove·t all the count1·y between the parallels· of 42 deg. anrl 54 deg. 40 min. W~orth latitude, and vVest of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean; and made a residence of six months necessary to Citizenship. The second Legislature, elected by order of the Executive Committee, made a Law, prohibiting the making and· selling ardent spirits, in the Territory, except for Medical purposes; and likewise, a Law prohibiting the re~idence of negroes in the country, aftet· the expiration of three yeare; and levied a tax, upon the p~ople, for the construction of roads, and the defi,aying. |