Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/478

Rh of a government in the doubtful condition of national affairs, who comprised nearly half of the former settlers, leaving out the Canadian population. These were glad to consult with the new-comers as to the right of the colonists to take such a step, and having some grievances of their own, were not averse to drawing party lines.

That some form of government was made necessary by the present addition, and by the probability that with every year it would be increased, was clear, even to the Hudson's Bay Company, who, however, could not bring themselves to give allegiance to the United States, but favored a temporary government which should be independent of any sovereignty. And seeing the embarrassment under which the fur magnates labored between their allegiance and the pressure brought to bear by the colonists, there were found some Americans prepared to give their consent to such a compromise. But the majority were opposed to the scheme: the Mission, because in the event of a union between the two nationalities it could not hope to preserve a leading position in colonial affairs; and others, because it was not patriotic to act independently of the United States government. Of this way of thinking were most of the immigrants of 1843, who were prompt to take part in the politics of the colony.

According to Article I., Section 2, of the organic laws adopted the previous year, the election of an executive and legislative committee, and other officers of the provisional government, was held on the second Tuesday of May 1844, and resulted in the choice of W. J. Bailey, Osborne Russell, and P. G. Stewart, to constitute the executive arm of the government; and for the legislative branch, P. H. Burnett, M. M. McCarver, David Hill, and Matthew Gilmore, from the