Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/662

Rh of claim-jumping, as this form of trespass was popularly designated, at which over a hundred and fifty persons signed a strong protest. The resolutions declared that the meeting regarded any action calculated to prejudice the claim of any cititzencitizen [sic] who had complied with the laws, as a violation of the good faith of the community and deserving the reprobation of all honorable men; that the organic compact, though it might be avoided by some technicality, was made to secure the rights of every citizen "not incompatible or incongruous with the rights of reservation of the United States government;" that every man engaged in the movement assailing the rights of citizens was to be regarded as a disorganizer, whose conduct weakened the golden bond of society, and gave occasion to mob violence; that all persons who, upon small points, advised trespassing, should be held equally guilty with the offenders; that in view of the approaching jurisdiction of the United States they pledged themselves to maintain the supremacy of the existing laws until that time; and that they would vote for no man for any public office who should be directly or indirectly connected with the form of trespass called claim-jumping.

Other meetings followed, at which speeches were made against trespass, and more names appended to the pledge, both in Oregon City and elsewhere. Among others, Lewis County sent over fifty names. To the ordinary judgment appearances indicated that the spirit as well as the letter of the law was to be observed, and that no one's rights would be infringed. But the cunning brain framing the resolutions had saved his honor by the introduction of the innocent-looking proviso which promised not to interfere with the right of the government to reserve.

Notwithstanding the expected territorial organization, canvassing for the different candidates for offices under the provisional government went on with more