Page:Oregon, her history, her great men, her literature.djvu/95

Rh the protection of the settlers' families. Thereupon a committee of twelve was appointed "to consider the propriety of taking steps for the civil and military protection of the colony."

Wolf hunt on french prairie in 1843.png 'Centennial History of Oregon' WOLF HUNT ON FRENCH PRAIRIE IN 1843

Provisional Government Voted at Champoeg. The First American Government on the Pacific Coast was authorized by the people of the Willamette Valley, at Champoeg, May 2, 1843; and it is somewhat remarkable that the same number of colonists should meet to provide for the first constitution and self-government on the Pacific coast as there were in the "Mayflower" when the first constitution for civil government in the world was written, and the first self-government was authorized on the Atlantic coast.

The Vote for a Divide. At the Champoeg meeting 102 men had gathered in an open field for the purpose of considering the report of the Committee of twelve on Organization which had been appointed February 2. The committee reported favorably on the establishment of a government. After much heated discussion, friends of the movement for a government decided that prompt action was necessary. Following the motion to adopt the report of the committee, Joe Meek shouted: