Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 2.djvu/129

Rh. On the ninth of December, 1845, the County of Lewis was created out of "all the territory lying to the north of the Columbia River and west of the Cowlitz, up to fifty-four degrees forty minutes north latitude." No county officers were appointed, but the choice was left to the people at the next ensuing election, which was to be held in June, 1846; when, as we have seen, W. F. Tolmie was chosen to represent Lewis County, and Henry N. Peers to represent Vancouver County, in the legislature. These were men of the Hudson's Bay Company. Between them and the Americans, who composed a majority of the legislature, co-operation and harmony were hardly to be expected. In particular, the Americans .were determined to have a rigorous prohibitory liquor law, while the Hudson's Bay Company, having a profitable traffic in liquors, stood strongly against the proposed legislation, which, however, was carried over its protest. Again, in 1847, Vancouver County sent Henry N. Peers to the legislature; Lewis County sent Simon Plamondon. The vote of Lewis this year re-elected Abernethy as Governor, the majority south of the Columbia being against him. A. L. Lovejoy was Abernethy's principal competitor, and the men of the Hudson's Bay Company in Lewis County and elsewhere, no doubt advised by Dr. McLoughlin, between whom and Governor Abernethy harmonious relations existed, preferred Abernethy to Lovejoy. No counties other than Vancouver and Lewis were created north of the Columbia River during the existence of the Provisional Government. In 1849, the legislature of Oregon changed the name of Vancouver County to Clark County. Lewis, Vancouver, and Clatsop were at one time associated in the same legislative district. We find no record of any session of court north of the Columbia during the existence of the Provisional Government. During the latter part of September, 1849, a term of court was held in