Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 2.djvu/27

Rh December 3, the legislature assembled at Corvallis, and consisted of the following members: Council—Polk, James M. Fulkerson; Linn, Charles Drain; Douglas and Coos, Hugh D. O'Bryant; Marion, J. C. Peebles; Benton, Avery A. Smith; Clackamas, James K. Kelly; Multnomah, Washington, and Columbia, A. P. Dennison; Clatsop and Yamhill, N. Huber. A. P. Dennison was elected president. House—Waymire and Boise, of Polk; Robinson and Buckingham, of Benton; Moores and McAlexander, of Lane; Hudson, of Douglas; Smith, Brown and Grant, of Linn; Grover, Harpole and Harrison, of Marion; Risley and Officer, of Clackamas; Shuck and Burbank, of Yamhill; Harris, of Columbia; Callender, of Clatsop; Tichner, of Coos; Gates, of Wasco; Brown, of Multnomah; Johnson, of Washington; Jackson, of Multnomah and Washington; Cozad, of Umpqua; Smith, Barkwell and Briggs, of Jackson. Delazon Smith was elected speaker, and Thomas W. Beale chief clerk.

These members met in session at Corvallis. Consequent upon the ruling of the Controller of the Treasury as to the expenditure of money for public buildings, a bill was soon passed relocating the capital at Salem, followed by an immediate adjournment of the legislature to meet at that place. On December 22, 1855, the state house at Salem, with all its contents, was destroyed by fire, supposed to be the work of an incendiary. Another bill to submit the question of a state government to the people was passed by this legislature. The proposition was again defeated at the June election in 1856 by a vote of four thousand and ninety-seven for, to four thousand three hundred and forty-six against it. The following were elected members of the legislature at this election: Council Washington, T. R. Cornelius, F. R. Bayley; Marion, Nat. Ford; Linn, Charles Drain; Douglas, Hugh D. O'Bryant; Marion, J. C. Peebles; Benton, A.