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 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE

374

and

it

was thought impossible

for

it

to have increased suffi-

ciently in four years to warrant statehood. Lane, however, was sure that the population was at least 60,000, certainly 20,000 greater than Illinois' when that State had been ad-

mitted, and people were pouring into the territory at the rate of five thousand a year. Besides, he said, the people of Ore-

gon were tired of being dependent. A remark from Millson of Virginia showed the

relation of

question of state admission to the slavery issue; he said it might be inferred, from the quarter whence proceeded all opposition to the measure (it had been only southerners who all

had raised the population question), that it was due "to the peculiar relations existing between certain members of the Confederacy." As for himself he should view the question on its merits, and if Oregon should be found entitled to ad-

was for it nevertheless, he could not disguise the alarm with which he looked upon the multiplication of Free States, and he was mortified at the apathy with which

mission, his vote



House was allowing this measure to proceed without any knowledge upon which to base action. Seward of New York gave notice that he would move an additional sec-

the

sufficient

whereby all restriction as to slavery should be removed, leaving the question to be decided by the people in the terBefore any conclusion had been reached the comritory.

tion

come up again that sesIn the following session it was taken up, amended in some details, although Seward's proposal was not adopted, reported by the Committee of the Whole and passed by the mittee rose and the measure did not sion.

1

House. 4 The Senate Committee on Territories, when asking consideration of the

House

bill,

called attention to the

amendment

had added; namely, that Oregon should not be admitted until it had a population of at least 60,000. Owing to the raising of objection to its immediate consideration the bill lay over until the third of March. At that time only Douglas which

it

?,

XXVIII,

936,

i

it 7 seq.;

XXX,

455.