Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/397

 FEDERAL RELATIONS OF OREGON resentation,

little

379

the

in

Legislature in the issue, especially after a convention, in the spring of 1857 to nominate a candidate for Delegate to Congress, had proclaimed that "We deny 1856-7.

although

weight,

The Democrats were divided over

the right of any state to interfere with such domestic institutions of other states as are recognized

by the constitution."

The

disruptive tendencies of this declaration were added to by an attempt of the dominant faction to gag all independent action within the party. In August, 1859, the constitutional convention

From

the first

it

was decided

that there should be

was held. no discus-

sion of the slavery issue in the convention, but that the question should be submitted to the people with the constitution which

should be framed. Accordingly two propositions went before the electorate in addition to the constitution Should there be

Oregon ? Should free negroes be permitted to live in Oregon? The constitution itself provided that no negro, mulatto, or Chinaman should be allowed to vote, neither could Chinese, slavery in

immigrating to Oregon after the adoption of the constitution, hold land or mining claims, or work the latter, and the Legislature was to enact suitable laws to enforce these prohibitions.

The

constitution fixed the boundaries of the State as

the Senate Committee on Territories had, except that for the 46th parallel eastward from the Columbia the line was placed farther north in order to bring the Walla Walla valley within the limits of Oregon. qualifying clause allowed the line to

A

be moved back to 46 if Congress should so will; and ConIn its general features the constitution was not gress did. materially different from most State constitutions framed in

one provision, however, is worthy of note, for it forbade making the property and pecuniary rights of women Half of liable for the debts or contracts of their husbands.

that period



each donation claim taken by a married man, then, was the absolute property of the wife. In November the people voted on the propositions and the In a poll of slightly over 10,000, slavery was constitution. a majority of 5,082; free negroes were debarred rejected by