Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/403

 FEDERAL RELATIONS OF OREGON resentation required for a tives

of

.

.

member

of the

385

House of Representa-

."

.

Felix K. Zollikoffer of Tennessee, one of the small number Know-Nothings in the House, presented a second minority

report, reflecting the tenets of his political organization. This report solemnly protested against the provision in the Oregon

constitution which allowed others than citizens of the United

States to vote; such a provision was unconstitutional according to the interpretation of the courts and the testimony of the framers of the United States Constitution. The report also protested against the admission of

Oregon with

its

small

population. all

Practically

the opposition on the floor of the

came from Republicans, although Millson opposed the

House bill

as

he had done before, on the population question. Hughes, an Indiana Democrat, definitely charged that there was a Republican plot to

keep Oregon out,

reasons, there

for, in addition to their stated

was the stronger one

that there

must be no new

Democratic State before the presidential election Turning to the Republican side of the House he said

in

1860.



Vote against Oregon. But re"Go, then, f reedom-shrieker member, you vote against the compact of the ordinance of 1787, expressly extended to that Territory by act of ConYou vote against 'popular sovereignty,' and deny to gress. the people of Oregon the 'right to regulate their, domestic in!

You vote for negro equality, stitutions in their own way/ and plant yourself in opposition to the Constitution of your country, which you have sworn to support. You vote to deny to the white foreigner what your enlarged philanthropy claims for the negro who happens to be born in the United States. You vote to keep a free State out of this Union a State which comes on our own invitation, and comes in the most orderly, regular, and appropriate way. There are some of you that will not do this thing and some that dare not. Upon those who do I invoke the condemnation of an intelligent and patriotic people."

The charge brought by Mr. Hughes was essentially supported by the facts of the case. The Republicans had deter-