Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/351

Rh on party grounds. One object brought it together, and that one object engrossed the entire attention of the members. The Territory was without law and without officers and all felt that the public wants were pressing and everyone was animated with the patriotic desire of providing a good code of laws."

"The only ground of difference among members was found in the fact that each was most partial to the laws of the state from which he had recently emigrated, and with the operation of which, of course, he was most familiar. The difficulty growing out of this difference of partialities was seriously felt, and retarded to the very last day of the session the progress of business." But this absence of party organization was not to continue. The democrats called a convention to meet at Salem, May 4, 1850, to nominate county officers for Marion County, including members of the territorial legislature from that county, and then a mass meeting of democratic citizens was held at Oregon City on the 14th day of the same month, where the legislature was in session. The mass meeting issued an address to the members of the party. This was denominated a "circular" and began with the following:

"Far removed as you now are from those fondly remembered homes where pure party spirit was wont to warm and animate your hearts, no doubt you have frequently thought and felt that the day was not far distant when it would become your privilege and duty to buckle on your political armor and again do battle in the time-honored service of democracy. In the opinion of this meeting the day for organization preparatory to such action is at hand."

The mass meeting also passed resolutions commending the administration of Governor Lane who was about to leave for southern Oregon to negotiate with the Rogue River Indians for peace. The resolutions denounced the action of the whig president, Taylor, in removing Governor Lane and in appointing Governor Gaines in his