Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/361

Rh stitution when prepared was to be submitted to the people for adoption.

At the democrat convention held at Salem, April 11, 1855, a resolution was adopted as follows:

""Resolved, That in the opinion of this convention the time has arrived when Oregon should assume the position of a sovereign state; that the numbers, wealth and intelligence of the population entitle her to become the latest and brightest star of the Union, bearing the farthest westward the standard of the Pacific.""

The election, June 4, 1855, resulted in a majority of 415 against statehood and constitutional convention, a smaller negative majority than in the 1854 election. The vote was 4420 in favor and 4835 against. The democrats, therefore, were not discouraged, and immediately took steps to have the question again submitted to the people in 1856.

In the meantime, in accordance with the Memorial of 1854, Lane had offered a bill in congress authorizing Oregon to form a Constitution and to apply for admission as a state, and the bill passed the House, January 29, 1855. It was reported to the Senate, February 28, 1855, by Stephen A. Douglas, chairman of the Senate committee on territories and came to a vote March 3, when a motion to lay on the table was defeated by a close vote of 18 to 20, and then an amendment offered by the committee on territories to require a population of not less than 60,000 as a condition to statehood was adopted. This being the last day of the session, however, it could