Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 4.djvu/418

408 with all the best portions of the emigration to that region; but obstacles are presented of such a character as to deter many persons from attempting to return. Emigrants from the states find the greatest difficulty in descending the mountain declivities into the valley of the Columbia River, but then their wagons have been relieved of a great part of the provisions and surplus weight, and they do get along. If they should attempt to return to the United States, however, a different prospect is presented. They must start amply provided with provisions and everything necessary for the journey, and thus loaded it has been deemed impossible to get wagons along over the mountains which they necessarily have to ascend in their progress. This cause alone has deterred many persons from making the attempt, and they have been compelled to accommodate themselves to a country and a condition of things in no respect better than they originally left. No man, in our opinion, who has a comfortable home in any of the states can be justified in giving it up in the expectation of bettering himself in Oregon. If he has a family, he does a gross injustice to them in exposing them to the hardships of so long and perilous a journey with no prospect of returning to their friends, should they become discontented; and even if an emigrant has nobody to care for but himself, he had better stay at home and earn an honest living, than go to Oregon and run the risk of working out a precarious one. For this reason we have never countenanced any one for whom we had the least respect in a journey to Oregon or California with a view to a fixed residence there. Neither country presents half the inducements to be found in any one of the Western states, and an adventure of this kind is prima facie evidence of a restless and discontented spirit, not likely to be pleased anywhere.

On the 20th of November the Governor appointed Columbia Lancaster to be Supreme Judge of Oregon Territory, in place of J. Quinn Thornton, resigned. From some proceedings of the legislature of a subsequent period, we infer that Judge Thornton had left Oregon on a visit to Washington City, as a sort of general agent, to attend to the distribution of offices in the new territory. Of his arrival we have not heard, and it is probable that Mr. Meek may reach Washington before him.

[Then follows proceedings of legislature, resolutions, etc., intended to keep J. Q. T. from leaving the territory, quoted in full. Also Governor's message, expressing the disappointment at the failure of Congress to extend jurisdiction over that country, etc.]