Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/358

352 352 W. D. FENTON. act all that part of the territory of the United States which lies west of the summit of the Rocky Mountains, north of the forty-second degree of north latitude, known as the Territory of Oregon, shall be organized into and constitute a temporary government by the name of the Territory of Oregon." By act of Congress approved March 2, 1853, the Territory of Washington was created out of that por- tion of the Territory of Oregon lying north of the Colum- bia River, from its mouth to the point where the forty-sixth degree of north latitude crosses such river, and from thence eastward to the summit of the Rocky Mountains, and of the territory north of such degree. Under the congressional act Governor Lane appointed Oregon City the place, and July 16, 1849, the time, for holding the first territorial leg- islative assembly. An extra session was called by him at the same place, May 6, 1850, and a second regular session was held there, beginning on the first Monday of Decem- ber, 1850, By act of February 1, 1851, the territorial assem- bly located the seat of government at Salem, and by the act of January 16, 1855, to take effect March 1 following, the seat of government was removed to and located at Corvallis ; and by an act of date December 12, 1855, it was again re- located at Salem, to take effect in three days thereafter. On September 27, 1850, Congress passed the great land act, known as the "Donation Land Law," being the first congressional legislation affecting the public lands in Ore- gon. The policy of Congress was most liberal to settlers in this respect, the act giving to a single person, man or woman, 320 acres, or to a married man, or if he should become married within one year from the first day of December, 1850, -640 acres. It is the only instance in the public land laws where a half-section of land was offered as a reward to the man who should marry, and at the same time allowed him fourteen months in which to do so.