Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/359

353 THE WINNING OF THE OREGON COUNTRY. 353 The territorial assembly, by an act passed December 12, 1856, authorized a constitutional convention of sixty dele- gates to be chosen at the general election on the first Mon- day of June, 1857. The convention met at Salem on the third Monday of August, 1857, and adjourned September 18,, 1857, having provided for the submission of the con- stitution proposed to a vote of the people at an election to be held November 9, 1857. This constitution was on this day adopted by a vote of 7,195 in its favor and 3,195 against it. The act of Congress admitting Oregon into the Union was approved February 14, 1859, by James Buchanan, the President, thus giving him the double- honor in this, that as Secretary of State under President Polk he had negotiated the treaty with England, by which the United States finally acquired undisputed sovereignty over the. disputed territory, and as President, approved the act which gave the Union another great State. It may be remarked that the constitution as framed, has never been abrogated, modified, or amended excepting any amendment to section 1, article IV, conferring upon the voters the power to enact or veto proposed laws, and is still the organic law of the State. At the time of its submission the slavery question was the burning issue and the ques- tion was submitted therewith, there being 2,645 in favor of slavery and 7,727 votes opposed. George L. Curry was Governor at this time, and B. F. Harding, Secretary of the Territory. The me.mbers of the constitutional convention chosen to represent Yamhill County, and whose names are appended to the document, were J. R. McBride, R. V. Short, R. C. Kinney, and W. Olds. Matthew P. Deady, the pres- ident of the convention, was a delegate chosen to rep- resent Douglas County. Many will remember, also, that John Kelsay was there from Benton ; J. K. Kelly from Clackamas ; John W. Watts from Columbia; Stephen F. Chadwick from Douglas ; P. P. Prim and John H. Reed