Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/155

 FINANCIAL HISTORY OF OREGON. 147 The Territorial State House. All territorial officials who receive their appointment from the head of the National Gov- ernment are distinctively designated as * * Territorial officers of the United States." Even members of the territorial legisla- tures who are elected by the people of the territories, but who receive their salaries and mileage from the national treasury, have, I believe, the same status of ' ' Territorial officers of the United States." The provision of public buildings required for the accommodation of the national territorial officials is, therefore, a duty naturally assumed by Congress. The Pro- visional Government had not provided any public buildings, so the act organizing the Territory of Oregon had a timely provision of $5,000 for this purpose. This sum was to be ' ' applied by the Governor to the erection of suitable buildings at the seat of government. ' ' The section of the act containing this appropriation further provided that the Legislative As- sembly should at its first session or as soon thereafter as they shall deem expedient, proceed to locate and establish the seat of government for the Territory, at such place as they shall deem eligible. The expenditure of the five-thousand-dollar fund for public buildings was thus forestalled until the Legislative Assembly had selected a ' ' seat of government. ' ' This, because of a dis- agreement between the two houses as to the proper place, it failed to do at its first regular session, held in the summer of Penitentiary Board. So a keeper was appointed, but these convicts died before they could be delivered into his hands. Three were sentenced and received during this year. 1854. At the opening of the year three were in custody, one escaped not recaptured; six were added, making the whole number eight. Of these three escaped but were recaptured. 1855. Year opened with eight in custody, five new ones were received, two were discharged, and two escaped. 1856. Year opened with nine in custody: three were discharged, and one was pardoned. Three were received, none died, and none escaped. 1857. Number increased from eight to eighteen; during the year two were discharged, one pardoned, and fourteen admitted: none died, and one escaped. 1858. During this year seventeen were admitted and three discharged. From June 22, 1859, to September 10, 1860, while the institution was in charge of a sub-lessee, twenty-two escaped.