Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 11.djvu/357

 Political Parties in Oregon 327 tion. Finally, underlying and supporting these various motives generally, was that inborn, inbred instinct for adventure, very strong in the young and far from impotent in the older. The very element of uncertainty appealed strongly to those whose fathers, beginning at the Atlantic sea board, had pushed out into the unknown West, and step by step, had conquered their wilderness. Closely akin to this was the demand for personal freedom of action. Generations of pioneering breeds a strong individualism which chafed under conditions imposing restraint. This attitude of mind is clearly, though homely expressed in the words of the typical Westerner who said he came "because the thing wasn't fenced in and nobody dared to keep him off." 1 A general knowledge at least of the source of Oregon coloni- zation is necessary for the understanding of the political devel- opment of the future commonwealth. It is conceded that the greatest contribution was made by the Middle West. The popular idea, however, seems to attribute too much of this to the far West and South. Geo. H. Himes, Curator of the Ore- gon Historical Society collections, has secured memorandum cards giving detailed information concerning over seven thou- sand of the early settlers, as to birth, ancestry, home, place of departure, etc. A study of this data shows that many of the emigrants who are credited to Missouri and other far western territory, were rather transient residents. Their homes were in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee. They had started on the distant journey 'westward, in some cases with Oregon as the goal from the start. Misfortunes or financial considerations had compelled a stop by the way, sometimes for two or three years, in which fortunes were recruited and prep- arations renewed for the continued journey. In other cases the final destination was not in view from the first. Bona fide settlement had been made in Iowa or Missouri from states east of the Mississippi, but in a very short time, succumbing to the Oregon fever, the new settlers were found in the emigrant trains which rendezvoused in Western Missouri. In many i Col. Geo. B. Currey, Address before the Oregon Pioneer Association, 1887. Proceedings, p. 35.