Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/189



ESTABLISHMENT OF PACIFIC COAST REPUBLIC 181

the commanding personality of Asahel Bush, the editor of the Statesman. 1

This Salem Clique gave to Oregon an arrogant and narrowly partisan rule. Rebellion in the ranks was not tolerated, and erring members were ruthlessly read out of the party. These domineering Democratic leaders also soon found it difficult to submit to the superior power of the national government.

Their proud necks chafed under the yoke imposed by Eastern officials appointed by an unsympathetic Congress. This feel- ing was particularly strong during the Whig administration of President Taylor, and loud were the complaints and many the protests launched against the custom of filling Oregon offices with foreign appointees. The territorial delegate in Congress 2 was requested to suggest that it would be well if the people of Oregon were granted the power of electing all their terri- torial officers. 3 The suggestion, needless to say, was unheeded. In the meantime a violent and bitter struggle was in progress in the territory between the Whig Officials and the Democratic Legislature. The tension between the two parties soon became almost unbearable. Two possible remedies appear to have suggested themselves to the Democratic leaders statehood and independence. A movement for statehood was actually set on foot in 1851, and also in that year appeared the first accusa- tion that the leaders of the Oregon Democracy designed at no distant day to throw off their allegiance to the United States government and attempt to set up an independent republic.* If the danger existed, as seems probable, it passed away with the success of the Democrats in the presidential election of 1852.

In 1854 "the most momentous measure that passed Congress from the day the Senators and Representatives first met until

1 Woodward, in The Quarterly, v. XII.

2 Joseph Lane. He was elected delegate in 1851, and held that position by suc- cessive re-elections until 1859, when on Oregon's admission to the Union, he took his place as U. S. Senator from that state.

3 Letter, Humphrey to Lane, January, 1852.

4 Quoted in Oregonian, July 28, 1851.