Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/171

 Lee, W. H.

May, Robt. Newell, David Hill, Sidney Smith, M. M. McCarver, McClure and Straight. An election being taken to select a speaker — Gray received 8 votes, H. Lee, 2, and McCarver, i. McCarver then questioned the propriety of electing Gray, claiming to be himself still the speaker. Whereupon the legislative body requested Mr. McCarver to resign. But McCarver did not resign, and proceeded to appoint a committee on v^^ays and means, claims, judiciary, private land claims, roads, Indian affairs, and education.

Mr. Gray now inquired if, in the opinion of the speaker, the house was prop- erly organized ; and the "chair" decided in the affirmative. Whereupon, Gray appealed from the decision of the speaker to the house, when the decision of the "chair" was reversed, and a resolution passed to remove McCarver from the office of speaker, and Robert Newell was elected chairman in his place."

So the reader can see that this was a real flesh and blood legislature, the strife for public station starting early in Oregon, and as trifling as this incident was, it, with other resolutions copied hereafter decided the future course of an able and energetic man, and impelled Mr. McCarver to leave Oregon and cast in his fortunes with Puget Sound.

By the 9th of August, 1845, Meek had secured more offices than any other citizen, having been appointed by the legislature sheriff, marshal, and collector of the revenue.

On the 9th of August, the legislature passed resolutions declaring that it had not the power to set aside or annul contracts made and entered into by the officers of the government.

And also a resolution calling upon Joseph L. Meek to report the amount of revenue he had collected in the year 1844, and how he had disbursed the same.

On this day, J. W. Nesmith, resigned the office of "Judge of Oregon," and the legislature proceeded to elect a successor in the office. The choice resulting in the election of Nineveh Ford, of Yamhill County, which then included what is now Polk. Ford declined the office. And Ford is hardly to be regarded as a public benefactor. As it is related of him, that, when he and his good wife were about starting from Missouri to Oregon, Nineveh remarked that it was likely there was nothing growing in that country that was good for "greens ;" and that as they could not get along without "hogs jowl and greens" they had better take some seed and roots with them, which they did, by bringing the "dandelion" to this country ; where it did not exist before, and planting it in the virgin soil of Oregon, turned loose an unmitigated pest to all pastures, lawns, gardens, and orchards.

On August 15, the legislative assembly shows its pronounced sentiment on two subjects by resolutions as follows:

"Resoh'ed: That M. M. McCarver has been opposed to the organic law, as adopted by the people of Oregon, and contrary to the voice of this house in regular session, clandestinely, and in a manner unworthy the confidence re- posed in him, placed his name to a copy of those laws transmitted to the United States, thereby conveying a false impression, and did, also, sign his name to two resolutions contrary to a direct vote of this house; therefore

It is further Resolv'ed: That we disapprove of the course he has pursued, and feel ourselves under humiliating necessity of signifying the same to the United States government by causing a copy of this resolution to accompany those documents."

Mr. Hill introduced the following:

"Resolved: That no person belonging to the Hudson Bay Company, or in their service, shall ever be considered as citizens of the government of Oregon, nor have the right of elective franchise;" which resolution was rejected.

From these proceedings it can be seen that the pioneer lawmakers could not only deal with a stern hand with those who trifled with the interests of the people, but they could also be just and magnanimous to those who did not sup- port the provisional