Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/163

Rh of information on the progress of the territory toward securing its congressional appropriations. The five thousand dollars granted in the organic act for erecting public buildings was in his hands, he said, to which would be added the forty thousand dollars appropriated at the last session; and he recommended that some action be taken with regard to a penitentiary, no prison having existed in Oregon since the burning of the jail at Oregon City. The five thousand dollars for a territorial library, he informed the assembly, had been expended, and the books placed in a room furnished for the purpose, the custody of which was placed in their hands.

The legislative session of 1850–1 was not harmonious. There were quarrels over the expenditure of the appropriations for public buildings and the location of the capital. Although the former assembly had called a session in May, ostensibly to fix upon a place as well as a time for convening its successor, it had not fixed the place, and the present legislature had come together by common consent at Oregon City. Conceiving it to be proper at this session to establish the seat of government, according to the fifteenth section of the organic act, which authorized the legislature at its first session, or as soon thereafter as might be expedient, to locate and establish the capital of the territory, the legislature proceeded to this duty. The only places put in competition with any chance of success were Oregon City and Salem. Between these there was a lively contest, the majority of the assembly, backed by the missionary interest, being in favor of Salem, while a minority, and many Oregon City lobbyists, were for keeping the seat of government at that place. In the heat of the contest Governor Gaines unwisely interfered by a special message, in which, while