Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/472

454 Nesmith and Baker, the former for the long and the latter for the short term.

As soon as practicable after the reassembling of the legislature the house passed a bill providing for the election of a representative in congress to supersede the unauthorized election of Sheil, but the measure was defeated in the senate, the Lane members voting solidly against it. The democratic state central committee then called a meeting, with the intention of electing another representative in November, when the presidential election would occur, and nominated A. J. Thayer. This action caused the senate to reconsider their opposition to a legal election bill; and an act was passed authorizing the governor to issue a writ of election to fill vacancies that might occur in the office of representative to congress. The law went into effect two days after the meeting of the state central committee, and the brief interval between the adjournment of the legislature and the day fixed for the presidential election was devoted to canvassing for a congressman. Nesmith and Benjamin Hayden, one of the democratic presidential electors, took part in it, the candidates being Thayer and Sheil.

Before the 6th of November arrived, the pony express began to bring stirring news of great republican victories in the northern and western states. The successes of the new party were almost too great to be believed. Even in Oregon the contagion spread until all other interests were swallowed therein. On the 6th the vote was cast. Sufficient returns were in by the 9th to make it certain that the state had gone republican. Not only was there a republican