Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/76

58 former interest in learning and literature. Their children, with but poor educational facilities and without the example, would have grown up with acquirements inferior to those of their parents before emigrating. Reared in poor houses, without any of the elegancies of life, and with but few of the ordinary conveniences, they would have missed the refining influences of healthy environment, and have fallen below the level of their time in regard to the higher enjoyments of living. The people being chiefly agricultural and pastoral, from their isolation would have become fixed in their ideas and prejudices. As the means of living became plenty and little exertion was required, they would become attached to an easy, careless, unthinking mode of existence, with a tendency even to resent innovations in their habits to which a higher degree of civilization might invite them. Such is the tendency of poverty and isolation, or of isolation and rude physical comforts, without some constant refining agency at hand.

One of the immediate effects of the mining exodus of 1848 was the suspension of the legislature. On the day appointed by law for the assembling of the legislative body only nine members were present, representing four counties; and this notwithstanding the governor had issued proclamations to fill vacancies occurring through the resignation of members-elect. Even after the sergeant-at-arms had compelled the appearance of four members from