Provisional Legislature of Oregon
Encyclopedia
The Provisional Legislature of Oregon was the single-chamber
legislative body of the Provisional Government of Oregon
. It served the Oregon Country
of the Pacific Northwest
of North America from 1843 until early 1849 at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region. This democratically elected legislature became the Oregon Territorial Legislature
when the territorial authorities arrived after the creation of the Oregon Territory
by the United States in 1848. The body was first termed the Legislative Committee and later renamed the House of Representatives. Over the course of its six-year history the legislature passed laws, including taxation and liquor regulation, and created an army to deal with conflicts with Native Americans
.
Many of the legislators would become prominent figures during the territorial years of Oregon. At first the body was a small committee of nine people, but the group was altered when the Organic Laws of Oregon
were revised in 1845 with the legislative branch of the Provisional Government becoming the Oregon House of Representatives with a minimum of 13 members. Once the government was dissolved in 1849, all the laws remained in effect, except for the one that authorized the minting of coins. Territorial Governor Joseph Lane
nullified that law, ending production of the Beaver Coins
.
settler
s of the Oregon Country
(mainly those from the Willamette Valley
), created a provisional government at Champoeg
. In May and June, a nine-person committee met in Oregon City
and drafted the Organic Laws of Oregon
as a pseudo-constitution that was subsequently ratified on July 5, 1843. This document created the government and authorized a provisional legislature of nine people.
On May 16, the nine-person committee of James A. O'Neil
, Robert Moore
, William H. Gray
, William Daugherty, David Hill
, Robert Shortess, Thomas J. Hubbard
, Robert Newell
, and Alanson Beers
met for three days to draft laws. The group met again for two days starting on June 16, with George LeBreton
serving as the recorder and Moore as the chairman for both sets of meetings. The laws drafted became the Organic Laws of Oregon and were ratified on July 5. Committees on land claims, appropriations, military, the judiciary, and districting were also formed at that meeting.
The organic laws were based on the laws of Iowa Territory
. The document outlined the legislative branch
and its powers, vested in a unicameral or single body. At that time the title of the legislature was the Legislative Committee and it consisted of nine elected representatives apportioned
by population to the four established districts (which later became counties). The Organic Laws required the legislature to meet in June and December of each year.
in Oregon City. This session lasted until June 27, and another session was held from December 16 to 21 at the residence of J. E. Long, also in Oregon City. At the December meeting, Executive Committee members Peter G. Stewart
and Osborne Russell
presented a message to the group regarding the opposing claims of the United States and Great Britain
.
any civil official by a 3/4ths vote, apportion the legislators among the districts, create post offices, levy taxes, declare war, organize and call out the militia, create lower courts, pass laws concerning the general welfare of the region, regulate trade with the Native Americans, regulate liquor sale and manufacture, and regulate the police power of the government, among other powers. Meetings continued to be in June and December.
With these changes, a special session of the legislature met August 5 until August 20 in Oregon City. On August 11, 1845 at the introduction of Jesse Applegate the body passed a law against dueling within a half hour that Governor Abernethy also signed within 30 minutes of the bill’s introduction. A new legislature met beginning on December 2, with Robert Newell serving as the speaker of the body through December 10 and Henry A. G. Lee
assuming the post until the conclusion of the session on December 19. Polk District
was created during the session, with the bill passed on December 19. J. E. Long served as the recorder and Theopolis McGruder as the sergeant at arms for the group. The same people who served in the summer session also served in the December session.
These sessions of the legislature designated Oregon City as the official capital and introduced income and property taxes that replaced an 1843 subscription program used to finance the government’s activities. Also passed during the 1845 session was the "Lash Law", which banned Blacks
from living in the territory with violators subject to 20–39 lashes
across the back every six months, until the person left the region. Other business included a ban on hard liquor, the incorporation
of Oregon City, approval for the Barlow Road
around Mount Hood
, incorporation of the Multnomah Circulating Library, and incorporation of the Oregon Institute
. At the meetings J. E. Long served as the recorder, Frederick Prigg as the clerk, a Mr. Shaw as the sergeant at arms
, and two people as chaplains.
and looking for a division of the Oregon Country
, the legislature scaled back its agenda. One piece of legislation passed was a pilotage
law that set standards and licensed boat pilots at the mouth of the Columbia River. The 1846 legislature met in the home of H. M. Knighton in Oregon City from December 1 through 19, with Asa L. Lovejoy serving as the speaker and leader. N. Huber served as a clerk and Knighton as sergeant at arms.
In 1847 the legislature met from December 7 to 28 at the Methodist Church in Oregon City. On the second day of this meeting at Main and Seventh streets, news of the Whitman massacre
, which occurred on November 29, 1847, was delivered to the legislature by Governor Abernethy
. This event would dominate the remainder of the session as the Provisional Government worked with the Hudson's Bay Company
to send an army east to Walla Walla
. Forty-two men under the command of Henry A. G. Lee
were sent immediately to The Dalles
in what was the beginning of the Cayuse War
. A large force under the command of Cornelius Gilliam
was then organized and sent to punish those responsible for the massacre. On December 23, the group created Benton District
out of the southern section of Polk District, naming the new district for Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton
. In the legislature, Robert Newell was chosen as the speaker of the group with Calvin W. Cook as clerk.
The Provisional Legislature met for two sessions in late 1848 and early 1849. The first session, from December 5 to December 13, never formally organized as so many of the representatives had traveled south for the California Gold Rush
. Beginning on February 5, a session was organized that conducted the final business of the Provisional Government. The session lasted until February 16. During this session a law forbidding the sale of firearms and supplies to Native Americans was repealed, and a law was passed to authorize the minting of gold coins. The law concerning the coins allowed for the creation of the Beaver Coins
, which had a higher gold content than United States minted coins. Less than a month later, when the new territorial governor Joseph Lane
arrived, however, he rescinded the law as unconstitutional and the coins were collected and removed from circulation. For the legislative session Ralph Wilcox was chosen as speaker, but he resigned from the post. Stephen Meek
served as the doorkeeper, William G. T’Vault as a clerk, and William Holmes as sergeant at arms.
On June 15, 1846, the Oregon Treaty
was signed with Great Britain, which settled the dispute over sovereignty of the Oregon Country. On August 13, 1848 the United States Congress
created the Oregon Territory out of the land between California
and the 49th parallel (this served as the border with Britain’s North American colonies) and west of the Rocky Mountains
. A new bicameral
territorial legislature
was created with an upper chamber Council and lower chamber House. These bodies met for the first time on July 16, 1849, with some members of the provisional legislature continuing into the new government, including David Hill, Asa Lovejoy, Samuel Parker, and A. J. Hembree. Upon statehood in 1859, the territorial legislature would be transformed into the Oregon Legislative Assembly
.
Unicameralism
In government, unicameralism is the practice of having one legislative or parliamentary chamber. Thus, a unicameral parliament or unicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of one chamber or house...
legislative body of the Provisional Government of Oregon
Provisional Government of Oregon
The Provisional Government of Oregon was a popularly elected government created in the Oregon Country, in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It existed from May 2, 1843 until March 3, 1849. Created at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region, this independent government...
. It served the Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
of the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
of North America from 1843 until early 1849 at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region. This democratically elected legislature became the Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon’s Territorial Legislature was a bicameral legislative body created by the United States Congress in 1848 as the legislative branch of the government of the Oregon Territory...
when the territorial authorities arrived after the creation of the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
by the United States in 1848. The body was first termed the Legislative Committee and later renamed the House of Representatives. Over the course of its six-year history the legislature passed laws, including taxation and liquor regulation, and created an army to deal with conflicts with Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
.
Many of the legislators would become prominent figures during the territorial years of Oregon. At first the body was a small committee of nine people, but the group was altered when the Organic Laws of Oregon
Organic Laws of Oregon
The Organic Laws of Oregon were two sets of laws passed in the 1840s that established a structure for government in the Oregon Country in the northwest corner of North America. These laws were created by a legislative committee formed after the Champoeg Meetings...
were revised in 1845 with the legislative branch of the Provisional Government becoming the Oregon House of Representatives with a minimum of 13 members. Once the government was dissolved in 1849, all the laws remained in effect, except for the one that authorized the minting of coins. Territorial Governor Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
nullified that law, ending production of the Beaver Coins
Beaver Coins
Beaver Coins, also known in pioneer days as Beaver Money, were gold coins briefly minted by the Provisional Government of Oregon in 1849. The coins were available in 5 and 10 dollar denominations. Their name comes from the prominent beaver depicted on the obverse of the coins...
.
Background
On May 2, 1843, by a vote of 52 to 50, the European AmericanEuropean American
A European American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s of the Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
(mainly those from the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
), created a provisional government at Champoeg
Champoeg, Oregon
Champoeg is a former town in the U.S. state of Oregon. Now a ghost town, it was an important settlement in the Willamette Valley in the early 1840s. It is positioned halfway between Oregon City and Salem and the site of the first provisional government of the Oregon Country...
. In May and June, a nine-person committee met in Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
and drafted the Organic Laws of Oregon
Organic Laws of Oregon
The Organic Laws of Oregon were two sets of laws passed in the 1840s that established a structure for government in the Oregon Country in the northwest corner of North America. These laws were created by a legislative committee formed after the Champoeg Meetings...
as a pseudo-constitution that was subsequently ratified on July 5, 1843. This document created the government and authorized a provisional legislature of nine people.
1843
James A. O'Neil
James A. O’Neil was an American businessman and politician in the Oregon Country and later Oregon Territory. A New York native, he took part in the Champoeg Meetings and helped form the Provisional Government of Oregon...
, Robert Moore
Robert Moore (Oregon pioneer)
Robert Moore was an American politician and pioneer in the Oregon Country. A Pennsylvania native and veteran of the War of 1812, he also participated in the early movements to form a government in Oregon Country and founded Linn City, Oregon...
, William H. Gray
William H. Gray (Oregon politician)
William Henry Gray was a pioneer of the Oregon Country in the present-day U.S. state of Oregon. He was an active participant in the efforts to organize a government in the region....
, William Daugherty, David Hill
David Hill (Oregon politician)
David Hill , was an American pioneer and settler of what became Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. He served in the Provisional Government of Oregon in both the executive and legislative branches, and later as a legislator in the first Oregon Territorial Legislature...
, Robert Shortess, Thomas J. Hubbard
Thomas J. Hubbard
Thomas Jefferson Hubbard was an Oregon pioneer and politician who was acquitted of murder charges in the first American murder trial in what is now the state of Oregon. At the trial the murder was determined to be justifiable homicide....
, Robert Newell
Robert Newell (Oregon politician)
Robert "Doc" Newell , was an American politician and fur trapper in the Oregon Country. He was a frontier doctor in what would become the U.S. state of Oregon. A native of Ohio, he served in the Provisional Government of Oregon and later was a member of the Oregon State Legislature...
, and Alanson Beers
Alanson Beers
Alanson Beers was an American pioneer and politician in the early days of the settlement of the Oregon Country. A blacksmith by trade, he was a reinforcement for the Methodist Mission in what would become the state of Oregon...
met for three days to draft laws. The group met again for two days starting on June 16, with George LeBreton
George LeBreton
George W. LeBreton was a pioneer politician in the Oregon Country and served as the official recorder in the Provisional Government of Oregon....
serving as the recorder and Moore as the chairman for both sets of meetings. The laws drafted became the Organic Laws of Oregon and were ratified on July 5. Committees on land claims, appropriations, military, the judiciary, and districting were also formed at that meeting.
The organic laws were based on the laws of Iowa Territory
Iowa Territory
The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa.-History:...
. The document outlined the legislative branch
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
and its powers, vested in a unicameral or single body. At that time the title of the legislature was the Legislative Committee and it consisted of nine elected representatives apportioned
Apportionment (politics)
Apportionment is the process of allocating political power among a set of principles . In most representative governments, political power has most recently been apportioned among constituencies based on population, but there is a long history of different approaches.The United States Constitution,...
by population to the four established districts (which later became counties). The Organic Laws required the legislature to meet in June and December of each year.
1844
The first meeting of the 1844 legislature took place June 18 at the home of Felix HathawayFelix Hathaway
Felix Hathaway was an American carpenter and pioneer in what became the state of Oregon. A native of New England, he settled in the Oregon Country where he helped construct the first American-built ship in what became the state of Oregon...
in Oregon City. This session lasted until June 27, and another session was held from December 16 to 21 at the residence of J. E. Long, also in Oregon City. At the December meeting, Executive Committee members Peter G. Stewart
Peter G. Stewart
Peter Grant Stewart was a jeweler and pioneer of the Oregon Country in what later became the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. A native of New York state, he traveled the Oregon Trail to the Willamette Valley and settled first in Oregon City and later in what became Washington...
and Osborne Russell
Osborne Russell
Osborne Russell was a mountain man and politician who helped form the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. He was born in Maine....
presented a message to the group regarding the opposing claims of the United States and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
Members
Members of the legislature and the districts they represented (McCarver served as the speaker of the body with John E. Long as the recorder):- Thomas D. Keizer, Champoeg
- Robert Newell, Champoeg
- Daniel WaldoDaniel Waldo (Oregon pioneer)Daniel Waldo was an American legislator in the Provisional Government of Oregon, the namesake for the Waldo Hills near Salem, Oregon, and the father of two prominent Oregon politicians. He was also a member of the Oregon Rangers militia and fought in the Cayuse War.-Early life:Waldo was born in...
, Champoeg - Asa L. Lovejoy, Clackamas
- Peter H. Burnett, Tuality
- M. Gilmore, Tuality
- David Hill, Tuality
- Morton M. McCarver, Tuality
1845
The 1845 legislature met three different times, under two different structures. First, from June 24 to July 5 1845, the legislature met in Oregon City, first at the home of J. E. Long and then the home of M. McGruder, with M. M. McCarver serving as the speaker of the group. After this, the Organic Laws were replaced with the Organic Act of 1845, which altered the legislature in several ways. First the number of representatives was increased to include a minimum of 13 and a maximum of 61. Second, the name was changed to the House of Representatives. All members of the body were to be elected by popular vote with vacancies filled using special elections. The body also received new powers to impeachImpeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
any civil official by a 3/4ths vote, apportion the legislators among the districts, create post offices, levy taxes, declare war, organize and call out the militia, create lower courts, pass laws concerning the general welfare of the region, regulate trade with the Native Americans, regulate liquor sale and manufacture, and regulate the police power of the government, among other powers. Meetings continued to be in June and December.
With these changes, a special session of the legislature met August 5 until August 20 in Oregon City. On August 11, 1845 at the introduction of Jesse Applegate the body passed a law against dueling within a half hour that Governor Abernethy also signed within 30 minutes of the bill’s introduction. A new legislature met beginning on December 2, with Robert Newell serving as the speaker of the body through December 10 and Henry A. G. Lee
Henry A. G. Lee
Henry A. G. Lee was a soldier and politician in Oregon Country in the 1840s. A member of Virginia’s Lee family, he was part of the Fremont Expedition and commanded troops during the Cayuse War in what became the Oregon Territory...
assuming the post until the conclusion of the session on December 19. Polk District
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....
was created during the session, with the bill passed on December 19. J. E. Long served as the recorder and Theopolis McGruder as the sergeant at arms for the group. The same people who served in the summer session also served in the December session.
These sessions of the legislature designated Oregon City as the official capital and introduced income and property taxes that replaced an 1843 subscription program used to finance the government’s activities. Also passed during the 1845 session was the "Lash Law", which banned Blacks
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
from living in the territory with violators subject to 20–39 lashes
Flagellation
Flagellation or flogging is the act of methodically beating or whipping the human body. Specialised implements for it include rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails and the sjambok...
across the back every six months, until the person left the region. Other business included a ban on hard liquor, the incorporation
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
of Oregon City, approval for the Barlow Road
Barlow Road
The Barlow Road is a historic road in what is now the U.S. state of Oregon. It was built in 1846 by Sam Barlow and Philip Foster, with authorization of the Provisional Legislature of Oregon, and served as the last overland segment of the Oregon Trail...
around Mount Hood
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
, incorporation of the Multnomah Circulating Library, and incorporation of the Oregon Institute
Oregon Institute
The Oregon Institute was a school located in the Willamette Valley of the Oregon Country during the 19th century. Begun in 1842, it was the first school built for European-Americans west of Missouri. Founded by members of the Methodist Mission, it was located in what is now Salem, Oregon, United...
. At the meetings J. E. Long served as the recorder, Frederick Prigg as the clerk, a Mr. Shaw as the sergeant at arms
Serjeant-at-Arms
A Sergeant-at-Arms is an officer appointed by a deliberative body, usually a legislature, to keep order during its meetings. The word sergeant is derived from the Latin serviens, which means "servant"....
, and two people as chaplains.
Members
Members of the legislature and the districts they represented:- M. G. Foisy, Champoeg
- J. M. Garrison, Champoeg
- Barton Lee, Champoeg
- Robert Newell, Champoeg
- William H. Gray, Clackamas
- H. A. G. Lee, Clackamas
- Hiram StraightHiram StraightHiram Aldrich Straight was an American farmer and legislator in what became the state of Oregon. A native of New York state, he would live in Iowa before traveling the Oregon Trail to what was then the Oregon Country...
, Clackamas - John McClure, Clatsop
- David Hill, Tuality
- M. M. McCarver, Tuality
- J. W. Smith, Tuality
- Jessie ApplegateJesse ApplegateJesse Applegate was an American pioneer who led a large group of settlers along the Oregon Trail to the Oregon Country. He took part in the early government of Oregon, and helped establish the Applegate Trail as an alternative route to the Oregon Trail.-Early life:Jesse Applegate was born in Henry...
, Yamhill - A. Hendricks, Yamhill
1846
After hearing the news that the United States had informed Britain it would be ending its obligations under the Treaty of 1818Treaty of 1818
The Convention respecting fisheries, boundary and the restoration of slaves between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, also known as the London Convention, Anglo-American Convention of 1818, Convention of 1818, or simply the Treaty of 1818, was a...
and looking for a division of the Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
, the legislature scaled back its agenda. One piece of legislation passed was a pilotage
Pilotage
Pilotage is the use of fixed visual references on the ground or sea by means of sight or radar to guide oneself to a destination, sometimes with the help of a map or nautical chart. People use pilotage for activities such as guiding vessels and aircraft, hiking and Scuba diving...
law that set standards and licensed boat pilots at the mouth of the Columbia River. The 1846 legislature met in the home of H. M. Knighton in Oregon City from December 1 through 19, with Asa L. Lovejoy serving as the speaker and leader. N. Huber served as a clerk and Knighton as sergeant at arms.
Members
Members of the legislature and the districts they represented:- A. Chamberlain, Champoeg
- Jessie Looney, Champoeg
- Angus McDonald, Champoeg
- Robert Newell, Champoeg
- Asa L. Lovejoy, Clackamas
- Hiram Straight, Clackamas
- William G. T'VaultWilliam G. T'VaultWilliam Green T'Vault was a pioneer of the Oregon Country and the first editor of the first newspaper published west of the Missouri River. T'Vault led a wagon train of 300 that arrived in Oregon in 1845, after traveling on the Meek Cutoff, a branch of the Oregon Trail...
, Clackamas - George Summers, Clatsop
- William F. TolmieWilliam Fraser TolmieWilliam Fraser Tolmie was a Canadian surgeon, fur trader, scientist, and politician....
, Lewis - John D. Boone, Polk
- J. E. Williams, Polk
- Lawrence Hall, Tuality
- Daniel H. LownsdaleDaniel H. LownsdaleDaniel Lownsdale was one of the founders of Portland, Oregon, United States.Coming from Kentucky sometime before 1845, Lownsdale established the first tannery near the current location of Jeld-Wen Field just west of downtown. He served as a member of the Provisional Legislature of Oregon in 1846...
, Tuality - Joseph L. Meek, Tuality
- Henry N. Peers, Vancouver
- Absalom J. HembreeAbsalom J. HembreeAbsalom Jefferson Hembree was an American soldier and politician in what became the state of Oregon. A native of Tennessee, he served in the Provisional Legislature of Oregon and the Oregon Territorial Legislature before being killed in action during the Yakima War.-Early years:Absalom Hembree was...
, Yamhill - Thomas Jeffreys, Yamhill
1847
Whitman massacre
The Whitman massacre was the murder in the Oregon Country on November 29, 1847 of U.S. missionaries Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa Whitman, along with eleven others. They were killed by Cayuse and Umatilla Indians. The incident began the Cayuse War...
, which occurred on November 29, 1847, was delivered to the legislature by Governor Abernethy
George Abernethy
George Abernethy was an American pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and first governor of Oregon under the provisional government in what would become the state of Oregon in the United States...
. This event would dominate the remainder of the session as the Provisional Government worked with the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
to send an army east to Walla Walla
Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
. Forty-two men under the command of Henry A. G. Lee
Henry A. G. Lee
Henry A. G. Lee was a soldier and politician in Oregon Country in the 1840s. A member of Virginia’s Lee family, he was part of the Fremont Expedition and commanded troops during the Cayuse War in what became the Oregon Territory...
were sent immediately to The Dalles
The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is...
in what was the beginning of the Cayuse War
Cayuse War
The Cayuse War was an armed conflict that took place in the Northwestern United States from 1847 to 1855 between the Cayuse people of the region and the United States Government and local Euro-American settlers...
. A large force under the command of Cornelius Gilliam
Cornelius Gilliam
Cornelius Gilliam was a pioneer of the U.S. state of Oregon who was best known as the commander of the volunteer forces against the Cayuse in the Cayuse War. A native of North Carolina, he served in the Black Hawk War and Seminole Wars before settling in Missouri...
was then organized and sent to punish those responsible for the massacre. On December 23, the group created Benton District
Benton County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 78,153 people, 30,145 households, and 18,237 families residing in the county. The population density was 116 people per square mile . There were 31,980...
out of the southern section of Polk District, naming the new district for Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton
Thomas Hart Benton (senator)
Thomas Hart Benton , nicknamed "Old Bullion", was a U.S. Senator from Missouri and a staunch advocate of westward expansion of the United States. He served in the Senate from 1821 to 1851, becoming the first member of that body to serve five terms...
. In the legislature, Robert Newell was chosen as the speaker of the group with Calvin W. Cook as clerk.
Members
Members of the legislature and the districts they represented:- A. Chamberlain, Champoeg
- Anderson Cox, Champoeg
- Robert Newell, Champoeg
- William H. Rector, Champoeg
- W. H. Reese, Champoeg
- Medorem CrawfordMedorem CrawfordMedorem Crawford was an American soldier and politician in what became the state of Oregon. A native of the state of New York, he immigrated to the Oregon Country in 1842 where he participated in the Champoeg Meetings and served in the resulting Provisional Government of Oregon as a legislator...
, Clackamas - J. M. Wair, Clackamas
- S. S. White, Clackamas
- J. Robinson, Clatsop
- S. Plamondean, Lewis
- M. A. Ford, Polk
- James W. NesmithJames W. NesmithJames Willis Nesmith was an American politician and lawyer from Oregon. Born in Canada to American parents, he grew up in New Hampshire and Maine...
, Polk - David Hill, Tuality
- Joseph L. Meek, Tuality
- Ralph WilcoxRalph WilcoxDoctor Ralph Wilcox , was the first teacher and practicing doctor in Portland, Oregon, United States. He also served in the Provisional Government of Oregon, was a legislator during both the territorial period and when Oregon became a state, and a judge of Twality County during the provisional...
, Tuality
- Henry W. Peers, Vancouver
- Absalom J. Hembree, Yamhill
- Levi A. Rice, Yamhill
- L. Rogers, Yamhill
Final sessions
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. Beginning on February 5, a session was organized that conducted the final business of the Provisional Government. The session lasted until February 16. During this session a law forbidding the sale of firearms and supplies to Native Americans was repealed, and a law was passed to authorize the minting of gold coins. The law concerning the coins allowed for the creation of the Beaver Coins
Beaver Coins
Beaver Coins, also known in pioneer days as Beaver Money, were gold coins briefly minted by the Provisional Government of Oregon in 1849. The coins were available in 5 and 10 dollar denominations. Their name comes from the prominent beaver depicted on the obverse of the coins...
, which had a higher gold content than United States minted coins. Less than a month later, when the new territorial governor Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
arrived, however, he rescinded the law as unconstitutional and the coins were collected and removed from circulation. For the legislative session Ralph Wilcox was chosen as speaker, but he resigned from the post. Stephen Meek
Stephen Meek (guide)
Stephen Hall Meek was a fur trapper and guide in the American west, most notably a guide on a large wagon train known as St. Joseph's Company...
served as the doorkeeper, William G. T’Vault as a clerk, and William Holmes as sergeant at arms.
Members
Members of the legislature and the districts they represented:- Joseph C. AveryJoseph C. AveryJoseph Conant Avery was the founder of Corvallis, Oregon, United States. Avery was the first postmaster for the community, and served as a legislator in the Provisional Government of Oregon and the government of the Oregon Territory.-Early life:...
, Benton - William J. Bailey, Champoeg
- Albert Gaines (disqualified), Champoeg
- Robert Newell (resigned), Champoeg
- Samuel ParkerSamuel Parker (Oregon politician)Samuel Parker was an American pioneer of the Oregon Country, in what was to become the state of Oregon. Parker would later participate in the legislatures of the provisional, territorial, and state governments of Oregon.-Early life:...
, Champoeg - William Porter, Champoeg
- Medorem Crawford, Clackamas
- George L. Curry, Clackamas
- A. F. Hedges, Clackamas
- J. L. Snook (resigned), Clackamas
- John Hudson, Clatsop
- Levi L. Smith, Lewis
- A. Cox, Linn
- H. J. Peterson, Linn
- Jesse Applegate, Polk
- James W. Nesmith (resigned), Polk
- Osborne RussellOsborne RussellOsborne Russell was a mountain man and politician who helped form the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. He was born in Maine....
(resigned), Polk - Peter H. Burnett (resigned), Tuality
- David Hill, Tuality
- Ralph Wilcox, Tuality
- Samuel Thurston, Tuality
- A. L. Lewis, Vancouver
- Asa L. Lovejoy (resigned), Vancouver
- Absalom J. Hembree, Yamhill
- W. J. Martin, Yamhill
- Levi A. Rice, Yamhill
Oregon Territory
On June 15, 1846, the Oregon Treaty
Oregon Treaty
The Oregon Treaty is a treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States that was signed on June 15, 1846, in Washington, D.C. The treaty brought an end to the Oregon boundary dispute by settling competing American and British claims to the Oregon Country, which had been jointly occupied by...
was signed with Great Britain, which settled the dispute over sovereignty of the Oregon Country. On August 13, 1848 the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
created the Oregon Territory out of the land between California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and the 49th parallel (this served as the border with Britain’s North American colonies) and west of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. A new bicameral
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
territorial legislature
Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon’s Territorial Legislature was a bicameral legislative body created by the United States Congress in 1848 as the legislative branch of the government of the Oregon Territory...
was created with an upper chamber Council and lower chamber House. These bodies met for the first time on July 16, 1849, with some members of the provisional legislature continuing into the new government, including David Hill, Asa Lovejoy, Samuel Parker, and A. J. Hembree. Upon statehood in 1859, the territorial legislature would be transformed into the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
.