This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. http://books.google.com TheriseandearlyhistoryofpoliticalpartiesinOregon1843-1868 WalterCarletonWoodward , on v W\ j ■ - POLITICAL PARTIES IN OREGON °/$oltttcal parties; m ©regou 18434868 Matter CarUton WHootitoarti professor of history and political science Earlham College, Richmond. Indiana THE J. K. GILL COMPANY PORTLAND. OREGON 1913 TO MY PARENTS -- PREFACE XT is rather a striking fact that with all that has been writ ten concerning the various phases of the history of the Oregon Country, so little attention has been given to its politi cal development, in the more restricted sense. The very be ginnings of American government in the far west were made in Oregon, yet, so far as an adequate and detailed relation is concerned, that thrilling and critical period of a quarter of a century following the setting up of the Provisional Govern ment in 1843, has been heretofore neglected. Early in this period Oregon was organized as a territory of the United States, the debate on the territorial bill giving rise to the enunciation by Calhoun of the partnership doctrine of the Southern Democracy, which led eventually to secession. Territorial organization was quickly followed by party organi zation on the basis of national political alignment. National issues were fought out in the far distant territory with the same passion and desperation that marked the struggle at the Nation's capital. Political capacity and leadership of a high order were developed in the field of frontier politics. Stirring indeed were the ante-bellum days in far away Oregon ! Every great question or movement of national import, be it political, social or economic, was quickly reflected in the columns of the Oregon newspapers. And dominating all was that of slavery, which institution threatened for a time to fasten itself upon the virgin soil of the Pacific Northwest. It was the period of the great national crisis in which the secession element made a strong bid for Oregon, but was frustrated by the union of loyal Democrats and Republicans. It is the story of this period of storm and stress and crisis, vital in its import, spectacular in its expression, that the writer, himself an Oregonian, has attempted to narrate. He has aspired, first to give the facts, and second by a vivid por trayal to reproduce something of the spirit of those politically strenuous years. [vn] 276332 Preface It is the thought of the writer that the history of Oregon in the quarter century in question is important not only from a local but also from a national point of view. Nowhere can be better traced the close relations between the central, national government and its isolated frontier, separated though they were by vast expanse of ocean, by dreary wastes of mountain and desert and by months of time. In the pages which follow it is hoped that this close, vital relationship between the local and the national institutions has been effectively and convinc ingly presented. In this connection it is a pleasure to express the writer's deep sense of obligation to one man whose enthusiastic co operation throughout the preparation of this work has been invaluable. In his interest in securing and providing various source materials, in drawing upon his own wide range of first hand information and in ready counsel and sympathetic criti cism, he is in a large sense the "silent partner" of this, as well as of almost every other venture in the realm of Northwest history. It is hardly necessary to add that the man referred to is Mr. Geo. H. Himes, Assistant Secretary and Curator of the Oregon Historical Society. Hardly less an acknowledgment is due Dr. E. I. McCormac, Assistant Professor of History in the University of California, for his thorough, painstaking criticism, from the national viewpoint especially, of the various chapters as they were written. If accuracy and impartiality of statement have been secured, to him is due much credit, both directly through his helpful criticism, and indirectly through his high ideals in this respect which he instills in those with whom he comes in contact. The writer furthermore wishes to express appreciation to Professor J. R. Robertson, formerly Professor of History in Pacific University, but now holding that position in Berea College, Kentucky, who made helpful suggestions relative to the scope of this work. W. C. W. Earlham College, Richmond, Ind. r vni] TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I. The Period of Provisional Government — Introductory. Chapter 1 — Political Basis as Found in Settlement. Chapter 2 — American Self-Government. PART II. The Period of Territorial Government — Political Organization. Chapter 3 — Organization of the Oregon Democracy. Chapter 4 — Anti-Democratic Organization. Chapter 5 — The Democratic Regime. Chapter 6 — The Kansas-Nebraska Bill in Oregon Politics. Chapter 7 — The National Issue in Oregon in 1857. Chapter 8 — Democratic Discord. PART III. The Period of State Government — Civil War Period. Chapter 9 — Political Maneuvering in 1859. Chapter 10 — The Political Revolution of 1860. Chapter 11 — Treason, Stratagems and Spoils (1860-'61). Chapter 12 — The Union Movement of 1862. Chapter 13— The Issues of War. Chapter 14 — Political Realignment. NOTE ON SOURCES Necessarily, in treating a subject of this nature, great de pendence must be placed in the newspapers of the period, as sources of material. First, in the records of what actually took place — reports of conventions and meetings of various kinds, resolutions and platforms adopted, legislative proceedings, etc. Second, fully as important, but to be used more guardedly, the expression of public opinion upon those passing events, this public opinion being registered in editorial comment, contrib uted articles and in oral public expression. Obviously, to meas ure public sentiment at all accurately by newspaper utterances, it is necessary to have before one, papers representing the va rious political points of view. In this the writer has been fortunate. From the time political activity in Oregon really begins, newspapers of opposite political tendencies have been available. Of these, the Oregonian, the Oregon Statesman and the Oregon Argus have been relied upon most extensively. They were the most representative of the Oregon press and ex tended over the greater part of the period under consideration. On the period of ante-political organization, access was had to the Spectator, and, in a limited degree, to the Western Star, Milwaukie, changed to the Oregon Weekly Times in June, 1851. Next in importance to the first three journals mentioned should be named the Oregon Weekly Union, the exponent of anti-Union sentiment in the Civil War era. Other papers di rectly consulted, were the Oregon Weekly Times, the Oregon Sentinel and the Oregon Daily Herald. Indirectly, yet other papers have been frequently used, by means principally of edi torial utterances reproduced in the above mentioned journals. Closely related to, but differing slightly from the Oregon newspaper sources, is the correspondence of Judge M. P. Deady to the San Francisco Bulletin, to be found in what is known as the "Deady scrapbook," in possession of the Oregon Historical Society. In Judge Deady the capacities of keen rxij Note on Sources observation and trenchant expression were combined with the faculty of being able to write with a minimum of personal, political bias. For this reason, these letters, covering the crucial period of the sixties and written for the perusal of out side readers, are almost invaluable. The same may be said of his personal correspondence. Supplementing the newspaper material in a very important manner, is the private correspondence, in the Oregon Histor ical Society collections, of many men who were the most ac tive participants in the politics of the time, notably Joseph Lane, Asahel Bush, J. W. Nesmith, Judge Deady and Jesse Applegate. In this connection may be mentioned also the per sonal interviews with such men as Judge Geo. H. Williams, former Adjutant General C. A. Reed, W. R. Bishop and Geo. H. Himes, who, either from actual participation or observation, or both, threw much light on the events of a half century ago. Other primary material used was the collection of Oregon pioneer documents to be found in the Bancroft Library of the University of California. These are largely memoirs and relate principally to settlement and to the period of the Provisional Government. As representative of these may be mentioned, Jesse Applegate's "Views of Oregon History," Deady's "Ore gon History," Peter H. Burnett's "Recollections of the Past" and Elwood Evans' "History of Oregon." Likewise covering the period of the Provisional Govern ment are Grover's "Oregon Archives" and a volume, "Unpub lished Documents, Oregon Archives," Ms., in the Bancroft Library. Of secondary material used, the "Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society," 1900-1909, contains much that has been suggestive and helpful. Such contributions, for example, as "The Genesis of Political Authority in Oregon" and "Social Evolution in Oregon," by J. R. Robertson, and "The Slavery Question in Oregon," by T. W. Davenport, are typical of va rious articles dealing with both social and political beginnings in Oregon, together with various phases of political develop ment, [xn] Note on Sources The printed Proceedings of the annual meetings of the Ore gon Pioneer Association have been used to some extent — for material on the period of settlement principally. From the nature of the subject, the assistance to be obtained from secondary books, has necessarily been slight. Such books as have been used for reference have been sufficiently cited in the footnotes. PART I INTRODUCTORY THE PERIOD OF THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT CHAPTER I POLITICAL BASIS AS FOUND IN SETTLEMENT No story of the political development of a people would be complete without some notice of the basis of that development as found in the conditions of the settlement of its territory.