Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 9.djvu/365

Slavery Question in Oregon. 337 article of political faith and practice by the people of the territories. A political party which governs by rewards of the spoils of victory and subsists upon contributions from the bene- ficiaries of privileges which it grants, is a monstrosity which no form of popular government can tolerate and live; it is a combination impossible of co-existence with freedom and justice, and the American people must abolish it or see their grand experiment perish from the earth. In the spring of 1858, at the close of the state Republican convention of that year, a secret session was held to discuss some private matters relating to the inner work of the party. At this meeting a delegate from Yamhill County proposed that Colonel Baker, of California, be invited to stump the State for the Republicans. Undoubtedly, the proposer expected that it would meet with general approval, but instead it met with almost furious opposition from several of the young, inex- perienced and ambitious members who really could give no good reason for objecting. They were aspiring and did not like to be overshadowed. Of course it was not to be expected that Baker would bear his own expenses, and to the proposi- tion of the writer to raise a fund to defray them, there were some sarcastic remarks, about turning the party of great principles into a mercenary organization. E. L. Applegate (whom everybody knew as Lish— with a long "I") who had ridden on horseback 300 miles to attend the convention, in which I met him for the first time, tried to make us merry with our deficiencies, by saying in his comical drawl, I can say squat-ter-sov-ran-ty as well as Colonel Baker. " As I was young in the business and had no other purpose than the pro- motion of our principles, the manifestation of ambitious selfishness in these aspiring politicians was more amazing than amusing to me. Several of them were of fair ability, but there was no one sufficiently prominent to be above envy. David Logan was much the ablest and most experienced, but his political convictions were somewhat hazy and so he did not stand well with the stalwarts.