Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 12.djvu/162

154 W. C. WOODWARD The Constitutional convention assembled at Salem on Au- gust 17th. It was a matter of no little political significance, as Adams pointed out in the Argus, that Judge Deady, "the only man in the convention who took bold ground for slavery while canvassing for his seat," 1 should be elected president of Oregon's constituent assembly. The Democrats organized the convention, just as they would a session of the legislature. Dryer was a member and in editorial correspondence to the Oregonian related that the "soft" and free state Democrats who had opposed the machine organization in the late elec- tion, now did penance and joined the Clique forces in caucus. He called attention to the fact that no delegate opposed to the Salem Clique had been placed at the head of a committee and declared that every committee had a pro-slavery majority. Early in the convention Jesse Applegate presented resolu- tions to the effect that as a large proportion of the delegates had been chosen with the understanding that the question of slavery would not be decided by the convention but by the people directly, all debate on the subject should be considered out of order. The presentation of these resolutions was fol- lowed by an extended flow of oratory. Some acquiesced, while others objected strenuously to having the liberties of free speech thus arbitrarily abridged. Alignment on the issue was not partisan, but for the most part the resolutions, which failed to pass, were opposed by the free state men. Other resolutions were introduced against the admission of free Negroes. On September 11, J. R. McBride, of Yamhill, the only member of the convention elected under the name of Republican, in fulfillment of pre-election pledges to his con- stituents, 2 introduced the anti-slavery provision of the Ordi- nance of 1787. It was defeated by a vote of 41 to 9. McBride was chagrined to find some of his trusted free state associates i Oregonian, August xa. Observations on the convention are based chiefly on the stenographic reports of P. J. Malone, found in the Oregonian in issues from August 22 to October 10, inclusive. 2john R. McBride, address: "The Oregon Constitutional Convention,." de- livered before the annual meeting of the Oregon Historical Society, December 20, 1902. Proceedings for the years 1902-1905, p. 33.