Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 12.djvu/83

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POLITICAL PARTIES IN OREGON 75 McFadden for accepting the judgeship after having arrived and having learned the circumstances. McFadden declined to take the broad hint to resign, whereupon Bush became abusive. Admitting that the interloper had been a good Democrat in the states, the vital fact remained : "In his selection no citizen of Oregon has been heard." 1 Meetings were held and letters for publication written protesting against the incumbency of Mc- Fadden. The latter, in holding the appointment and closing the way for Deady's re-instatement, was considered a political heretic and a traitor to Oregon Democracy. 2 So violent was the opposition that McFadden was transferred early in 1854 to the new Territory of Washington and Deady was re- instated. 3 It has been stated that Lane returned to Oregon from Wash- ington as governor in the spring of 1853 ; that he immediately resigned to run again for delegate, which left Secretary Qeo. L. Curry in the governor's chair. This was satisfactory to Oregon Democrats as Curry was one of themselves. But here again President Pierce interfered. The result was the arrival in December of John W. Davis of Indiana, with a commission as governor. The Democracy of the new governor could certainly not be questioned as he had represented his party in Congress, had served as Speaker of the House, and had twice been Chairman of the Democratic National Convention. But the Durhamites failed to appreciate the compliment in the ap- pointment of so distinguished a man, as Oregon's executive. To them, he was but another imported office-holder. These affronts, suffered by the Democrats at the hands of their own Administration at Washington, had come in quick succession. They were as disconcerting as they were unex- pected. But Durhamite defiance rose with fancied insults the determination was rekindled to free the people of Oregon from National tutelage. In March, 1853, the Statesman had i Statesman, December 6, 1853. 2The animosity toward Me icndence between Nesmith an aBancroft, Vol. II., p. 308. 2The animosity toward McFadden is vividly shown in the private cor- respondence between Nesmith and Deady, and Nesmith and Lane.