Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 13.djvu/132

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124 FREDERICK V. HOLM AN As I have said, most of the men of the immigration of 1843 were strong, resolute, and determined men. Some of the organic laws of the Provisional Government of 1843 did not suit their ideas of fairness. Article 4 of the law of land claims was not their only objection to the so-called Organic Laws of 1843. Many of them did not like the attempted dom- ination of affairs by the Methodist Mission. They found the original Provisional Government to be little more than a government in name, lacking power, crude, and inefficient. No power being given to levy taxes, it could be ended, at any time, by lack of funds which came from subscriptions only. Prior to the meeting of the newly elected Legislative Com- mittee, June 18, 1844, there appears to have been no meeting of the Legislative Committee, after the public meeting held July 5, 1843, when the original Provisional Government was formed. THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT IN 1844. An election was held the second Tuesday of May, 1844, at which a new Executive Committee and Legislative Committee were chosen. It is significant that only one member of the Provisional Government of 1843 was chosen, viz. : David Hill, he being re-elected as a member of the Legislative Com- mittee. No member of the, Methodist Mission was elected. The names of those elected and the year of arrival in Oregon are as follows : Executive Committee : Dr. W. J. Bailey, 1835 ; Osborn Rus- sell, 1842, and Peter G. Stewart, 1843. Legislative Commit- tee : Peter H. Burnett, 1843 ; David Hill, 1842 ; Matthew C. Gil- more, ( ?) ; T. D. Keizur, 1843 ; A. L. Lovejoy, 1842 and 1843 ; M. M. McCarver, 1843; Robert Newell, 1840; Daniel Waldo, 1843. For some reason Yamhill District was not representa- tive at either of the two sessions of the Legislative Committee in 1844, although that district or county was entitled to one member. Why this occurred or whether there was a failure to elect I have been unable to ascertain. Peter H. Burnett was a lawyer of ability and, on his ar- rival in Oregon, became a leader in Oregon's affairs. He was