"Henry Brallier,
"Seaside, Oregon."
DOCUMENT H
Shortess Petition; excerpts from Gray's "History of Oregon" relating to Shortess Petition; and excerpt from speech of Samuel R. Thurston in Congress, December 26, 1850, as to author of Shortess Petition.
"To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled:
"We, the undersigned, settlers south of the Columbia river, beg leave respectfully to represent to your honorable body:
"As has been before represented to your honorable body, we consider ourselves citizens of the United States, and acknowledge the right of the United States to extend its jurisdiction over us; and the object of the present memorial is to ask that the protection of the United States Government may be extended to us as soon as possible. Hitherto, our numbers have been small, and the few difficulties that arose in the settlement were speedily and satisfactorily settled. But as our settlement increases in numbers, so our difficulties increase in number and importance; and unless we can have laws to govern us that will be respected and obeyed, our situation will be a deplorable one. Where the highest court of appeal is the rifle, safety in life and property cannot be depended on.
"The state of the country, its climate, resources, soil, productions, &c., has already been laid before your honorable body, in Captain Wyeth's memoir and in former memorials from the inhabitants of this place.