“On motion of Mr. Garrison—
“Resolved, That whereas the people of Oregon, assembled en masse, did, on the 2d day of May, 1843, resolve that no tax should be levied upon this people, confirming the same by the adoption of the report of the committee of ways and means, adopted by the Legislative Committee and referred to the people en masse, and by them enacted on the 5th day of July, 1843; therefore,
“Resolved, That this house has no right to levy a tax of any kind, without the consent of the free voters of this Territory previously obtained.
“Resolved, That all acts and parts of acts on that subject passed by the Legislative Committee were contrary to the express resolution and action of the people.”
These resolutions were referred to committee of the whole, where they found a silent grave.
Dr. White by this time is coming up for a big splurge. Our young friend H. A. G. Lee proposes to make him the bearer of our memorial to Congress, by introducing a resolution, “That the clerk be required to furnish to Dr. E. White a copy of the memorial to Congress, as soon as it shall be properly signed, as per resolution of yesterday.”
This resolution elicited a little discussion, and a statement that Dr. White was not to be trusted with any public document to the government, as he would more than probably change, or so arrange those documents as to secure his own personal ends, whatever they might be. By those unacquainted with Dr. White this was considered strange and unreasonable prejudice against him; so that on the final question there were but Gray, Hill, and Straight who voted against placing the documents in his hands.
On the last day of this session Mr. Applegate introduced a test question on the subject of slavery, precisely the same as that introduced by Garrison four days previous.
“Resolved, That this government can recognize the right of one person to the services of another only upon bona-fide contract made and entered into, and equally binding on both parties.”
Yeas—Applegate, Gray, Smith, McCarver, Garrison, Hill, H. A. G. Lee, Hendricks, and Foisy—10.
Nays—Straight, B. Lee, and McClure—3.
We must now adjourn our Legislative Committee a few days, and see what is going on outside.
The organic laws of the people first adopted at Champoeg, July 5, 1843, had been revised, and unanimously adopted by the Legislative Committee, and submitted for the vote of the people, July 26, 1845.