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OREGON BEFORE CONGRESS.

five thousand free white male inhabitants over twenty- one years of age citizens of the United States, they might elect a legislature, one representative for every five hundred voters, to serve for two years; the legis- lature to consist of a council and house of representa- tives, the council to consist of five members, elected by the whole legislative body, to serve five years ; the president of the United States to have power to re- move any member; the assembly to have power to make laws for the territory, not conflicting with the laws of the United States, the veto power being abso- lute in the governor. A delegate to congress with the right of debate only, should be elected immediately upon "the appointment of a governor, the latter being also superintendent of Indian affairs. The bill provided also for a line of stockade forts and block-houses to the South Pass, and a fort at the mouth of the Columbia. The grant of land to settlers was promised ' hereafter ; six hundred and forty acres to every white male in- habitant over eighteen, one hundred and sixty acres to the wife of every married man, and the same quantity to the father for each child under eighteen already in existence, or who should be born within five years after his settlement on a land claim, lhe president was authorized and required to appoint two additional Indian agents besides the governor, lhe territory over which this form of government was to be extended was confined to the limit of 49 . 1 have given this abstract of Atchison's bill to show the gradual progress toward the idea of a government for Oregon in 'spite of the international question in the

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' The bill which passed in the house, while claiming the Oregon Territory to 54° 40', contained several clauses intended to guard it against the charge of ionorine: the treaty obligations of the United btates.

"I have another object-to give the gradual growth of the donation land law, the chieTneW featare in tins bill being that 1G0 acre, were gn-en to the wife, instead of to the husband.