536 THE IMMIGRATION OF J 845.

sen ted in the company. 43 How they succeeded will appear hereafter.

The recommendation of Governor Abernethy, that proposals should be received for locating the seat of government, created little interest and small competi- tion. The only propositions received were from Robert Moore, whose claim of Robin's Nest, opposite Oregon City, was by legislative enactment named Linn City; and Hugh. Burns, who occupied an adjoining claim. Neither of these proposals meeting with entire appro- bation, and a petition, signed by sixty .persons of Champoeg County, being received, praying that action on the seat of government question might be deferred; 11 it was practically postponed by the passage of an act ordering that the future sessions of the house of rep- resentatives be held at Oregon City until otherwise directed by law. Ry the same act the governor was authorized to give notice by publication in the news- papers or otherwise, that he would receive sealed pro- posals from all who desired to make donations to the government for the purpose of aiding in the erection of public buildings and locating the capital ; which proposals should be submitted to the next legislature.

Two other topics of general interest to the people which received attention were the liquor law and the districting of the territory. Burnett's liquor law of 1844 was found to be insufficient to prevent the use of intoxicating drinks since the advent of the British sloop of war Modeste, whose officers and crew, being independent of colonial laws, not only did not see iit

43 Gray says the originators of the printing association were the same that started the Multnomah circulating library, the Wolf association, and provis- ional government. The pioneers of 1843 founded the library, and Gray claims to have originated the Wolf association, while Jason Lee was the first projector of the provisional government. The truth is, that Aberaethy was largely interested in the printing association, and that in spite of the protest con- tained in the 8th article, the press was controlled by missionary influence. The first officers of the company were W. G. T'Vault, president; J. W. Nesmith, vice-president; John P. Brooks, secretary; George Abernethy, treasurer; John H. Couch, John E. Long, and Robert Newell," directors.

'•' This was the beginning of the long fight made by the people of Salem to secure the capital.