Provisional Legislature of Oregon

On May 2, 1843, by a vote of 52 to 50, the European American settlers of the Oregon Country (mainly those from the Willamette Valley), created a provisional government at Champoeg. In May and June, a nine-person committee met in Oregon City and drafted the Organic Laws of Oregon as a pseudo-constitution that was subsequently ratified on July 5, 1843. This document created the government and authorized a provisional legislature of nine people. ==1843==

On May 16, the nine-person committee of James A. O'Neil, Robert Moore, William H. Gray, William P. Dougherty, David Hill, Robert Shortess, Thomas J. Hubbard, Robert Newell, and Alanson Beers met for three days to draft laws. The group met again for two days starting on June 16, with George LeBreton serving as the recorder and Moore as the chairman for both sets of meetings. The document outlined the legislative branch and its powers, vested in a unicameral or single body. At that time the title of the legislature was the Legislative Committee and it consisted of nine elected representatives apportioned by population to the four established districts (which later became counties). The Organic Laws required the legislature to meet in June and December of each year. ==1844==

The first meeting of the 1844 legislature took place June 18 at the home of Felix Hathaway in Oregon City. This session lasted until June 27, and another session was held from December 16 to 21 at the residence of John E. Long, also in Oregon City. At the December meeting, Executive Committee members Peter G. Stewart and Osborne Russell presented a message to the group regarding the opposing claims of the United States and Great Britain. Among the laws passed during the 1844 session was the "Lash Law", which banned Blacks from living in the territory with violators subject to 20–39 lashes across the back every six months, until the person left the region. Members Members of the legislature and the districts they represented (McCarver served as the speaker of the body with John E. Long as the recorder): • Thomas D. Keizur, Champoeg • Robert Newell, Champoeg • Daniel Waldo, Champoeg • Asa L. Lovejoy, Clackamas • Peter H. Burnett, Tuality • Samuel M. Gilmore, Tuality • David Hill, Tuality • Morton M. McCarver, Tuality ==1845==

The 1845 legislature met three different times, under two different structures. First, from June 24 to July 5, 1845, the legislature met in Oregon City, first at the home of John E. Long and then the home of Theophilus R. Magruder, with Morton M. McCarver serving as the speaker of the group. After this, the Organic Laws were replaced with the Organic Act of 1845, which altered the legislature in several ways. On August 11, 1845 at the introduction of Jesse Applegate the body passed a law against dueling within a half hour that Governor Abernethy also signed within 30 minutes of the bill's introduction. Polk District was created during the session, with the bill passed on December 19. Other business included a ban on hard liquor, the incorporation of Oregon City, approval for the Barlow Road around Mount Hood, incorporation of the Multnomah Circulating Library, and incorporation of the Oregon Institute. At the meetings John E. Long served as the recorder, Frederick Prigg as the clerk, a Mr. Shaw as the sergeant at arms, and two people as chaplains. Members Members of the legislature and the districts they represented: • Medard Godard Foisy, Champoeg • Joseph M. Garrison, Champoeg • Barton Lee, Champoeg • Robert Newell, Champoeg • William H. Gray, Clackamas • Henry A. G. Lee, Clackamas • Hiram Straight, Clackamas • John McClure, Clatsop • David Hill, Tuality • Morton M. McCarver, Tuality • Isaac W. Smith, Tuality • Jesse Applegate, Yamhill • Abijah Hendricks, Yamhill ==1846==

After hearing the news that the United States had informed Britain it would be ending its obligations under the Treaty of 1818 and looking for a division of the Oregon Country, the legislature scaled back its agenda. Noah Huber served as a clerk and Knighton as sergeant at arms. Members Members of the legislature and the districts they represented: • Aaron Chamberlain, Champoeg • Jesse Looney, Champoeg • Angus McDonald, Champoeg • Robert Newell, Champoeg • Asa L. Lovejoy, Clackamas • Hiram Straight, Clackamas • William G. T'Vault, Clackamas • George Summers, Clatsop • William F. Tolmie, Lewis • John D. Boon, Polk • James E. Williams, Polk • Lawrence Hall, Tuality • Daniel H. Lownsdale, Tuality • Joseph L. Meek, Tuality • Henry N. Peers, Vancouver • Absalom J. Hembree, Yamhill • Thomas Jeffreys, Yamhill ==1847==

In 1847 the legislature met from December 7 to 28 at the Methodist Church in Oregon City. On the second day of this meeting at Main and Seventh streets, news of the Whitman massacre, which occurred on November 29, 1847, was delivered to the legislature by Governor Abernethy. This event would dominate the remainder of the session as the Provisional Government worked with the Hudson's Bay Company to send an army east to Walla Walla. On December 23, the group created Benton District out of the southern section of Polk District, naming the new district for Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton. In the legislature, Robert Newell was chosen as the speaker of the group with Calvin W. Cook as clerk. Members Members of the legislature and the districts they represented: • Aaron Chamberlain, Champoeg • Anderson Cox, Champoeg • Robert Newell, Champoeg • William H. Rector, Champoeg • Willard Hall Rees, Champoeg • Medorem Crawford, Clackamas • Jacob M. Wair, Clackamas • Samuel Simpson White, Clackamas • John Robinson, Clatsop • Simon Plamondon, Lewis • Marcus Aurelius Ford, Polk • James W. Nesmith, Polk • David Hill, Tuality • Joseph L. Meek, Tuality • Ralph Wilcox, Tuality • Henry W. Peers, Vancouver • Absalom J. Hembree, Yamhill • Levi A. Rice, Yamhill • Lewis Franklin Rogers, Yamhill ==Final sessions==

. The Provisional Legislature met for two sessions in late 1848 and early 1849. The first session, from December 5 to December 13, never formally organized as so many of the representatives had traveled south for the California Gold Rush. Clackamas • Absalom F. Hedges, Clackamas • John L. Snook (resigned), Clackamas • John Hudson, Clatsop • Levi L. Smith, Lewis • Anderson Cox, Linn • Henry J. Peterson, Linn • Jesse Applegate, Polk • James W. Nesmith (resigned), Polk • Osborne Russell (resigned), Polk • Peter Hardeman Burnett (resigned), Tuality • David Hill, Tuality • Ralph Wilcox, Tuality • Samuel Thurston, Tuality • Adolphus L. Lewis, Vancouver • Asa L. Lovejoy (resigned), Vancouver • Absalom J. Hembree, Yamhill • William J. Martin, Yamhill • Levi A. Rice, Yamhill ==Oregon Territory==

. On June 15, 1846, the Oregon Treaty was signed with Great Britain, which settled the dispute over sovereignty of the Oregon Country. These bodies met for the first time on July 16, 1849, with some members of the provisional legislature continuing into the new government, including David Hill, Asa Lovejoy, Samuel Parker, and Absalom J. Hembree. Upon statehood in 1859, the territorial legislature would be transformed into the Oregon Legislative Assembly. ==References==