The American claim rested upon the Louisiana Purchase in 1503 (the Spanish claim). and the discoveries of Captain Gray in 1792. From these grew the claim to all country drained by the Columbia. In 15145-0(3 Lewis and Clark explored much of the country. The northwestern boundary between the United States and Canada was fixed by the Convention of 1518 as the line of 49' from the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains. \Vest of this point the territory was to be open to both parties. the United States and Canada. for ten years without prejudice to claims of either. (See NOWTHWEST BOUNDARY DISPUTE.) By the Convention of 1527. ratified in 1828, joint occupa tion was continued indefinitely. but might be ter minated by either party on twelve months' notice. The British were willing to concede 49' to the Co lumbia River, thence down it to the mouth, thus taking in a greater part of the present State of Washington. while the American claim, as before stated, was for all of the basin of the Columbia River. practically 42°-52°. The Oregon question occupied much of the attention of Congress after 1520. and the sentiment for demanding 'all of Oregon' grew. By the negotiations with Russia (1824-25) that country agreed to make no settle ments south of 54° 40', and the idea gained ground that this was the proper northern bound ary. Immigration to the territory had begun in 1832; the Methodists founded a mission under i Jason Lee in 1834, and the Presbyterians under Marcus Whitman in 1S36. Every year after 1838 numbers of immigrants crossed the Rockies, and by 1845 the American population numbered nearly 3000. The settlement of the northeastern bound ary had been unsatisfactory, and in 1844 a popu lar rallying cry of the Democrats was four forty. or fight." Several Senators favored war. hut others held that the best method of gaining possession was by actual settlement, in which the Americans were far surpassing the British, who were hardly represented except by the trappers of the Hudson's Bay Company. It was finally agreed in 1846 that the boundary should be 49' to the channel between Vancouver and the mainland, thence down the middle of this channel. through the Straits of San Juan de Fuca to the sea. The story that Marcus Whit man (q.v.) in 1S43 prevented the exchange of the northern part of the territory for fishing stations in Newfoundland is unfounded.
The American inhabitants in 1843 met and organized a Territorial government under an ex ecutive council. A Governor was chosen in 1845 and served until the organization of the region as a Territory of the United State,. Oregon Terri tory. including the present Washington and much of Idaho, was organized on August 14. 1848, though the Governor did not arrive until the next year. The increase of population caused the in habitants to bold a convention at Salem, August September, 1857, which formed a State constitu tion and asked for admission. This instrument prohibited slavery. lint forbade any free negro or mulatto "to come, reside. or be in the State, or hold real estate, or make any contract, or main tain any The State was admitted Feb ruary 14. 18.59, with the present boundaries. Indian troubles were frequent from early times. In 1S47 Whitman and twelve companions were massacred. There was constant trouble during the Civil War, and the Shoshone War 1866-65) and the Modoe War 11864-73) were serious. (See article 1\1000e.) All Indians are now con fined within narrow reservations. or have been removed to Indian Territory. The Constitution has been seldom amended. The 'anti-negro' clause still stands, though. of course. inoperative. The State has been successful in securing large appropriations for improvement of rivers and harbors from the National Government. The Cas cade Looks on the Columbia were the largest in the world when completed in 1896. The State has given its electoral vote for the Republican ticket except in 186s. and one vote in 1592, though usually by small majorities. In 1876 it was found that one of the Republican electors held a Federal office. and was consequently in eligible. The Democratic Governor issued a certificate to the leading minority candidate, but the two Republican elector• filled the vacancy, and their position was sustained by the Electoral Commission. In 1s92 the Dennx•rats indorsed one Populist elector. and the vote that year was: Republican. 3; Populist. 1. Political squabbles have been frequent. notably in 1897, when the Lower House of the Legislature refused to organ ize on account of a contest for United States Senator.
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