ceived a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury in answer to one of inquiry written him by me, informing me that no information of the kind had been received from the Collector of Astoria or from any other source. After writing some letters to my constituents in Oregon, and looking still further for laws relative to Oregon, and making memorandums, I went to bed between ten and eleven.

December 11, 1849-This morning I called on the Secretary of the Interior, Thos. Ewing, to find out what instructions had been given to the Gov. of Oregon relative to Indian affairs. The Secretary sent me to the chief clerk of the Indian Bureau for the information.

I then brought to his notice Robt. Newell, Sub. Ind. Agent in Oregon, requesting his removal. He informed me to write him a letter on the subject and he would attend to it. I next went over to the clerk for the information above referred to, and took a brief abstract of said instructions in pencil. This took me till one P. M., as they were quite long, after which I went into the House which was then balloting for Speaker. W. J. Brown ran ahead and came to 4 votes of an election. Winthrop, the Whig candidate, withdrew. After this the House adjourned at about 4 P. M. After supper I called on Senator Douglas to consult on Oregon affairs. Found him favorable. After this I returned home and wrote to the Sec. of the Interior requesting Robt. Newell's removal as Sub Agt., and recommended as his successor Joseph [Josiah] L. Parrish of Salem, Oregon. Went to bed about 12 o'clock, M.

December 12, 1849-After perusing the papers, I went to Col. Benton's to see him upon Oregon affairs. He was not in. I then went to the House Library and ordered the Journals of the House for the last ten years. Then went to the P. O. and found among others two letters, one for information of 1M. Crawford in Oregon from his father, and another from Daniel P. Bradford of Brooklyn, relative to moving to Oregon. I replied to both on the spot, and wrote to Mr. Craw

1 Medorem Crawford, who crossed the plains to Oregon in 1842.

ford enclosing his father's letter to me. By this time it was 12 M. and the House commenced to ballot for Speaker. Brown lacked two votes of an election. Here a disclosure was made that Brown had written a letter to Wilmot. This disturbed the Southers [Southerners], who had voted for Brown. Brown read the letter, and much dissatisfaction being expressed by some southern members who had voted for Brown, whereupon Brown withdrew. Here great confusion ensued, after which the House adjourned. No Speaker. After supper I directed ten papers to so many of my constituents, and walked out; returned, and until supper held a conversation with Mr. Hamilton of Maryland relative to slavery & Wilmot Proviso &c. Mr. Hamilton said the South did not assume their present position relative to the new territories so much on act. of the privilege of having slaves in them, or the liberty to do so, but because they feared that if they stood by quietly that the Anti-Slavery question would gain ground so much in the North as to lead the North to make attempts on the abolition of slavery in the Slave States themselves. I assured him that not a single man could be found in the North who dared to support such a notion, without the consent of the slave states themselves, and that as a corresponding fear to that named by him on the part of the South, the North also feared that if they stood by and saw slavery enlarge, that one day the free states might be overpowered by it and the Union itself overthrown. And here, after considerable discussion, I asked him 1st, whether free territory did not flourish better than slave territory? 2d, whether a new territory admitted now kept free for a hundred years to come would not be a more prosperous part of the Nation, than it would if slavery existed in it? and then, whether it was not the duty of all legislators to provide for that state of things which would make their Government the most prosperous, to all of which he answered affirmatively. I then replied that in his answer we all found our duty in regard to new territories. After this I called on Col. Benton relative to Oregon. Found him affable, and wished me to call any evening. Then

went home, and the Journals of the House not being brought according to my orders, I was unable to pursue my researches on Oregon matters. So I read an address to the New Mexicans & Californians by some men of New York, in which they showed successfully, I think, that a free country prospers better than a slave country.

December 13, 1849-After reading my papers this morning and directing the same to persons in Oregon, I went to the Capitol for the purpose of hunting up some public documents to send to Oregon. The folder assured me he would furnish me with all he could spare, and to begin with he let me have some 18 maps of Oregon by Lieut. Wilkes.1 I sent one to the county commissioners of each county in Oregon, kept two for my use, and sent the others to gentlemen in Oregon. I told the folder that he must be liberal towards Oregon and he said he would. The House next commenced its session and the whole day was spent in a most disgraceful altercation. The Southern democrats made some 15 or 20 speeches, all declaring that if the Wilmot Proviso should be applied in the dispositions of the new territories, or if Congress should abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, in either case, they and the South would dissolve the Union. The North replied that they should do what they could to prevent the farther extension of slavery, but if the South outvoted them, they would not dissolve the Union for that.

From the discussion, I perceived that there were two substantial questions between the South and North: 1st, whether Congress has the constitutional right to restrict slavery from the new territories; and if so, 2d, whether under the circumstances it would be expedient or just. The South say no to both; the North in a body say yes to the first, and nearly all say yes to the second.

The South appear not to have patience to discuss these questions upon the merits to be shown in argument; but, laying it down that they are right and no mistake, fall to abusing the North because she thinks otherwise, and threaten the Union

1 Lieut. Charles Wilkes, of the U. S. exploring expedition of 1838-1842.

if the North acts upon its own judgment, providing that action is successful. The North, on the contrary, thinks the South is wrong, but don't abuse so freely, and in no case threatens the Union, even if the South does act successfully even upon its own judgment. The South will vote for no man unless he is to their minds an anti Wilmot Proviso man, while the great body of the North are willing to go for any Anti-Wilmot Proviso man, providing he is moderate and a fair man. While the South would not vote for Jesus Christ in person unless they were satisfied that he was with them on the slavery question. Here then is the difference. The House had one ballot, which lasted till after 4 P. M., when it adjourned. In the evening, my journals ordered yesterday still not coming, I read, wrote, etc., and went to bed at 11 in the eve.

December 14, 1849.-This morning, after reading the papers, I went and got some charts of the battlefields in Mexico, sent one to the Territorial Library and the balance to others in Oregon. I then ordered the journals of Congress under the Confederation, as I wanted to consult the ordinance of 1787 upon an Oregon question. After this I went to the post office for my papers, and found an extract from the Boston Courier, in the New York Sun, purporting to be a letter written from Vancouver, Oregon, in which both our country, rivers, and people were slandered. I immediately wrote to the Editor of the Courier, requesting him to forward me a copy of the paper containing this letter, and requesting him to publish what I might have to say in reply. I next bought fifty copies of the Daily Globe containing an act. [account] of the disgraceful proceedings of yesterday, and franked them home. I then tended the session of the House till nearly five P. M. There were many more boisterous speeches made, and two votes for Speaker, but no choice. Lynn Boid [Boyd] had the highest of anyone. The House next adjourned. I went to supper, and after that was writing in my room, when Mr. Whitney, the celebrated railroad man, called on me and wished me to go to Gadsby's and see his plans. I did so, where we remained till after 8 P. M. I then returned home, when a letter was laid

on my table from W. Weatherford1, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, wanting information relative to moving to Oregon. I replied to the [amount] of a whole sheet immediately, recommending him to go. After this I wrote the memorandum of this day, read the ordinance of 1787, other reading and went to bed about 12 at night.

December 15, 1849-This day I procured the journals of the House since 1837 and extracted from two volumes whatever related to Oregon, and shall complete the balance as soon as possible, and then do the same with those of the Senate. I also got fifty of the Daily Globes enveloped and directed them to my constituents at home. Attended on the session of the House till 4, and devoted the rest of the evening to reading and directing papers. The House made no choice of Speaker. Boyd of Kentucky got the highest vote.

December 16, 1849-This day I went to the Methodist meeting, and (spent) the balance of the day in writing to my wife and others, directing papers &c.

December 17, 1849 This morning, immediately after breakfast, I called on the P. M. Gen'l, who read me a part of the doings of the late P. M. Gen'l relative to our mails. It appears that Howland & Aspinwall were let off by agreeing to carry the mail by sail vessels to the mouth of Klammet river. The P. M. Gen'l requested me to call at his house on the evening of the 19th, and I agreed to do so. Next called on the Sec. of the Interior, T. Ewing, who informed me he would forward the commission of Parrish by next mail, as Sub Ind. Ag't, vice Newell.

Next called on the 1st Comptroller of the Treasury, who informed me that he had not forwarded the order to Adair to pay off the Legislature, but would do so immediately. I urged upon [him] the importance of doing so. Next, attended on the House session, which lasted till three. But during the session I went over to Capt. Wilkes to examine the charts of the mouth of the Columbia. Came back and hunted up the

I Dr. William Weatherford, who came to Oregon in 1852, first settling in Yamhill county, from which he removed to Portland in 1854.