



Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Barry Abrahamsen, and the
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             THE QUARTERLY OF THE OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
                            (Vol. 1, No. 1)




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                             THE QUARTERLY

                                 OF THE

                       OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

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                 VOL. 1       MARCH, 1900        NO. 1

       ---------------------------------------------------------


                           Illustration: Logo


                                CONTENTS


          THE GENESIS OF POLITICAL AUTHORITY AND OF A       1
            COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT IN OREGON—James R.
            Robertson

          THE PROCESS OF SELECTION IN OREGON PIONEER       60
            SETTLEMENT—Thomas Condon

          NATHANIEL J. WYETH’S OREGON EXPEDITIONS—“In      66
            Historic Mansions and Highways Around
            Boston”

          REMINISCENCES OF F. X. MATTHIEU—H. S. Lyman      73

          DOCUMENTS—Correspondence of John McLoughlin,    106
            Nathaniel J. Wyeth, S. R. Thurston, and R.
            C. Winthrop, pertaining to claim of Dr.
            McLoughlin at the Falls of the
            Willamette—the site of Oregon City

          NOTES AND NEWS                                   70

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        PRICE: THIRTY-FIVE CENTS PER NUMBER, ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR




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                     THE OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

                      ORGANIZED DECEMBER 17, 1898

                             --------------

          H. W. SCOTT                               PRESIDENT
          C. B. BELLINGER                      VICE-PRESIDENT
          F. G. YOUNG                               SECRETARY
          CHARLES E. LADD                           TREASURER

                 GEORGE H. HIMES, ASSISTANT SECRETARY.

                             --------------

                               DIRECTORS

        THE GOVERNOR OF OREGON, ex officio.
        THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, ex officio.

           Term Expires at Annual Meeting in December, 1900,
                 H. W. SCOTT, MRS. HARRIET K. McARTHUR.

           Term Expires at Annual Meeting in December, 1901,
                        F. G. YOUNG, L. B. COX.

           Term Expires at Annual Meeting in December, 1902,
                 JAMES R. ROBERTSON, JOSEPH R. WILSON.

           Term Expires at Annual Meeting in December, 1903,
                 C. B. BELLINGER, MRS. MARIA L. MYRICK.

                             --------------

The Quarterly is sent free to all members of the Society. The annual
dues are two dollars. The fee for life membership is twenty-five
dollars.

Contributions to The Quarterly and correspondence relative to historical
materials, or pertaining to the affairs of this Society, should be
addressed to

               F. G. YOUNG,

                    Secretary.

EUGENE, OREGON.

Subscriptions for The Quarterly, or for the other publications of the
Society should be sent to

               GEORGE H. HIMES,

                    Assistant Secretary.

CITY HALL, PORTLAND, OREGON.




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          VOLUME 1.]          MARCH, 1900           [NUMBER 1.

           --------------------------------------------------

                             THE QUARTERLY


                                 OF THE


                       OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.


 THE GENESIS OF POLITICAL AUTHORITY AND OF A COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT IN
                                OREGON.

    [Printed by the author for private distribution, August, 1899.]


At the present time, when interest is becoming more generally centered
upon the Pacific Coast and the future which seems to be lying before it
during the next century of our national life, any contribution to a
knowledge of its history can hardly be out of place. It is quite clear
that from now on through the future it must more and