Reports on the 50th Birthday and Deschutes Sesquicentennial Brews

Extemporaneous remarks of Governor Chamberlain at the Capitol on February 14, 1909.

I remain fascinated by the Lincoln v. Statehood celebrations and relative emphasis accorded each.

In his 4-part series on the Oregon Constitutional Convention & then Statehood (Feb 1, 8, 15, 22 in the Oregonian; sadly old articles disappear quickly into the paid archive, so it's pointless to link to the articles), John Terry notes that

The delegates' greatest shortcoming was failure to resolve the issue of slavery. As they had on the national level, the Democrats split rancorously over the question. The "hard" (Southern) faction of the party favored slavery. The "softs" (Northerners) sided with Republicans for abolition.

In consequence, slavery was axed from the rest of the proposed constitution and submitted to voters in the form of two questions: "Do you vote for slavery in Oregon?" and "Do you vote for free negroes in Oregon?"

The convention adjourned Sept. 18. The constitution, plus slavery, was put to the electorate Nov. 8.

Voters in the Nov. 8, 1857, special election approved the constitution 7,195 to 3,215. Slavery was rejected 7,727 to 2,645. Denying free slaves residency passed 8,640 to 1,801.

Territorial Chief Justice George Williams called the latter a "disgrace." It nonetheless remained part of the Oregon Constitution long after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional. It wasn't formally removed until 1926.

It also constituted a stumbling block to statehood in Washington, D.C.

Joseph Lane, Oregon's first territorial governor and its (nonvoting) representative, was charged with carrying the ball in Congress. The federal government at the time was increasingly fraught over slavery. Oregon's ambivalence helped fuel the debate.

"Southerners balked at accepting the no-slavery clause; some Northerners were repelled by the proscription of free blacks," says Malcolm Clark Jr. in "Eden Seekers." Lane ". . . labored and lobbied as tirelessly as ever, but his efforts pressed futilely against the force of events."

For more on the 50th celebration see this Capitol Journal article from February 16, 1909. As well as the Proceedings of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Admission of the State of Oregon to the Union, the official document of the celebration.

Finally, Deschutes announced two of their own Sesquicentennial brews (h/t Beervana). I doubt, somehow, that we'll see any here in town. One can hope, though...

Maiden Oregon Ale, brewed at our Portland Brew Pub by Cam O’Connor, is a Belgian amber ale that was brewed using Crystal hops from the Willamette valley, organic 2-row barley from Klamath Falls, water from Mt. Hood, Oregon beet sugar from Nyssa, and yeast from Wyeast labs in Hood River. At 8.0% alcohol by volume, this one will be best enjoyed sipped out of a snifter glass.

Oregon 150 Ale was brewed at our Bend Brew Pub by Paul Arney. This beer has a very unique color and flavor that makes it hard to categorize. Brewed with barley malt grown in the Klamath Falls basin (malted in Portland), blackberry honey from Yamhill County, Oregon marionberries and Crystal hops from the Willamette Valley we have created a beer like you’ve never tasted before. Our mash conversion took place at, you guessed it, 150 degrees!