Oregon
In 1846, he emigrated overland to the unorganized Oregon Country and settled in Oregon City. Once in Oregon, Curry's experience in the newspaper business landed him a job editing the Oregon Spectator, an early newspaper owned by George Abernethy. Abernethy's views that politics should be kept out of the Spectator lead Curry to resign from the paper after only a year and a half. Curry's belief that this policy was censorship put him at odds with the paper's management. In 1848, he set up the Oregon Free Press in Oregon City in competition with his former employer, the same year as the creation of the Oregon Territory. The newspaper soon failed as the California Gold Rush temporarily drained the territory of people and advertisers.
At the second session of the Oregon Territorial Legislature held from 1850 to 1851, he worked as the chief clerk of the lower chamber House of Representatives. In the 1851 to 1852 session he served in the House representing Clackamas County. Curry next served as the Secretary of the Oregon Territory from 1853 to 1854, with the office as the first in line to succession to the Governor.
Twice he stepped in as Acting Territorial Governor: May 19, 1853 – December 2, 1853; upon Acting Governor Joseph Lane's return to Congress and for six months in 1854, upon the resignation of John W. Davis. U.S. President Franklin Pierce then officially appointed Curry to the position, which he held until Oregon Statehood in 1859. As a prominent local man, Curry was received much more favorably by the population whereas most of his predecessors were seen as outsiders from the East Coast. During the Yakima War in 1855, Governor Curry raised a force of 2,500 volunteers and led them into battle in support of federal troops.
Oregon prepared for statehood under Governor Curry, approving a state constitution and electing John Whiteaker as the first Governor of the State of Oregon in 1857. On February 14, 1859; Congress passed the Oregon Statehood Bill, and President James Buchanan signed it; creating Oregon as the thirty-third state of the Union. Upon this act, Curry's position was abolished.
Read more about this topic: George Law Curry
Famous quotes containing the word oregon:
“The Oregon [matter] and the annexation of Texas are now all- important to the security and future peace and prosperity of our union, and I hope there are a sufficient number of pure American democrats to carry into effect the annexation of Texas and [extension of] our laws over Oregon. No temporizing policy or all is lost.”
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