Oh, Columbia, the Northwest Strong and Free

From A Comprehensive History of Columbia
Written by Joseph B. Hanckock
2010, High Cedar Press, Astoria

"Columbia- this name inspires patriotism and controversy. From the start, our nation has been beset by it's very name. There have been repeated attempts to change it, some un-possible, like the American version of Oregon, and some that worked for a short while, the only instance being the Pacific Republic of recent memory. But always, the name has returned to Columbia."

"Shakespeare once said whats in a name. Columbia's name shows the history of a proud people, a people free from foriegn rule in the time of great Empires. Columbians took the best from America, England, Mexico, and California, and melted it into one, seperate, Columbian identity."

"But what started this? It was late one afternoon, in early-1840s Oregon City, when Columbia was a contested territory..."
 
From A First Hande Historie of Columbia
Written by Roger F. McCullen
1854, Mr. J.F. Pierce, Oregon City

"Ande on that day of July 2, 1841, Mr.McLoughlin did porpoise to the Lyceum that Columbia shoud bea independant. This porposition was met with greate and magnificantie celebratons from the Canadan and Brietish, but was met with stern and sullene silence from the Americans. After it had diede doon, Mr.Abernathy the Minister did stand op, and porpoised that independance should weigt four years, if America did note annex theam. Mr.McLoughlin stood op thare, and delievered a speach of great magnificance and weigt, on howe America would styfle the Northwast Spyrit. And the majoritie agreed with Mr.McLoughlin. The Lyceum was ajorned for the next weaks meetin."

(If you could not see the POD, Mr. McLoughlin went to the Lyceum meeting in Oregon City that decided independance instead of his laywer, and was thus able to convince the assembly to shout down Mr. Abernathy's proposal)

From Our Government
Written by Dr. Joseph Gregor
1923, Columbia City Press, Columbia City

"Picture, if you can, the first Lyceum meeting the week after the McLoughlin proposition was approved. The meeting was frought with many ideas for how the nation should be built. The first ten minutes of the meeting was boring, with the various introductions and small talk that made up Lyceum life. Men that day were described as "nervous, their hands shaking without their knowledge". After these social club obligations, the men dived into the meat of the meeting- forming the independant government they had voted on the week before."

"They ran into a problem first hand. They could not agree on a name. The Americans, under Mr. Abernathy, wanted to call the nation Oregon, the American name for the region. The British and Canadians wished to call it Columbia, after their own name for the region. These debate went on for thirty minutes, until a vote called by Mr. Abernathy gave the British and Candians the victory- the nation would be called Columbia, by a margin of 23 to 18."

"After this name was achieved, before the scribe could even write it down at the head of the document the Lyceum was suppossed to draft, there was another issue of the government make up. The Americans wanted a republic- the British and Canadians wanted to make it a parlimentary system with the Queen of England as their sovreign. The Americans made an especial uproar on this issue, saying that "The Lyceum had voted for independance. Independance means independance from both America and England." Needless to say, it looked like a fight was brewing on this issue. But then a compromise was reached- the Americans would get their Republic, if they allowed the Hudson's Bay Company to still maintain their forts in the region."

"This was proposed by Mr. McLoughlin, who worked for the Hudson's Bay Company. He knew that the Americans oppossed the Comapny's economical practices in the region, as they blocked the activites of the American mountain men. But, Mr. Abernathy was a clearheaded man, and saw that they would just lose out on another vote. He convinced his fellow Americans to agree to Mr. McLoughlins compromise."

"Thus the issue of the name and the basic structure of the government were completed. It would take another two weeks to hammer out the Columbia Charter, and by that time, word spread accross Columbia Department that a meeting was being held that would decide their futures. Men from the settlements around the Department rode post-haste to reach Oregon City to make sure their regions interests were being accounted for in the future of the nation. Unfortunatly, word of this meeting also got out to the United States and Rupert's Land..."
 
From A Comedy of Errors: The Start of Columbia
Written by Andrew Werthers
1998, Haystack Rock Press, Cannon Beach

"From all corners of Columbia came the "representatives" for the Oregon Lyceum's debate. The Lyceum members were overwhelmed by these newcomers- their original location, in the home of one of their members, was moved first to a tavern. After the tavern became so full that men were crowding at windows, they moved to a public lawn near the center of the town. Here, the meat of the debate took place."

"Unfortunatly, the "representatives" confused the process. Each one wanted to make sure they got their say on each issue, which meant a sixteen hour debate daily. Americans clamered against the British and Canadians, and vice versa. The rough outline had appeared over the two weeks, but much had to be done when a representative from Britain arrived. He declared that the "British supported Columbia, inasmuch as they bow to the queen as their sovreign." Now, this had been taken care of at the first meeting, but reopened the debate."

"The Lyceum could have all come crashing down, had a breathless farmer not arrived from the border. After a rousing drink, he declared he had a letter of American support for the nation of Columbia. In reality, he had crossed the border, met an unfortunate Captain F.P.Willis, filled him with booze, and had him dictate a letter of support. Thus, when the letter was read, it had uncommon word placement, like “And then we them and Columbians”, for one. Faced with the possibility that Britain might lose influence in the region, the representative supported Columbia as it was constituted.”

"It was good as gold to the Lyceum’s triumphant leadership. They finished the constitution in a record time of three days, and had finished signing it when an official United States messenger arrived from the border, waving a letter rescinding Captain Willis’s letter. The Lyceum took it in stride, with minor bickering. They had a nation of their own.”
 
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