Bill Text: OR SB809 | 2011 | Regular Session | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Relating to Edward Dickinson Baker.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 43-6-1)

Status: (Passed) 2011-05-19 - Effective date, January 1, 2012. [SB809 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2011-SB809-Enrolled.html

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     76th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2011 Regular Session

                            Enrolled

                         Senate Bill 809

Sponsored by Senator FERRIOLI, Representative BENTZ; Senators
  ATKINSON, BOQUIST, COURTNEY, DEVLIN, GEORGE, GIROD, HASS,
  KRUSE, MONNES ANDERSON, MORSE, NELSON, OLSEN, STARR, TELFER,
  THOMSEN, WHITSETT, WINTERS, Representatives BERGER, BREWER,
  CAMERON, CONGER, ESQUIVEL, FREEMAN, GARRARD, GILLIAM, HANNA,
  HICKS, HUFFMAN, JENSON, JOHNSON, KENNEMER, KRIEGER, LINDSAY,
  MCLANE, OLSON, PARRISH, RICHARDSON, ROBLAN, SCHAUFLER, SHEEHAN,
  G SMITH, SPRENGER, THATCHER, THOMPSON, WAND, WEIDNER, WHISNANT,
  WINGARD

                     CHAPTER ................

                             AN ACT

Relating to Edward Dickinson Baker.
  Whereas Edward Dickinson Baker was born on February 24, 1811,
in London, England and emigrated to the United States with his
family in 1816; and
  Whereas Edward D. Baker, known to his friends as 'Ned, ' first
resided with his parents in Philadelphia, then relocated with his
family to Illinois where he practiced law and developed
exceptional oratorical and presentation skills that served him
well in his military and public life; and
  Whereas Edward D. Baker became a lifelong friend and political
ally of Abraham Lincoln, who named his son 'Eddie ' after Baker;
and
  Whereas Edward D. Baker, as a Representative from Illinois to
the United States Congress (1845-1847), enthusiastically
supported the acquisition of Oregon as a territory, and later as
a state; and
  Whereas Edward D. Baker served with distinction in the Black
Hawk, Mexican and American Civil Wars as a leader of volunteers
and a patriot in the cause of freedom and the Union; and
  Whereas Edward D. Baker moved to the new state of California to
build a law practice and a career of public service, and then
accepted an invitation to move to the new state of Oregon to help
establish government here; and
  Whereas arriving in the winter of 1859, and working
strategically across party lines, Edward D. Baker was elected one
of the first United States Senators from Oregon in 1860, at the
same time that his friend Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th
President of the United States; and
  Whereas Edward D. Baker, a close personal friend and one-time
political opponent, became an outspoken political supporter of
Abraham Lincoln for more than 25 years, introducing Lincoln at
his presidential inauguration in 1861; and
  Whereas Edward D. Baker, a strong abolitionist and advocate for
the Union while he was in the United States Senate, chose to take
a commission as Colonel of Volunteers rather than the rank of
General, which was due him for his service and valor in the

Enrolled Senate Bill 809 (SB 809-INTRO)                    Page 1

military prior to becoming Senator, and joined the Army of the
Potomac in the field to serve the cause of freedom and the Union;
and
  Whereas Colonel Edward D. Baker died in the Battle of Balls
Bluff on October 21, 1861, while leading a charge to drive back
Confederate skirmishers, and in so doing was the only sitting
member of Congress to die in the cause of freedom during the
Civil War; and
  Whereas President Abraham Lincoln's son Willie wrote a poem
about Baker, published in the Washington, D.C. newspapers, with
the first line that reads 'There was no patriot like Baker' and
Lincoln himself gave a 'warm and glowing sketch of Baker's
eloquence, full of generous admiration, and showing how he loved
his old friend'; and
  Whereas Baker County, Oregon, and Baker City are named after
this patriot who gave his full measure in the cause of freedom
for all Americans and the preservation of our great Union; and
  Whereas life-size statues of Edward D. Baker, commissioned in
1872, can be seen in the United States Capitol and the Capitol of
the State of California; and
  Whereas 2011 marks the bicentennial of Edward Dickinson Baker's
birth on February 24, 1811, and the sesquicentennial of his
tragic death on October 21, 1861, in the Battle of Balls Bluff
during the Civil War; now, therefore,

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

  SECTION 1.  { + The Legislative Assembly designates February
24th of each year as Edward Dickinson Baker Day in Oregon to
commemorate the life service and sacrifice of this hero of Oregon
and the United States of America. + }
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Passed by Senate April 5, 2011

    .............................................................
                               Robert Taylor, Secretary of Senate

    .............................................................
                              Peter Courtney, President of Senate

Passed by House May 10, 2011

    .............................................................
                                    Bruce Hanna, Speaker of House

    .............................................................
                                   Arnie Roblan, Speaker of House

Enrolled Senate Bill 809 (SB 809-INTRO)                    Page 2

Received by Governor:

......M.,............., 2011

Approved:

......M.,............., 2011

    .............................................................
                                         John Kitzhaber, Governor

Filed in Office of Secretary of State:

......M.,............., 2011

    .............................................................
                                   Kate Brown, Secretary of State

Enrolled Senate Bill 809 (SB 809-INTRO)                    Page 3