Fred Wilbur Powell

“ Without the aids of agricultural science, centuries more must elapse before the pure waters of the skies shall wash out from the soil of the prairie these poisonous relics of that awful convulsion of nature which, in ages far beyond human tradition, overwhelmed the western shores of our continent. Immediately along the banks of the rivers by which the prairie is intersected, as if to [49] demonstrate the correctness of my hypothesis, there is always found a strip of the choicest alluvion.
The seasons of this country are two—the wet and the dry. ”

“ There is one continuous line of prairie extending from the gulf of California to the 39th parallel, sometimes a hundred miles wide, and seldom less than ten, opening to the ocean only at the bay of San Francisco, its surface so diversified by fringes of trees along the borders of its streams, and by the wooded capes and peninsulas which break the uniformity of its outline, as to present the appearance of a chain of prairies of every conceivable size and form. ”

“ When I remember the exuberant fertility, the exhaustless natural wealth, the abundant streams and admirable harbors, and the advantageous shape and position of High California, I cannot but believe that at no very distant day a swarming multitude of human beings will again people the solitude, and that the monuments of civilization will throng along those streams whose waters now murmur to the desert, and cover those fertile vales — whose tumuli now record the idolatrous worship and commemorate the former existence of innumerable savage generations. ”

“ Whatever may be the frame of government, it should be built upon the most finished improvements of others. Whether the settlers are to be considered children of mature age, made free, and setting up for themselves, constituting in some degree, an independent Province, the friend and ally of the mother country; sharing in her generous and maternal solicitude; or whether they are to be a Colony, planted, cherished, and protected by her, depends entirely on Congress. ”

“ Our opinion is hereby improved in two particulars, though we can only reconcile them by two suppositions, — that a man may repeat a tale of his own invention till he believes it to be true, — and that what is not truth to one man, may be truth to another. . . .
"We suppose that Mr. Kelley is to be governor of the new territory, or one of the head chiefs and beloved men, or at least, that he will be allowed to pocket as much of the before- mentioned stock as will remunerate him for his disinterested efforts in favor of the good people of New England, and natives of Oregon. ”

“ En Route—Across Mexico
Even to-day a trip across Mexico is attended with delays and difficulties. The foreigner is met with suspicion, and, if He be an American, with positive dislike. Nothing but a fanatical belief in his mission could have led Kelley to disregard or at least underestimate the obstacles to be encountered in passing through that country before the day of railroads, in the midst of pestilence, brigands, and civil war. Yet this is what he undertook to do in 1833, alone, encumbered with baggage, and ignorant of the language of the people. ”

“ Settlements, will, no doubt, very soon grow up, and spread along the shores of the Columbia river with astonishing rapid- ity; — and the young athletic powers of our government will, ere long, launch into its waters a fleet to move along the coasts of the Pacific, and take imder its protection the commerce, which the enterprise of our citizens will soon create and extend over those seas, to an incalculable amount. ”

“ If we cannot understand what manner of man Kelley was, it is through no fault of his, for in his voluminous writings his personality is reflected with all the clear outlines of reality. We see him first as a serious- minded boy of studious and pious habits of thought ”

“ This tranquil river must eventually become productive of vast benefit to California, not merely as a convenient and ready inlet for commercial purpose, but as a great outlet through which shall be drained diose superfluous waters by which so much of the prairie is converted into a marsh, and rendered fruitful only of disease and death. ”

“ These words of a half-crazed man, written long after the events which they suggest rather than describe, are at least sufficient as evidence that during those years he was active in the cause of Oregon settlement, so active in fact that he merged his personality in it and regarded all men who came into opposition to him as opponents not of him but of the idea which possessed him. ”

“ Sixth, The settlement of the Oregon country, would conduce to a freer intercourse, and a more extensive and remunerative trade with the East Indies. . . . Such an extension and enjoyment of the East India Trade, would provoke the spirit of American enterprise, to open communications from the Mississippi valley, and from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific ocean, and thus open new channels, through which the products of America and the Eastern world, will pass in mutual exchange, saving in every voyage, a distance of ten thousand miles ”

“ All agree that Kelley was a man with a distorted perspective, who was singularly out of touch with his fellows. To such men as Foster and Lovett, he was an easy victim; and to the sailors on the Dryade as well as the boys in Three Rivers he must have appeared as one who invited annoying attacks. ”

“ The journey was a lonely one, and tiresome. My days now were all eventful, and every moment seemed to bring increased cares and anxieties. Just before my final departure for Oregon, I took a few days to go about Boston, and solicit from the munificent contributions to my funds, which I feared would be inadequate for my purposes, since my enemies, by their cunning and cruelty, had made so frequent drafts upon them. I called upon a wealthy merchant in Beacon street. ”

“ Am forced to do my indoor and outdoor work. There are none disposed to help me. Help, both male and female, are turned from me. My beloved house- hold, and all in the circle of kindred, every soul of them de- ceived, have gone from me and are turned against me, and all in the circle of friends and acquaintances, deceived, have turned to treat me with contempt, some with shameful abuse. ”

“ While exploring the country between Vera Cruz and the City of Mexico, I became satisfied of the feasibility of a railroad route between one and the other of those places. Desirous of seeing Mexico benefited with the same kind of institutions and improvements as those effecting such great things for my native New England, I planned and advised that improvement—especially would I have internal improvements commenced without the least possible delay, in a country, where the common people were but little in advance of the heathen ”

“ He then proposed the establishment of a series of posts along the overland route from the Missouri to the Columbia, thus opening "A channel to Asia, short, direct, safe, cheap, and exclusively American, which invites the enterprise of American citizens, and promises to them a splendid participation in the commerce of the East. . . . Nothing is wanting, but a second Daniel Boone to lead the way, and thousands of ardent spirits would immediately flock to develop its vast means of agriculture and commerce, and to open a direct trade between Asia and America. ”

“ That the latter should be the case, is the prayer of a memorial, at the present time, before that august assemblage of talents, virtue and wisdom.
"Should the emigrants fail of that Charter, which reason and justice dictate, and humanity calls for, they will attempt to make for themselves, just and equal laws, under the provisions of a form of government, so far made a free democratic representative, as will be consistent with an unequivocal recognition of the sovereignty of the American Republic. It will be in most respects, a transcript of the government of the Michigan Territory. ”

“ Hall Jackson Kelley 187
that industry, frugality, temperance, benevolence, intense pur- pose, brotherly kindness and charity have all along marked my career. I do not thus speak of myself to glorify self; but to glorify Him whose servant I am."^
"The shattered and morbid-smitten nervous system is never so bad as in the hot season of the year, and has never been so terrible as in the present season. Am all the while faint, and suffering a slow fever. As I have heretofore said, am forced to live alone. I am fond of society, and delight in communion with the virtuous and intelligent. ”

“ From San Diego Kelley took passage to San Pedro on the ship Lagoda out of Boston, and continued by land to Monte- rey, the seat of government.® His chief aim was to get some- one to accompany him. "The country between the 38th and 44th parallels appeared dark and threatening, no civilized men save hunters, as I could learn, had roamed there. To penetrate that trackless region alone seemed too hazardous. In hopes, therefore, of collecting a party of emigrants to travel with me, in whatever place countrymen could be found for hearers, I preached Oregon." ”

“ Kelly, there is not a district at the mouth of any large river more unproductive than that of the Columbia, and it seems that this is pretty much the case from tide water of that river to where it empties into the ocean. . . . Mr. Hall J. Kelly published about two years since a most inflated and extravagant account of that western tract which extends from The Rocky Mountains to the shore of the Pacific Ocean. ”

“ The interests of the land proprietor are better promoted, and the wide door so much open for litigation, which often costs him his freehold, is effectually closed. It is the only simple method by which right lines, having a given course, can be run with precision. It is attended with as much certainty as the high operation of trigonometrical surveys."^ His nearest approach to a definite description of his system appeared in the Manual of the Oregon Expedition, or General Circular, in which he set forth the manner in which divisions of lands should be made in Oregon. ”

“ Hall Jackson Kelley 207
What of the attitude of historians? Naturally the estimates differ widely. The least sympathetic is that of Bancroft :
"The Boston school-master is a character the historian is not particularly proud of. He is neither a great hero nor a great rascal. He is great at nothing, and is remarkable rather for his lack of strength, and in staggering for fifty years under an idea too big for his brain. ”

“ In concluding this imperfect letter, I ought, in justice to myself, to state that it was not disappointment in regard to the natural advantages of Oregon which prevented my form- ing a permanent connexion with that region; but I was im- pelled by a determination to do all in my power, by constant effort in the United States, to lead our Government to extend over Oregon that paternal care which alone is needed to render it the very nucleus of emigration, and the most attractive portion of our national domain. ”

“ The valley of the Multnomah is particularly so, being extremely fertile. The advantages, gen- erally, for acquiring property are paramount to those on the prairies of the West, or in any other part of the world. . . . The Oregon is covered with heavy forests of timber. . . . The production of vegetables, grain, and cattle will require comparatively but little labor; these articles, together with the spontaneous growth of the soil, and the fruits of laborious industry, in general, will find a market, at home, and thereby comfort and enrich the settlers. ”

“ The natives are subservient to it, and American traders dare not resist it. Hence, the inland trade is fast on the wane, and has become disastrous, if not in most cases, ruinous. While it is so constantly exposed to the rapacity of treacherous Indians, and to the avarice of the English, it must remain utterly valueless. It might, however, be reclaimed, and forever protected by a colony occupying the shores of the Columbia. ”

“ To Kelley there was little difiference between honest doubt and active opposition, and the stupendous nature of his plans and his earnest manner of presenting them alike put obstacles in his way. The very nature of the man aroused antagonism on the part of the indifferent, and led those who would have listened to a less vehement prophet to withhold their confidence. Platform presentation by a man of convincing manner is an effective sort of propaganda. ”

“ I left the camp and went to the bay of San Francisco, to receive some horses that I had bought before leaving Monterey. . . . When we set out from the last settlement, I had seventy-seven horses and mules. Kelley and the other five men had twenty-one, which made ninety-eight animals which I knew were fairly bought. The last nine men that joined the party had fifty-six horses. Whether they bought them, or stole them, I do not know." [21]
On the second day out from San Jose, a small band of men overtook the party. These were the men referred to in Young's statement. ”

“ So far as I could learn from intelligent and credible wit- nesses, the country north of the Columbia, to the 54th paral- lel, possesses nearly the same character which I have described as belonging to the region which I myself traversed.
The Hudson's Bay Company, who have long occupied this territory, and endeavored to monopolize the benefits of its trade, it is believed, possesses greater capital, and employs a larger number of men in its various departments of service than any other association, excepting, perhaps, the East India Company, under the auspices of the British Government. ”