Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/425

, Kelley

continued his agitation of the Oregon question, and advocac-y of congressional aid, and settlement of the country as long as he had financial means to do so. He had gone through trials, disappointments and severe labors in traveling through foreign countries to reach Oregon to be received not only with distrust, l>ut with slander and persecution, such as would have crushed most men. Yet his hopeful and unwavering spirit of promotion and adventure did not desert him, anci on his return to his old home, he immediately engaged witii othei's in erecting a cotton mill at Three Rivers, jMassacluisetts. And after losing the last remnant of his fortune in this venture, he retired to private life, and lived and was known as "The Hermit" of Three Rivers, finally passing away at the ad- vanced age of eighty-five years.

The work that Hall Kelley did to save Oregon to the United States was that of an educator and agitator. He wrote and published more about Oregon than all others j)ut together pricu- to tbe formation of the provisional government. His writings were all characterized by noble thoughts and directed to the promo- tion of the uplift and welfare of his fellowman. Not a line can be found in all his voluminous writings that is not educational and reformatory. His labors for spreading knowledge and interest about Oregon were not fitful and spas- modic, but were persistently and energetically carried on for more than forty years. And the result of it all was to secure and hold the attention of men in Congress, in public stations and in the newspaper world, so that a public senti- ment was created in favor of holding on to Oregon as a Pacific outpost for na- tional development and defense. But for Kelley 's labors, the whole of the New England states. New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, would have been prac- tically without any information about Oregon further than the report of Lewis and Clark. And that this labor of Kelley 's was effective and of great service, the letter of United States Senator John Davis, of Massachusetts, is here given. Davis was a man of such great integrity and high character that he achieved the distinction of being known as "Honest John Davis."

"June 6. 1848. "Eall J. Kelley:

' ' Dear Sir — Having learned that you are about to leave Washington City for your home without having obtained an act of Congress in j^our behalf, the sub- ject not having been acted upon, I beg leave to say that I consider you as en- titled, in ecpiity and good conscience, to a liberal grant of land from the gov- ernment for your meritorious services in promoting the settlement of Oregon, and I by no means despair of obtaining such a grant.

' ' Respectfully yours,

"John Davis."

And among the many distinguished supporters of Kelley 's claim for recogni- tion by Congress was the eminent historian, George Bancroft. And in addition to his work in creating public opinion in Congress and the Eastern states in fa- vor of holding Oregon, he is entitled to no small amount of credit in sending the first missionaries to Oregon. Prior to the movement that sent them out here, Kelley had collected and published all the facts and information about Oregon that was then available, and had laid the foundation for practical efforts, and proved that Oregon was a good country to settle and people with American citi-