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CORRESPONDENCE 159

directly to Br. Johnson, as I find it was designed for him. I shall forward this by the Brig Henry to the Pacific squad- ron now on the coast of California, hoping it will reach you; yet I am in so much doubt that I shall not venture to for- ward my report from March 8th up to this date, which is now partially made out. We are expecting a government steamer in the mouth of the Columbia in a few weeks, by which I will forward you my report, together with an an- swer to all your inquiries. I will then write to all the socie- ties and individuals who have so kindly sympathized with us in these ends of the earth. The goods and books will afford us great relief and the donors will be held in grateful, lasting remembrance. May God reward them.

We organized an association on the 23rd and 24th of June last in Tualatin Plains by the name of the Willamette Bap- tist Association, consisting of five churches. I spent the last of June and the month of July in the Willamette Valley. Had the subject of an institution of learning under considera- tion with a few of the most judicious brethren. It strikes me that the central part of the Willamette Valley, near the head of what will be steam navigation, will be the place best adapted to meet the wants of the present population of Ore- gon, and will always be the center of heavy population. But we find no man who will secure a tract of land sufficient- ly large to meet all the wants of a literary instiution unless I go and buy or take a claim and donate the half of it to the denomination and enter upon the work of commencing and sustaining a school in connection with preaching. But in that event I must measurably abandon this point, which we feel is of vast importance prospectively. Probably $100 or $200 would purchase such a claim of 640 acres as would be desirable. But our laws in Oregon require actual residence within one year after recording such claim. I have been in great anxiety on this subject. One year more may probably put such an opportunity beyond our reach without a very considerable sum of money. Neither myself nor family have