Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 18.djvu/211



Hall Jackson Kelley 183

Again in 1866 the appeal was renewed. In that year Henry L. Dawes, representative from Massachusetts, presented a peti- tion "relative to a land g^nt," which was referred to the com- mittee on private land claims. This also sought pecuniary re- lief as an alternative, as is evident from the title of the reprint, which reads Petition Of Hall J. Kelley, Praying For A Grant Of Land, Or A Donation Of Money." The result was another failure.

With the double purpose of creating a favorable public senti- ment and of supplementing his applications for congressional bounty, Kelley published several pamphlets. The first was History Of The Colonization Of The Oregon Territory, which was published in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1849. The edition must have been small, for but a single copy is known to be in existence. On the title page, appears Kelley's name as "the pioneer and chief projector." The "prefatory remarks" thus set forth the purpose of the pamphlet :

'The writer claims to have been the chief pioneer to plan and execute the work of colonizing the Oregon Territory ; and has prepared the following pages to show the identity of his name with the history of that magnificent and meritorious achieve- ment; and also to explain the causes and events which gave direction and impetus to public enterprise, and led to the ac- quisition and settlement of California."

Another pamphlet with the same title was published in Wor- cester in 1850. In 1852 appeared A Narrative Of Events And Difficulties In The Colonization Of Oregon And The Settle- ment of California ; and also a history of the claim of American citizens to lands on Quadra's Island ; together with an account of the troubles and tribulations endured between the years 1824 and 1852 by the writer. This was published in Boston, and we are told in the appendix that "but few copies of this book have been printed." A half dozen copies only have been lo- cated. While the preface declares that "The present book aims

17 ^8 cong. 2 sesa. H. jour.. 93; Cong. Globe, XLVII. 181. The reprint appearea as a seven-page pamphlet, whkh was also incorporated in the Mist, of th€ Settlem^fii of Oregon. It was a revised and enlarged version of the earlier memorials and petitions.