180 Fred Wilbur Powell
ment, but as compensation for services. The year in which Kelley finally abandoned his colonization scheme, therefore, can be stated definitely as 1844. With but unimportant exceptions, his published writings thereafter were confined to memorials and petitions to congress and pamphlets designed to support his claim for compensation or reward for his services in bring- ing about the settlement of Oregon by American citizens, thus preparing the way for the assertion of jurisdiction over that territory by the national government.®
After an interval of four years he presented through John A. EHx, senator from New York, a memorial "praying a grant of land in the Territory of Oregon, in consideration of import- ant services rendered by him in exploring and developing the resources of that country," which was referred to the com- mittee on public lands.^^ This memorial was privately printed as an eighteen-page pamphlet entitled Memorial Of Hall J. Kelley ; Praying For A Donation Of Land, And Testimonials Concerning The Colonization Of The Oregon Territory. The memorial itself occupied but four pages, and six pages were given over to notes from Kelley's journal covering that part of his journey from Monterey to the Columbia. Some of the testimonials were written in 1843 to accompany the memorial of 1844 ; the others were obtained in 1847. Among those who contributed testimonials were: John P. Bigelow, secretary of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, who was soon to become mayor of Boston ; William Wheildon, friend of Edward Everett and editor of the Bunker Hill Aurora, whose name had ap- peared on the list of agents of the American Society For En- couraging The Settlement Of The Oregon Territory; Wash- ington P. Gregg, secretary of the common council of Boston and former treasurer of the American Society; William G. Brown, former editor of Zion's Herald ; John McNeil, surveyor of the port of Boston and former president of the American Society; Isaac O. Barnes, United States marshal at Boston;
o In 1846 and 184/ he published two series of articles in the Palmer Sentinel, one on "Oregon;" the other on "Colonization Of The Oregon Territory.** 10 30 cong. I sess. S. jour., 245; Cong. Globe, XVIII, 567.
