Diary of Rev. George Gary — III 283 ably; the father has come to see about it. Bro. Leslie asks no advice; is so reserved and cross I hardly know what to do. I never had any idea a good man and min- ister could scold so much and be so unpleasant in his family as he is, until we came here to board. Now he is in real trouble about this whipping. I would sympathize with him, as he is deeply interested in the school, only he is too elbowish for sympathy to approach him, and so much acid about him, it must essentially change the prop- erties of sympathy into something else; so we keep our room and know but little, only as we catch it accident- ally. I am satisfied the scholars in the former Indian manual labor school were unreasonably and unmercifully corrected, and in many respects, the school was more like a place of correction and imprisonment than a place of charitable and kind instruction. Excessive whipping, hand-cuffs, fetters and chains were somewhat common in those days, but the school is now for whites and it will be found indispensible to have the school governed in a mild and consistent manner. Report says that one of the Hudson Bay Company's vessels has entered the Columbia river. Report also says Mr. Polk has been elected presi- dent of the United States of America. We are hoping for letters. Thursday, 26. We received letters and papers from Sandwich Islands. Letters are from Mr. Daman and Mr. Hall; papers are "The Friend," edited by Mr. D. By these we learn Polk is president ; Texas is annexed ; also a small paragraph which says, "The Methodist Episcopal church is divided into northern and southern. " Said to have taken place in general conference in 1844. It is not easy to conceive the anxiety I feel to know the truth of this statement, and, if true, the particulars concerning it. Saturday, 28. As there is a probability of a chance to send letters by a small company over the mountains, we are busy in writing a few. Sunday, 29. Preached at the Institute.
