Hall Jackson Kelley 211
and the dates of his published writings on the Oregon ques- tion indicate, I think, that instead of influencing Floyd to champion Oregon he himself reflected the movement initiated by Floyd .... To one freshly approaching the subject the work of Floyd for Oregon seems immensely more important than Hall J. Kelley's to whom more space is usually allotted in Oregon histories .... It is sufficiently clear, I think, that a man of such antecedents and connections was not de- pendent upon the Massachusetts schoolmaster either for in- formation or stimulus."*
Kelley, however, did not claim that he had influenced Floyd, and he yielded to Benton the distinction of having been the first to propose the occupation of Oregon. In 1849 he said :
"I was not aware that any person in existence entertained thoughts of occupying the banks of the Columbia with an American population, till 1822 [1820?], when the subject was discussed in Congress. Afterwards, I came to the knowledge, that the Hon. T. H. Benton had previously, perhaps earlier than myself, conceived plans for that purpose; that he had written upon the subject, and conversed much upon it, and moved Governor Floyd to bring it into the National Leg^sla- ture."i<>
The Occupation of Oregon Accomplished. — "The Oregon enterprise was one of my own getting up and carrying through. The wise confessed it to be magnificent and benevolent. The best part of my life was exclusively devoted to it; and the whole of my substance and earthly comforts were sacrificed to consummate its accomplishment ; and, it resulted as at its con- ception I supposed it would, in making Oregon and California the abode of Civilization ; and both integral parts of the United States' domain; and in extending more widely the blessings of Christianity."*^ This was Kelley's claim.
The reference to California was probably based upon the
9 Bourn«, Aspects of Oregon history before 1840, Oregon Historical Societx, Quarterly, VI, 260-3. ^ , «
10 Kelley, Hist, of the Colonisation of Oregon, 5. See also Thornton, Ore- gon and California, IL X4-Sn- .^. . .
11 Narrative of Events and D%ft%cnlt%es. 68-9.
