by special act of the Massachusetts legislature, approved June 22, 1831, McNeil and John L. Blake, D.D., being named as incorpora- tors.* "This society was Hall J. Kelley. He was the body and brains, the fingers and tongue of it," said H. H. Bancroft,* and the s^tement is true. The others were willing to "encour- age"; Kelley was willing to sacrifice everything. The head- quarters of the society was in Boston, and Kelley made fre- quent trips from Three Rivers to attend to its affairs. His duties were those of a publicity agent. When his domestic concerns admitted of his absence, he "traveled New England, everywhere lecturing on Or^on," but according to his own statement he was an indifferent public speaker, due to his extreme diffidence.^ His lectiu-e tours could not have been very extensive, for his expenses on this account were but $200.'
I Kelley, Memorial, 18481 6-9. McNeil later became tonreyor of the port of Boftofu and Gregy, tecretaiT of the common council of Boston, a L. Maaa. s83x» c. 63; XII, 133-4.
3 Bancroft, Hist, of the Northwest Coast, U, S45*
4 Kdley, Hist, of the Ssttismsnt of Orsgon, S5> ^4-
5 Kelley, Naroiwe of Events and DifficnlHss, 7.
