before he could get his references printed and thus counteract the calumny two-thirds of the young ladies had written him, enclosing the article and declining further consideration of the matter.
After many disappointments and vexations he set sail from New York January 6, 1866, with about thirty young ladies and a number of families and a few single gentlemen.
Several engagements were made during the voyage. Even the arch- promoter of the immigration movement could not resist Cupid's entanglements, as the following notice will show:
MARRIED—On the 15th of July, 1866, at the Methodist Protestant Church, in this city, by the Rev. Daniel Bagley, Mr. Asa Shinn Mercer to Miss Annie E. Stephens, of Baltimore, Md.
The following is from a record of the trip kept by Miss Harriet F. Stevens: "The steamer, with lessened quota of passengers, left New York January 6, 1866, and ran at once into a storm, which lasted two days. As we recovered our normal condition we began to look about us. With great satisfaction we found that we had a party of intelligent, amiable, sprightly people. The unmarried ladies are mostly from New England, and can boast a fair share of beauty and culture, which characterize the best society of that region. It is impossible that the lovely girls who are with us should have left the East because their chances of matrimony were hopeless. One must look for some other motive. Their bright faces, wit and sound sense are, however, such that they cannot fail to be desirable members of society in a new country."
Be it said to the honor of Mr. Mercer that he believed his mission was one of immense benefit to the territory and of great good to those whom he might induce to come out here. His every action toward those who entrusted themselves to his guidance and care was that of a pure-minded American gentleman. The years that have elapsed have verified his predictions. The young women who came have proved a blessing to the commonwealth. In public and at the fireside their teachings and their example have conserved the well-being of the people.
The following incident is related by Mr. J. B. Wyatt, one of Oregon's pioneers: "Just on the eve of my departure for a visit to my Eastern home (October, 1857), a friend, Jas. M. Blossom, called on me and said: 'I want you to do me a favor and take this elegant apple (a Spitzenberg) with you, and, if possible, give the same to an old friend, Rev. Chas. Beecher, a brother of Henry Ward, of Brooklyn, N. Y. 'I packed the apple carefully and placed it in my trunk. Upon my arrival in Brooklyn I delivered the message and gave the apple to Henry Ward, who remarked: 'That is a fine sample of what Oregon can do in fruit. I cannot promise as to whether Charles will ever see it, as I am very fond of fruit myself.'"
