Between 1830 and 1832 Hall J. Kelley attempted to found a colony in Oregon, but failed, as did another leader, Nathaniel J. Wyeth. [28] Wyeth tried again in 1834, but his settlements were not permanent. A few fur traders and missionaries to the Indians had better fortune; but in 1840 most of the white men in the Oregon country were British fur traders. It was not till 1842 that the tide of American migration began to set strongly toward Oregon; but within a few years after that time the Americans there greatly outnumbered the British. SUMMARY 1. In 1840 the population of the country was 17,000,000, of whom more than a third dwelt west of the Allegheny Mountains. 2. For twenty years there had been much discussion about the disposition of the public lands; but Congress did not give up the plan of selling them for the benefit of the United States. 3. As population increased, the Indians were pushed further and further west. Some went to the Indian Country peaceably. In Georgia and Florida they resisted. 4. As Congress would not sanction a general system of federal improvements, the states built canals and railroads for themselves. 5. The success of those in the East encouraged the Western states to undertake like improvements. But they plunged the states into debt. 6. The period was one of great mechanical development, and many inventions of world-wide use date from this time. 7. The growth of manufactures produced great manufacturing towns, and the increase of artisans and mechanics led to the formation of trades unions. 8. The unrest caused by the rapid development, of the country invited reforms of all sorts, and many--social, industrial, and political--were attempted. FOOTNOTES [1] In the early thirties much excitement was aroused by the arrival of hundreds of paupers sent over from England by the parishes to get rid of them. But when Congress investigated the matter, it was found not to be so bad as represented, though a very serious evil. [2] Life in the West at this period is well described in Eggleston's _Hoosier Schoolmaster_ and _The Graysons_. [3] The credit system of selling lands (p. 241) was abolished in 1820, because a great many purchasers could not pay for what they bought. [4] The public domain is laid off in townships six miles square. Each township is subdivided into 36 sections one mile square, and the sixteenth section in each township was set apart in 1785 for the use of schools in the township. This provision was applied to new states erected from the public domain down to 1848; in states admitted after that time both the sixteenth and the thirty-sixth sections have been set apart for this purpose. In addition to this, before 1821, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana had each received two entire townships for the use of colleges and academies.