"I hasten to comply with your request, 'that I state the extent of my claim to the Island within ten days,' and I beg to refer you to the books of recorded land claims, kept by Theo. McGruder, Esq., for the extent of my claim; and I shall expect a transfer of the fee simple of the whole ground, with all and every privilege from the United States of America, as soon as it shall meet the pleasure of my adopted government to act in the matter. "I have the honor to be "Your obedient humble servant, [_Signed_] "JOHN McLOUGHLIN." "This letter was handed to Judge Bryant by J. D. Holman, Esq., and it seems quite incomprehensible to me, how, after receiving and perusing this letter, Judge Bryant could corroborate (if he did so) Mr. Thurston's statement, that I had declined to file my intention to become an American citizen. I filed my intention on the 30th May. Mr. Thurston left this (Territory) in August, and Judge Bryant in October. Is it probable! nay, is it possible! in so small a place as Oregon City, where every little occurrence is so soon known--where the right of voting is so scrutinized--that I should have voted, and against Mr. Thurston, and that his partisans and supporters did not inform him of it, or that Judge Bryant did not know that I had filed my intention to become an American citizen? But Mr. Thurston makes another statement in which there is not more truth. He says, 'Last summer he,' meaning myself, 'informed the writer of this that whatever was made out of the claim was to go to the common fund of the Hudson's Bay Company, of which he and other stockholders would share in proportion to their stock; in other words, that he was holding this claim in trust for the Hudson's Bay Company.' "Mr. Thurston had just before said that I had made for myself $200,000 from the sale of lots; but now after having made my conservative purse vastly capacious finds it convenient to shrivel it up by transferring this cheering amount of coin to the coffers of the Hudson's Bay Company. I assert I never made such a statement to Mr. Thurston, and I assert that I hold my claim for myself alone, and that the Hudson's Bay Company, nor no other person or persons, hold or have any interest in it with me.