The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-05-03

Winter In Oregon-Education.
SALEM, OREGON, March Is, 1856.

W attcf Gt OTCyOH--ZuuCUttOUs
SALEM, OREGON, March Is, 1856.
TO the Editor of tie National Era:
The past winter has been one of unusual
mildness-slight frosts in December, none
that | remember in January or February.
There are frosts frequently at night now in
March, but the days are beautiful and warm.
Peas and other early vegetables are quite ad-
vanced. Everything pertaining to mans phys
ical comfort has made rapid progress in the
past four years. His intellectual and moral
improvement is not wholly neglected; yet eff
forts for the latter are much more difficult than
for the former-talents exercised in the first
being much more highly remunerated than in
the latter. For instance, a highly accomplished
lady who teaches viii receive but $500 year,
while lad who has brains enough to wait on
the table may receive 500 month. There
are several institutions of learning, in perhaps
as favorable circumstances as could be expect
ed IN 80 new country. Much the oldest and
largest is in this City of Peace-the Willamette
University. Nobody need smile at the lofty
sounding name, when they learn that very few
of the scholars are so far advanced as they are
at most OF the Eastern academies, for every
thing must have a beginning; and in cOun-
try where it is common for females to marry
at any age from twelve to sixteen, they have
no time to learn.
The institution here is under the control of
the Methodist Episcopal Church. They have
also an academy in Portland, and one at Win
chester, in Umqua. There is also flourish
ing college in embryo in West Tualitin, under
the care of the Congregationalists one at Ore
gon City, belonging to the Baptists; besides
several others, which are advanced so far as to
have obtained charters. Except the common
nlnAl II e l,..x~ A. = u
UNCONVENTIONAL influence, and that one does
not flourish. / am sorry that it is so but the
cause of education would languish here, unless
sustained by high religious zeal. / believe
they will all do good, and be blessings. But
take the most lively interest in one in Linn
county, where the same stern principles are
held that nerved old John Knox to battle sue
cessfully for the right; and where the same
psalms are sung which have cheered the heart
of many Christian in the halls and cottages
OF Scotland and elsewhere, since the days of
the Westminster Assembly, when that version
of the psalms said to be "more plain, smooth,
and agreeable to the text, than any heretofore"
was first presented.
The capital of our Territory, though more
stationary than that of California has been, has
yet removed twice. Corvallis, the present cap
ital, is pretty place at the head of navigation,
on the Willamette. The Willamette, by the
way, is of very little use for navigation, small
steamboats, not being able to run six months
in the year. The country is, l think, upon the
whole, desirable one. Nothing could be more
beautiful than the prairies, with the distant
mountains, glittering at all times in snow; the
buttes-sharp, conical hills-rising abruptly
from the level prairie. The forests, though not
presenting the same variety they do at the
East, have picturesque as well as grotesque
appearance-the oaks being covered with two
kinds of moss, dark green covering the limbs
and trunk, and a light, whitish green moss
growing in long tufts, swinging from the limbs
of the fir and oak. The mistletoe is very album
dant, being found everywhere.
Though | think the country desirable one,
yet a railroad, which would enable a person to
come to it, and to leave it, with more ease than
at present, would greatly enhance its value.
Yours, truly, A. MILLAR.