all know. The result of my conference with him was my permanent
engagement, at a salary more than twice as large as that I had from the
state, to repair to Europe in the spring as agent of his enterprise,
with headquarters in Sweden, my special duties being to make known in
the northern countries of continental Europe the resources of the
Northern Pacific, particularly the park region in Minnesota. I was also
requested by Mr. Cooke to draw up a general plan on my return home for
the disposal of the company's lands, which I did, and that plan was
adopted for the guidance of its land and emigration officers and agents.

In the month of December a national convention was held in the city of
Indianapolis, Ind., for the purpose of devising measures for the better
protection of emigrants on ocean steamers, and while in transit through
this country. All the states interested in emigration sent delegates to
that convention, and I was one of those representing our state; my
knowledge and experience of the subject at issue enabled me to take
such a part in the proceedings that at the close of the convention, I
was appointed one of a committee of five (Gov. McCook, of Colorado,
State Treasurer Smith, of Wisconsin, Banker Greenbaum, of Illinois,
and a leading newspaper man of Philadelphia, were the other members)
to draft a law for the protection of emigrants, and to proceed to
Washington and lay the same before the president and congress. There I
had an opportunity for the second time to meet Gen. Grant, who was then
president. I spent much time with him, and he took a lively interest in
the emigration question. The result of our work was the passage by the
United States congress of the excellent laws in relation to emigration
which still remain in force.

In January, 1871, the state legislature of Minnesota again assembled.
The senate then consisted of twenty-two members, and was opened and
organized by Lieut. Gov. Yale, and the house of representatives, with
forty-seven members by myself as secretary of state.

During that winter I received several touching letters from Swedes
located in the state of Mississippi. They were part of a little colony
which had gone there the previous year, direct from Sweden. The climate
was unsuitable; one-fifth of the people had already died, nearly all the
rest were sick, and there was great distress and misery among them. They
asked me to get them away into the healthy climate of Minnesota. The