Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/348

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
338
Geo. H. Himes.

torial experience in Arkansas. While he was an uncompromising democrat of the Jeffersonian school, and never so happy as when promulgating his principles in the most positive way, the constitution of the Printing Association made it necessary that the editor should eschew politics. However well he may have tried to do this, his efforts evidently did not please the association, because in the issue of April 2, 1846, his valedictory appears.

The contents of the first issue of The Spectator are as follows:

First page: Organic laws of Oregon, as recommended by the legislative committee; an act to prevent the introduction, sale and distillation of ardent spirits, both certified to by John E. Long, secretary of the Provisional Government; an infallible remedy for lowness of spirits; good advice.

Second page: The editor's salutatory, defining the attitude of the paper; to correspondents, stating that no notice can be taken of anonymous communications; city government, saying that the time has arrived for a thorough organization, urging that it "dig up the stumps, grade the streets, tax dogs, prohibit hogs, and advertise in The Spectator;" calling on some of the "Old Settlers" to give an "account of the climate, soil, and productions of Oregon,' ' stating that this "would all be news to people away east in Missouri and other states;' an item deprecating controversies; announcement that Captain Knighton will give a ball on the 24th instant at the City Hotel; item calling attention to F. W. Pettygrove's stock of goods; appointments by the Governor Wm. G. T'Vault, prosecuting attorney, vice M. A. Ford, and H. M. Knighton, marshal, vice J. L. Meek, resigned; reference to the "Two-thirds law" of Illinois; item relating to a serious accident to Mr. Wallace of the Oregon Milling Company as a result of coming in contact with a circular saw; an