Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/663

612 than ordinary spirit. Abernethy and Lovejoy were the popular candidates for governor.

The June election came round, and still no news from the United States except a few excerpts from newspapers copied first into the Polynesian, and from that into the Spectator. Congress had evidently forgotten them, or was treating them with silent contempt. They would go on with their own affairs as if congress did not exist. The contest for the gubernatorial office was close. In the Willamette Valley Lovejoy had a small majority, but when the returns from Lewis County came in, Abernethy had sixteen votes over his opponent, and was really elected by the Canadian voters.

Governor Abernethy was a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, though reared under American institutions. He has been called a good governor by men of all parties; and so far as being discreet, temperate in speech, and careful not to offend the popular opinion, whether religious or political, he is deserving of this judgment. Perhaps it was impossible to avoid censure in exciting times without being secretive and designing; Abernethy was both. The most odious word that could be applied to a Protestant in those days was that of Jesuit; yet Protestant and Methodist Abernethy possessed all the traits usually ascribed by a Protestant to a Jesuit. He was courteous, smooth,