Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/362

352 Massachusetts, born on December 13, 1813, who had arrived the previous September, became the editor, having been employed by Governor Abernethy. He desired to make the paper a medium of communication acceptable to all, of whatever political or sectarian preference. By this time the rule of the Printing Association had been modified to some extent. Mr. Wait edited a democratic paper in Michigan in 1844, during the exciting political campaign of that year, and had the power of quickly adapting himself to circumstances—an indispensable requirement in newspaper work. The first news from the democratic national convention in that eventful year gave the names of Hon. Mr. Blank and Hon. Mr. Blank as the successful nominees. Mr. Wait wrote the accustomed editorial congratulating the people upon the ability of the chosen standard bearers, and promising his heartiest support and placing the names at the masthead. After the paper had gone to press the news came that Polk and Dallas had secured the nominations. Mr. Wait hurried to the office, caused the latter names to be inserted, and the press was started again. What he had written in the first place answered for the last candidates as well.

In those early days it was as common to slur Oregon weather as it is nowadays, for, on December 14th, Editor Wait takes exception to it, and, among other things, says: "For the year ending November 30th there have been 240 clear days, 25 days on which it rained or snowed all day, and 101 days on which it rained, hailed, snowed, or was cloudy part of the day."

The only exchanges of the Spectator at this time were one at Honolulu, and two small papers in California, one in San Francisco and the other at Monterey, which were brought semi-occasionally by vessels. Papers and letters arrived from the "States" once a year. Thus, it may be