Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/187

Rh From the adjournment of the legislative assembly great anxiety was felt as to the action of congress in the matter of the memorial. Meanwhile the newspaper war was waged with bitterness and no great attention to decency. Seldom was journalism more completely prostituted to party and personal issues than in Oregon at this time and for several years thereafter. Private character and personal idiosyncrasies were subjected to the most scathing ridicule.

With regard to the truth of the allegations brought against the unpopular officials, from the evidence before me, there is no doubt that the governor was vain and narrow-minded; though of course his enemies exaggerated his weak points, while covering his creditable ones, and that to a degree his official errors could not justify, heaping ridicule upon his past military career, as well as blame upon his present gubernatorial acts, and accusing him of everything dishonest,