Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon spectator. (Oregon City, O.T. [i.e. Or.]) 1846-1855 | View Entire Issue (April 16, 1846)
v- r i iirmm THE SPECTATOR. B. A. a. UHC, EMTOBvW. nJHONU, T. EDITORIAL. In assuming tho dudes and responsibilities of the editorial department of the " Specta tor," it is due to our readers that we should state briefly th principles and objecti by which we shall be governed in the manage roent of the pepw. First : it will be one of our chief objects to support, cherish, and cultivatethat spirit of friendly union, under the influence of which the members of our provisional government of Oregon first came together in compact, and said "upon these principles we will unite for purposes of mutual protection and de fence, and for the preservation of peace and good order amongst ourselves," A spirit growing out of that great principle of human freedom, so beautifully expressed in the de claration of American independence a prin ciple embodied in, and pervading the whole constitution of the wiso and happy govern ment of the United States a principle, in. deed, which must ever form the chief corner stone of all freo governments. Let every man who thinks himself a.ohampion of free, dom and democracy,' read the following, and see if ho can better it : " All men are born free and equal." Jefferson. " Ono man is not born with a boot on his leg, and another with saddle on his back." Napolem. We shall, also, under a sense of duty, la bor to support the government of Oregon, un til it shall have been superceded by the gen eral government of the United States not that wo expect to support every measure that may have been or may hereafter be adopted by the house of representatives and approved by the governor: No! We shall at all times claim and exercise the privilege of calling in question the propriety, utility, or constitution ality of any measure, oithor while pending in the house, or after it has become a law. But whflo we claim the privilege to express any defect wo may discover either in the laws themselves, or their administration, we shall still feel ourself bound to support the laws, as a whole, believing that, in all free governments, the main body of the rules whichlney adopt for their own government, wiiye good. Indeed, if tho majority of free, men could do otherwise than adopt rules and regulations founded upon principles of jus. tice, then would all free governments be, in reality, what monarchists have pronounced and labored hard to prove them, precarious, and incompetent of Self-support. But as there is no other ground upon which rational be. ings can agrco in forming a social compact for themselves, but the law of justice,1 fol. Iowa that the main body of those laws must bo just and equitable. So with Oregon; all will admit that hor articles of corr act, and moat' of her statutary provisions, are based upon the principles of justice and equity; al. though' public bentiment, excited and mad. dened by repeated public declamations, may have led her astray on some particular sub. ject for the moment yet, it is impossible for her to remain in support of any measure un juet or oppreeiV , while the correcting pow er la in the beJtfe of those who, have to suf- fer 'tit inoonvenlenbtee and evils of such un- justlaw, and experience must thoreforo soon bring her back" to the imrnutablo principles of justice. A rational being will not wan tonly puniebnimaelf. "- Of our Dolrtfee, we hied aay but little, as they have been ao often .'.pyWloly expressed. Let it suffice to say, wo believe in solf.gov. ernment ; that a majority of the whole poo. plaThoMihe sovereign power; that it can never depart from them except by usurpation sustained by force of arms. Much has-been said of delegated powers, and many politi. cians think, when the people have called them to perform certain specific duties, that they aro vested with all the authority of the supreme power ; we regard all such, as mis taken bigots. ' Tho power delegated must, from the very nature of things, be specific and limited, and nover can be supreme while the government remains free, for if free, tho tho majority of the wholo peoplo must rule. In conducting tho " Spectator," wo shull open its columns to tho prudent discussion of the following subjects, viz : Politics, litera ture, agriculture, morality, temperance, do. mestic and political economy, national poli cy, education, common school and manual labor systems, commerce, local affairs, A:c.; in short, pur sheet is open to all Subjects ex cept purely sectarianism and uncalled-for and unprofitable partyism. We would not be un derstood to condemn true party spirit, by any means far from it ; wo believe it ono of tho best safe-guards of a freo government. But there is a kind of partyism unworthy of the name of party spirit, which ought more pro perly to bo termed faction which, assuming the character of true party spirit, causes much mischief, and should not bo encour aged by any periodical, professing the public good ; and even party spirit itself may be, and otlen is, perverted from its legitimate use, and made an instrument of much evil. To oxtrnct the good and suppress tho evil, will bo our earnest desire and constant ef fort. We are aware that many will look with surprise, and perhaps 'suspicion, too, at tho word " politics," placed at the head of tho list of subjects to be discussed in the "Spec tator," from the fact, that heretofore the pri vileges of the paper havo been closed against politics entirely. We understand tho 8th or tide of the constitution of the Oregon Print ing Association, as published in the first num ber of tho " Spectator," to exclude ex parte politics only. This we believe to have been tho true meaning of the association when they adopted that article. Moreover, politics, as wc understand the term, means tho science of government, and not the effervescence of fermenting partyism, or the noisy froth of spouting demagogues. Taking this view of the subject, how the only paper published in the territory could exclude from its columns politics in every sense of the word, is to us, an enigma, the solution of which wo shall never attempt. Thus, throwing our columns open to all subjects, we most cordially invite all who desire to promote the interest of tho country, in any sense of tho term, to contribute freely to fill those columns. The wholo field of sci ence, politics, literature and natural history, is open to the author in Oregon. Let him who delights in studying the nature of the wild beasts of tho forest, give us a descrip. tion of these animals, together with a sketch of their history as observed in Oregon, and the differenco between them here and else where, for thoro is said to be a striking dif. ference. Let him-who is pleased with tho song, the rich and beautiful plumage, and the interesting "manners and customs" of the feathered tribe, do likewise. If any is pleased with the beautiful and endless varie ty of flowers that decorate the plains of the Multnomah and other parts of Oregon, let him givo us tho result of his observations. To the geologist and mineralogist, wo extend the same general invitation.CXll will be in. toresting, and mora or less useful to the corn, munity. But what shall we say to tho agriculturist, the practical farmer? Ho, above all others, has the powor to promote tho prosperity, and increase tho happiness of his countrymen; and yet lie U the laait be persuaded W com. municate his knowledge, Experiments, obser vations, juid discoveries, tojua fellow-laborcrs. Oh, yo delinquents!, whon wluyouwako up and redeem your characters from the impu tutionfl your dorolictlonstiavo heaped ii'ion you? Come! in the name of Cores! arouse yourselves; put down that false pride which tollH you, you cannot writo well enough for a newspaper that you will misspell somo words, and thut your languago will not lie sufficiently eloquent ; put it all down! Wo want no fine-spun tissue of pretty word; wc want common sense, sound judgment, and matters of fuct, however expressed. Come, then, lot us hoar from you ; should you per chance misspell a word, we will correct it, and no one will ever lo tho wiser of it. Such of our friends as have read tho Spec tator up to tho last number published, must be fully aware of the peculiarly embarrass ing circumstances under which wo enter on our editorial course. Believing, however, a generous peoplo will properly appreciate tho influence of those circumstances, we forbcur all comment or remark, and frankly submit ourself and our sentiments to tho test of u discriminating public. OCT In appealing to tho friends and sup- ! porters of tho "Spectator," wo feel that wr have some advantage over most editors, and if wo should avail ourself of it, we hope our friends will excuse us. Tho Washington press is owned, not by tho editor, hut by un j association of tho citizens. Wc therefore can havo no )ecuniary interest in the success of'j the paper, but as u friend to literature and the diffusion of knowledge, we can but desire thut the operation may prove successful. There fore, we take 4.'ie liberty to appal to the pro prietors : Gentlemen, you have once mani fested a generous spirit of public enterprise, even, when we were a small people compared with our present population; when our pros pects were not so promising as at present nn cflbrt was made to obtain a printing press in Oregon; tho umbunt necessary was reudi ly subscribed, and the liberality of our fol. low.citizen, Geo. Abcr'ncthy, generously ten dered in advance, tho funds suifubfe. Your efforts, thus fur, havo been entirely success, ful; the press has been obtained; it is now in operation ; the greatest difficulties aro mir mounted, but the work 'is not yet done; un oflbrt still remains to bo mudc; the Spcctutor must be encouraged and supported, or the operation cannot be profitable, but sadly the reverse. My friends, nllow us to ask, what liuvo you done for tho paper? What effort have you made to incrcoso its circulation ? Re member, it is your own interest, not ours ; therefore, wo havo spoken freely. Exertion is necessary. Tho wholo number of sub scribers, up to this time, is only ono hundred and fifty-five, in a population that ought to furnish nt least five hundred. 03" The Falls Association was instituted in January, 1844, for tho mutual advance ment of its members, in discussion and com. position, sinco when, many animated debates, on interesting and usoful subjects, have ta ken place perhaps, we might say, too ani mated occasionally, whon the question aflec ted our peculiar political situation; if no vory weighty results havo been produced, it ten. ded at least to relievo tho monotony of our drizzly winters, and something more, if wo may infer from the numerous assemblage oft. times witnessed on tho nights of meeting. Tho essays and compositions having been preserved, we shall, with tho permission of tho members, occasionally cull from the re. pository, such an we may concoivo worthy of placing in a spare column of tho " Spccta tor," as among the early effusions of Oregon 03" Wo can but express our humble thankw to tho Almighty for tho preservation of our life, through tho late sevoro illness with which wo havo boon afflicted. From tho Krpoaltory of tho Fall Awclallii. Upon Mount Hood I aland, And with rapt tfaxo explore The valley, and that patriot bond Upon Columbia ahorv. If tho contemplation of ruins of former greatness, with tho long grass o'crtopping tliu mouldering walls, given rise to melan choly reflections and sombre thoughts, how opposite nnil exceedingly delightful, aro the feelings engendered and excited by a medi tative view of scenes, just bursting from tor. pitudo and insignificance, into lilo and ani. mated importance u sterile and savago wil derness just budding into n fertile and civil ized region ; such feelings aro mine us I take my fancied stand on yonder snow-olad peak, with naught above mo, save heuven's high canopy, ami the occasional pass.-' of the lordly eagle, who, floating mid air on his expansive wings, screams with delight his prui.se of love and liberty. There, with a breast throbbing with rapturous hope, I view tho plains of fur west Oregon, grailu. ally givo forth the pleasing demonstration of tho presence of the Anglo-Saxon race, "not as conquerors with roll of drum not us the flying with silence and with fear," bur proud, erect and free tliu improver of nature ami tillorof the soil producing vegetation where none o'er grew before, and whom ono blade was only seen, making tens appear what obstacles has not thut race removed, lo make advantages apparent, and what transitions will they not produce in this selected urtioii of tho western world ! A few short years will scarce mil o'er, ere, intend of'glanciug far and wijffj to find a well tilled farm ami comfortable ulxxle, 'twill bo more difficult ! s)int out u sfxit without ouch an appciidugc, where now the mills appear but rure, their absence will bo rarer Mill; und muiiy a siol, where curls the smoke from mutted wigwum barely m.cii, hundreds id' well filled hearths will blaze around, sending forth their rolling columns to the skies, as u mighty cloud of incense, from the ehmrfiil groups within. Cities will arise and towns spnng from their sites, as if In spell of genius' nuigie wauil, und genius 'lb the genius of enterprise, in dustry, and skill. Kaeb revolting year will bring her thousands un the wings of ho'ic, ! add their portions of divided toil, und reup the benefits of our temperate clime and vir gin soil. Mcthiuks I sec the present start ing baud of hardy pioneers, the Muter band, of thai w hich last urrived, on tiptoe, watching to move at tho command. O on they come, and each year echoes still, they come ! Then will tho gluK-y surface of thy basaltic bar rier'd stream, O, proud Columbia, Which now rolls ut my feet, with naught to stud thy bo som hut the rude canoe, bo fretted and cba. fed witli mimic surf, by the sail. less und inn- jestic monuments of Fulton then will thy old companions, the lofty and gigantic pines, fall victims to tho demand of that loviuthun, steam-; and where now ono solitary craft is uuehored seen, the towering musts of hun dreds will appear, bringing tho treasures and luxuries of the Puuific, und receiving, in re. turn, the more solid and useful surplus of Oregon's multifurious productions. Thy shores, so uninviting at this moment, will then he whurfed und warehoused along their margins, and strong built forts will frown from thy u'orhauging orags thy emhuu churc, with bar so dangerous to the stranger, will cause no longer fear or droud, lor watch ful pilots, with experienced knowledge, will steer each hark to port, sufc from tho rocks, tho shoals, the waves, and wind. Thy no bio narno, till now ulmost unknown, wil pass from hence to the Polynesian isles, from isles to Indus, Chiiiu anil Japan, as un ampin depot of desired stores a refitting ort of the North Pacific, and where resides that enterprising band who crossed tho mountain barrier from tho east. Yes, Oregon, thou once despised land of crags and peaks ! soon shall thy vales bo bluzoncd to tho world, as richer than thoso climes where minos abound: thy treasures grain, more precious far, than pearls or gems from fumediGolconda'a depths for, whore pale famine holds hor'"' melancholy court, or golden lands yield no amount of food, the balanco of exchange Will in thy favor be, afclifetQ death. And though tho hazy fog or moisture hangs dark ening o'or thy plains for n4r three long and dreary. monthsof -winter, and tho dim sun scarce glimmre through tho storm, vol