from journalism, went back into law, practicing in southern Oregon. He died of smallpox in 1869.
Lee, second editor of the Spectator, remained as editor for only a few issues, giving up his position with evidences of relief. He had done nothing in the position conspicuously good or bad. Lee's was a good-humored, non-controversial Spectator, but not distinguished. He was editor from April 16 to August 6, nine bi-weekly issues.
During that time he managed to keep off any controversial sub ject that might ruffle the calm of his publishers, or, for that matter, of anyone else. This (1846) was an election year, and Lee carried the Spectator right through the "campaign" without mentioning a single "issue" or treading upon any individual corn that could be seen in time. What he did contrive to say in his editorial column, however, was true, even though trite, and what little influence his editorial column exerted appears to have been, in a general way, aimed at community benefit. This was his editorial on the election:
Annual Election
Ere our next number issues from the press, our annual elections will have transpired, and we shall severally know our representatives in the legislature, for, at the present moment, notwithstanding the short period intervening, we were really never less able even to guess at the result of the annual ballot—although we have a numerous array of can didates in this county, some openly declared and others still behind, waiting for the auspicious moment to disclose their desire to labor for the public weal, still (in the absence of positive party) no regular or trinomial ticket having been formed, but each relying on his friends to succeed as he best may, or, in other words, "on his own hook," the most shrewd conjectures must, at best, be vague. In the other counties, if we may believe our informants, (italics not Mr. Lee's) there seems to be a degree of unconcern exhibited with respect to the individuals to be elected, which is difficult to account for in this present important, and perhaps highly momentous, year; our hope and wishes would intimate an approaching crisis in the affairs of Oregon, which require and should receive the exertions and abilities of the best qualified of her citizens, not only to warrant the ratification of a discreet system of laws, but also to evince the proper value we put upon our enfranchisement. There is a feeling existing among many high-minded men, that there is little honor to be reaped in the legislative hall at the present period of our history; but we would ask them if they are not depriving themselves of the privilege of complaining, by holding back, and really sanctioning and approving by their covert
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