Columbia gazette., 1853-11-26

us the sum of SIC hundred and serenity
fre dollars, but the donation was sent
back, not as reproach to those who Of
fered it, but because we felt that q de-
partment which fattens on patronage
of hundreds of thousands of dollars, was
not entitled to purchase the claim of
having aided the party at such pitiful
price.
We were now. however, no longer in
the dark. The letter of the Collector,
the lukewarmness of his dependents, the
recusancy of high Judges, the apostacy
of several of our public speakers, who,
from managers of a schism became open
leaders Of the enemy, convinced Us that
we could place no reliance upon these
natural pillars of political cause; and
now that both State and National sup
port were gone, our last resource must
be to appeal to the Democratic integrity
of the masses of the patry to retrieve the
chaos, sustain our principles, & reconstruct
the Democratic fabric of the State with
out their aid. We found ouselves in an
anomalous condition; strange infatua-
ton, or epidemic rather, seemed to have
seized upon incumbents of high place,
and the unwholesome fever caused them
for the time, to lose all view Of party
welfare, all sense of moral obligation, for
the accomplishment Of certain ends un-
seen. Fortunately, the plague did not
reach the People. 1t had touch Of
corruption in it which exhibited an afin-
ity only for vitiated systems, and to its
virus, the healthy body Of the unspecu-
lating Democracy, despite Of all efforts
at incubation, was not amenable. We
easily came to the conclusion, therefore,
that we could do without the infected.
Their aid was not required; nay, it was
necessary for the general Democratic
health that they should take political
quarantine, or at least remove their con-
tagious presence from our ranks.
We were aware, however, that when
we relenquished all demand on tdem
for help, that each of the acceders would
not fail to perceive that their political
existence became identified with the
success of the Wing party, and that if
Governor BIcLER and the ticket nom;-
n ated at the Benicia Convention were
elected, while they stood aloof, tho
Democratic party would virtually de-
clare them an incumbrance; nay, would
have right to require their removal
We were not astonished, therefore,
when we found these malcontents Luz Ia
ing about the enemy's camp, or when
we detected them in anonymously lev
elling the ISLANDERS Of the quasi-neutral
press, or surprised even to behold the
boldest Of them, scaling their rostrums,
to lend their mouths without reserve, to
the opposing faction. Such always was
the course of mutipy; and it required but
small knowledge of the philosophy Of
human nature to inform US that tho
disafected cannot long remain idle aeld
that interested men must necessarily de-
feat what they will not uphold.
We therefore knew our battle; and
after providing against surprise by tho
dissemination of warning, We threw our
selves boldly upon the generosity of the
masses of the true Democracy for tho
material aid which had been refuse2by
State politicians and recipients Of
ernment patronage. On this occasion,
and in this quarter we were not disap-
pointed. Alarmed for the safety Of
party organization-that wall of our
faith and means of its cficiency-the
working and steadfast Democracy ral-
lied in all quarters, contributed in many
cases freely Of their means, and rapidly
assumed discipline that could not have
been inspired by anything short OF the
vital period of the party.
A peculiar spectacle was at this mo-
ment presented throughout the State
The two great party Conventions had
made their nominations; the din Of prep
arations among the masses was heard
from the eastern boundaries to the Pa
ci6c shore, and among the busy captains
of what Providence had destined as the
loosing cause, figured the deserters from
our camp, distilling venom, dropping
mischief, experimenting danger, and
flattering themselves with the anticipat-
ed luxury Of ruin, because at the Benz
cia Convention they had failed to rule.
It was indeed a singular spectacle,
and to the conspirators who eavesdrop-
ped and plotted for its presentation, it
may be added--it was most disgrace
full one. No pretence was made by
these deserters that the Democratic
cause, as represented by the nominations
at Benicia, had been violated in princi-
pie; no complaint that the platform had
been invaded .. any Of its points; they
simply had not succeeded in their per-
sonal designs, and they consequently
held no better position in their secession
than do disappointed gamsscrs, who,