The Empire County argus. [volume] (Coloma, El Dorado County, Cal.) 1853-1857, 1853-12-03
ADDRESS OF THE DEMOCRATIC STATE CEN
TRIAL COMMITTEE

ADDRESS OF THE DEMOCRATIC STATE CEN
TRIAL COMMITTEE.
FELLOW CITIZENS Having been entrusted by
the Democratic party of the State OF California,
through their electors, with the management OF GER
tain general interests which cannot be effectively
directed by the party at large; and being respon-
sbe, like all other representative bodies to those
who have constituted US their agents, We take the
opportunity afforded by the returns of the recent
State election to congratulate the Democratic par
ty on the brilliant result Of their efforts; to report
to them action, and to communicate such facts
connected with the contest are worthy ofgeneral
observation. This is not only a privilege of our
selves, for the proper submission of our own con-
duct but it is necessary toreguarlty and certainly
requisite in the way of duty the Democratic pub
lie. All information that is acquired through po-
litica position. is the property of the party which
confers the place However trifiing it may be- it
reflects light the track of the past which in
dicates the direction of evil footsteps in the future
and when it is Of the momentous character OF GER
tain incidents in the late campaign, it cannot be
withheld with safety, or suppressed without sort
of treason.
When we glance backward at the condition of
affairs at the opening of the late campaign and re-
fleet upon the manifold obstacles that stood in the
way of an efficient organization OF the party, we are
obliged to pause in the midst of our congratulations
with surprise ut the victory we have obtained.--
Divided by factions, distracted by cuds, depressed
by defcctions perplexed by intrigues barren OF
means, and denied of resource by the secession OF
many of those who absorbed the fountains of the
State patronage, were required to bring our for
ces into the field against an adversary 0veriiowlng
with supplies and boastful in their confidence Of
success This promised no easy task, even if
combined ourselves but deprived of our natural
reliances, and shortened Of the sinews of our
But when we found the local currents of supply
dried up made the next appeal to the stipcnd
aries of the national purse, vino owed their Offices
and their in%ots to the permission Of the party in
this state We had peculiar right to look in that
direction for relief. We had responded to the APP
peal Of the first national election in history, 10y
four electoral votes, and we felt entitled to expect
that the influence and aid Of the General Admins
tration would be cheerfully reciprocated by its
agents here in fair requial for that profound pledge
of our devotion
We invoked the aid therefore of those who held
appointments under the Government at Washing
ton but except in few honorable instances, our
hopes were in vain. Indeed simple failure of duty
was not the only injury we suffered in some quar-
ters; several officials restrained their subordinates
from action and the Democratic Collector of the
port of san Francisco, choosing the extreme in
dangerous example. withdrew from our Committee.
Of which he had been Treasurer, by the following
letter, at the most critical point of our abors.
SAN FRANCIsco, Cal, Aug. Sd, 1858
" My dear Sir: You will oblige me by stating
to the Democratic State Central Committee, ofwhich
you are president that must decline to act as the
Treasurer of the Committee, and will thank them
to nominate some one from San Joaquin county, to
act in my place upon the Committee rs shall not
have leisure to devote as much time and attention
to its duties the Democracy of San Joaquin might
require.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
RlCHD. p. HAMMOND.
DAVID c. BRoDERICK, Esq,
President of the State Central Committee =
The Committee of course could not understand
the object of this letter; but they were not def
cent in experience or regardless Of the safety OF
affairs, to publish it at such time They there
fore laid it on the table and paying no regard to
its purpose, despatched the finance committee to
the writer Of it, and to the other heads of depart
mcn in the Custom House, for subscriptions to carry
on the war. Eut ali aid was in etfct refused
Some inspectors, indeed, faithful among the faith
less, forwarded us the sum of S{I hudred and seq
enty-tire dollars, but the donation was sent back
not as a rcproach to those who offered it, but be-
cause we felt that department which fattens on a
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 ukewarmness of his
dependents the recusancy ofhigh Judges tle apos-
tacy of several of our public speakers who, from
managers of scisn, 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 support were
gone, our last resource must he to appeal to the
Democratic integrity of the masses of the party to
retrieve the chaos, sustain principles, and
sruct the Democratic fabric of the State without
their aid. We found ourselves in an anomalous
condition strange infatuarion, or epidemic rath-
or, seemed to have seized upon incumbents of high
place, and the unwholesome fever caused them, for
the time to loose all view of party welfare all sense
OF moral obligation, for the accomplishment of GER
tain ends unseen. Fortunately, the plague did not
reach the People. 1t had touch of corruption in
it which exhibited an affinity only for vtiated sys-
TENS, and to its virus the healthy body of the un-
specializing Democracy, despite Of all efforts at in
oculation, was not amenable We easily came to
the conclusion therefore, thatwe could do without
the infected. Their aid was not required nav, it
was necessary for the general Democratic health
that they should take political quarantine, or at
least remove their contagious presence from our
ranks
We were aware, however that when we relin-
pushed all claim on them for help, that each the
eeca1prs WQrld fail IN tbot bs ,,o1;t;