The Shasta courier., 1854-02-25
The Senatorial Question.

The Senatorial Question.
On the outside of to-day's paper will be found
the proceedings of Democratic meetings, held in
tins place aud in Weaverville Trinity County,
fer the purpose OF taking into consideration the
prcpriety of electing, during the present session
af the Legislature, Senator of the United States
from this State. for the term commencing at the
expiration of Senator Gwin's term. 1t will be
seen that both meetings adopted resolutions ad-
verse to the measure. We have had ample or
Portunities to ascertain the opinion of the people
in this section in regard to this question and It
is not therefore mere guess work ou our part
when we declare, as we do with all earn estness
that these meetings have, without claiming to
do so, uttered the almost universal sentiment of
the people in relation thereto.
In another column will also be found portions
of the Address of those Democratic members
who favor the election this session. AS our
Senator and Representative occupy upon this
question, opposing grounds to ourselves it is due
to them that they be heard through our columns ;;
and that we do not publish the Address in full
is to be attributed alone to lack of room
After what we have heretofore said upon this
question, it would be supererrogatory ON our
part to argue at length in opposition to tain
positions assumed in the Address. Nevertheless,
we cannot forbear referring in cursory mann, /
to one or two rather novel points.
The most striking feature of the Address is the
new test of true Democracy, which it SO boldly
institutes. In the last paragraph Of that docu-
ment we find the following;
The masses of the State are examining the
roll, and, the soldiers answer, they take sides
forever. The Senatorial question, having been
decided by majority of the Democratic menl-
bers of the Legislature to come on this winter, is
the test.
"This is our platform" say these gentlemen,
after, with a modesty, to say the least, some-
what doubtful, arrogating to themselves the title
of the " true Democracy" And every Democrat
therefore who may honestly refuse to stand upon
this newly erected platform is forthwith cast
. forth as a " Bolter" read out of the party! Is
it indeed true that all the principles necessary
10 constitute true Democrat, have narrow ed
down to what they themselves characterize as
purely caucus question:" Were all the De-
mocratic members of all the Legislatures in all
~
dresses, we would not believe it. The perfect
absurdity of the thing will be seen at glance
Many of the best Democrats in this County, and
every other County in the State, do refuse to
yield their assent TO the election this winter,
Unless then, they abandon their opposition and
go heart and hand for the measure, they are de-
clared " Boilers" Is this not absurd ? otherwise
Co., D., 4
the party that elected them, nineteen of every
twenty Democrats in the County of Shasta. And
yet in the face of all this the Address referred to-
makes this action of the " test of true
Democrat. "Pd rather be dog aud bay the
moon than such az Democrat.
The fact is, those members who are striving
to establish test of Democracy have
fallen into the same error that marks their
effort to effect the election of U. S. Senator
this session-they are attempting to do that
which those who sent them to Benicia have not
empowered them to do. And this is the long
and short of our opposition TO the entire scheme
The present members of the Legislature, with
the exception of the Senators, were not chosen
with any view to the election of a U. s. Senator
The people, at the last election, did not have the
most remote idea that Senator would be to
elect this winter.
Before concluding this article, we desire to
remark, that it is perfectly ridiculous to assume
that a Democrat because he opposes this cleo
ton scheme, has not confidence in the integrity
OF his representatives. The people of this Coun-
ty, as an instance, have confidence in their rep
resentatives. and yet they are opposed to the
election, because they would not have any man,
set of men, take snap,judgment upon them
When this question comes up in the Legislative
Halls, the proper place for it, they would have
their voice heard there; they would not have it
stifled by the antecedent action of caucus, If
at that time the majority be found against them.
then like good Democrats and Republicans they
will cheerfully yield.