Butte record., 1854-02-25

like the fascinating, beguiling Delilah, they
have shorn their unsuspecting victims of their
strength and power. Bound hand and foot.
bleeding and scourged, they are now being led
to the altar, to be there sacrificed to the God
of corruption, ambition and selhshncss.
We would, however, say to these official
gentlemen, who happen to be clothed with
a little brief authority and who are now
cutting such fantastic capers as would make
Sodom and Gomorah blush, to pause "a judg-
ment day is not far distant, and if you pur
sue the course that you have begun, and fight
the battles you have.invited, you must surely
perish at the peoples hands, whose rights will
have been violated, and whose cefdence you
will have betrayed. If you tamper with the
lightning, you must expect to receive the
thunderbolt. If you usurp the power and
authority that should be exercised by your
successors, you must expect to receive the con-
demnation of an outraged and indignant peo-
pie.
And what are the facts in this case Sena-
tor Gwinn's term of office expires on the 4th
day of March, A. D. 1856. There will, there
fore be no vacancy in that Office before that
time. The State legislature commences on
the first Monday in January, 1856, more than
two months before the expiration Of the pres
ent Senatorial term, and eleven months be-
fore he will be called upon to perform the
duties Of the Office, ordinarily by the Federal
Constitution. Thus giving time sufficient for
the election, and for the Senator to make
himself acquainted with the peoples wants
and interests. 1t is q poor argument to say
the election should be had this winter, so that
the Senator may have time to acquaint him
self with the important state measures. This
is what might be called the donkey argument.
We take it, that it has been the custom, and
that it is right, to elect men upon the strength
of their known and expressed views and opin-
tutored as to those views and opinions after
an election. 1t is modest confession by
these advocates, that their candidate has no
particular measures, State or National, that
can recommend him to the people. Hence
they must garnish him with plausability and
fair promises--ike Paddys Parrot, he had
not learned to talk, ''but thought he soon
would, for he kept ID of thinking"-he
has not yet embraced any system of meas
ures, but he soon would, if he had an opportu-
nifty to be taught them by the dear people.
Weput the question to these forty four So
Ions, "tcho can see things from their position
that the people cannot and who are inspired
by the teachings in this new school of democ-
racy, if they do not know that, they are con-
tending against public sentiment, in this
forced march upon the peoples rights If
they do not know that this movement is against
precedent-that it is at war with the genius of
our institutions, and that it strikes a heavy
blow at the elective principles of our govern
ment. The Senatorial question as far as we
can learn, was not made question in the can
vass of 1858. 1t was nowhere discussed be-
fore the people, as measure that would be
acted upon by the present legislature. The
different aspirant's claims were not canvassed,
and the delegations, so far as we know, from
the different counties, were neither nominated
or elected with a view to this question. 1t
was understood in this county, by the democ-
racy and the people, that an election would
not take place before the usual time, and that
that time would be the session of So
With these facts before them, we cannot be-
| lieye that the lerislature will consum-
mate this baseness-this bold, unscrupulous
and sacrilegious onslaught upon principles
and measures, that have become sacred by the
immemmorial recognition and commendation
of the people and the States Until they shall
have torn down this edifce, that has been
erected to republicanism, and desecrated its
temple, we shall not believe that they will as
sumo to exercise powers belonging to their
successors. We cannot believe that men pro-
Tossing to be democrats, will establish prec-
edent In our legislative annals, fraught with
such danger to popular sovreignty aud consti-
tutional rights, that will give to the accidental
majority that may be in power, pretext to
elect U. S. Senator, whenever a corrupt and
unscrupulous majority may think proper to
array themselves against the federal admins
| tration.
| To establish the sublime truth that, all
people, it cost them many valuable lives,
much treasury, sacrifice and privation, and to
them it is a principle, a substance They in