The weekly Placer herald., 1854-07-29
ADDRESS,
Or the Majority Democratic
State COnVentinn.
N the Democracy of California:

delegates to the Democratic State Con-
yention, called to assemble on the 18th of
July, 1854, for the purpose of recommend
ing candidates for Congress and Clerk Of
the Supreme Court, to the support of the
Democratic party of the State, at the next
general election, believing that crisis is
at hand, which unless boldly met and
promptly counteracted, may prove preg-
nant with results of lasting calamity to
the State and party; and that the time has
arrived when it behoves every man to
have his position we'll defined and clearly
ascertained; feel called upon as duty to
themselves, to their constituents, and to
the cause which they spouse, to lay be-
fore you, fellow citizens, plain and inn
partial statement ofthe facts and circum-
stances which have served to bring about
The present deporable condition of party
affairs in this State, and leave to the peo-
ple the decision of the controversy and
the application of the remedy.
On the day and at the place designated
by the call of the Central Committee, the
various delegates from the different coun-
ties elected by the people in the several
county conventions, appeared. The pri
mary organization Of the Convention was
known to be matter Of vital importance.
1t was soon perceived, and in fact, was
sufficiently we'll known before the assem-
bling OF the Convention, that a large ma
jority Of the delegates belonged to that
wing of the party which recognizes prin-
cipies not men, as the rule of action
Under this state Of things, with majority
clearly against them, at the hour appoint
ed for assembling and organizing, the
Chairman Of the Democratic Central
Committee and the leader of the minority
appears, and unwarrantably attempts to
assume the CONTROL and direction of the
Convention. He ascends the rostrum,
Gals the Convention to order, announces
that he is ready to receive nominations for
chairman, resolves himself into commit
tee on credentials, arrogates to himself
rights and powers unquestionably belong
ing to the Convention, refuses to put the
question on motion first made by MEM
her of the majority, and acithout a vote
regularly and legitimately ascertained,
declares member of the minority, and
one Of his own faction, President pro tem.,
of the Convention. The individual thus
called to preside over the temporary orga-
nization of Democratic body, not being
a choice of the majority, and having been
foisted upon them in violation of all the
rules of decorum. parliamentary law, the
precedents and usages of the party, was
repudated, as he deserved to be, and a
president of our own selected, whose
opinions and decisions on this subject, it
was believed, would be more in accord
ance with the wishes Of the Convention
and the Democracy generally.
All these irregular and disorganlzing
proceedings, on the part of the minority,
were conducted against the loud and re-
peated protestations of the ma jority, and
we respectfully submit, were an outrage
of their rights, and upon the rights of the
people who delegated them.
In consequence Of the confusion and
distraction into which the Convention was
thrown by these high.handed measures Of
reckless and desperate faction, determin-
ed to rule or ruin, it became impossible
to organize and proceed to business with
out a disgraceful abandonment of the just
rights Of the majority, and a cowardly
sacrifice of the will of the people. Dur
ing the whole of this state of distraction
and confusion, continuing for six hours,
propositions and appeals were again and
again made for compromise and concilia-
ton, but were either rejected or unheeded.
1t seems that nothing would satisfy the
minority other than their triumph, or the
ruin and total destruction of the party.
The minority disappointed in their dar-
ling scheme-the premature election OF
their chieftain, at the last session Of the
Legislature, to the U. 5. Senate, in viola
ton of all precedent, usages of the party
and rights of the people-seemed deter
mined to triumph or destroy. They then
predicted that if the Senatorial election
did not come off at that session the demo-
cratic party would be overthrown. They
are now, therefore, and have been ever
since their defeat by the people, bending
all their efforts, and using all the machina-
tions and tricks for which they are proven
bal to accomplish this, their prediction
now the cherished object Of their disap-
pointed ambition. Not content with
throwing every obstacle in the way of a
fair expression Of popular will in the pri-
mary elections and in the county conven-
tions, and finding that SO overwhelming
was the public sentiment against them,
that with all their intrigue, management
and trickery, they could not succeed in
obtaining majority of the Convention,
they resorted to the CHARACTERISTIC scheme
Of contesting the seats Of the delegates
from number Of the counties notorIosly
opposed to them, hoping by this transpa-.