The Shasta courier., 1854-08-05
A ID ID e e . 3
OF THE
Majority Democratic State Cenventfon.

TO the Democracy Of California:
The undersigned, majority of the delegates
10 the Democratic State Convention. called to
| assemble on the 18Th of July. 1885, 4, for the pur-
pose ot recommending candidates for Congress
aud Clerk OF the Supreme Court to the support
of the Democratic party of the State, at the next
general election, believing that crisis is al
hand. which. unless boldly met and promptly
counteracted. may prove pregnant with results
of lasting calamity to the State and party; and
that the time has arrived when it behooves ev-
cry 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 espouse, to lay before you.
| fellow citizens, plain aud impartial statement
| OF the facts aud circumstances which have
| served to bring about the present deplorable
condition of party affairs in this State, aud leave
TO the people the decision OF the controversy
| and the application of the remedy.
| On the day aud at the place designated by
| the call of The Central Committee, the varluus
delegates from the different couniies, elected by
he people in their several county conventions.
| appeared Tho primary organization ot the
Covention was known to be matter of villa.
| Importance. Ii was perceived, and III
! fact, was sufficiently well known before the as
| srmbling of the Convention. that large major
| lily Of the delegates belonged to that wing o n,
party which recognizes principles not men, as TIN
\ rule al action. Under this state OF things Will
a majority clearly against them, at the hour ap-
i pointed for assembling md organizing the Chair
| man OF he Democratic Central COMMITTEE anu
leader Of the minority appears, and unwarania-
bly, attempts to assume the cO.irol and direction
OF the Convention. He ascends the rostrunI.
calls the Convention TO order, announces lhai h.
! is ready to receive nominations Cor chalrnian,
| resolves himself into Committee on Credentials
arrosates TO himself rlShls aud powers uuques-
put the question motion first made by
member OF the majority, and srithout cote res
ularly and legitiniately ascertalDed, declar, IS
| member of the minority, and one ct his OWL
faction. President pro tcn of the Convention
The individual thus called TO preside over ih,
temporary organization 1T u Democratic body, no
being choice Of the majority. and having been
foised upon them in violation Of all the rules oi
decoruu, parliamentary law, the precedents
| aud usages of the party, was repudiuted, as he
deserved TO be, aud president OF our own
lected, whose opinions and decisions this
subject, it was believed, would be more in
cordance with the wishes OF the Convention and
| the Democracy generally
All these irregular and disorganizing proceed
ings, on the part of the minority. were conducted
against the loud and repeated protesations oil
I'll. majority, and we respectfully submit, were
| an outrage of their rights, and upon the tights
pf the people whu delegated them.
In consequence of the confusion and distrac-
tion into which the Convention was thrown by
these high.ianded measures of reckless uud
desperate faction, determined te rule or ruin, ii
became impossible to organize and proceed to
business without dlsSracetul abandonment ol
the Just rig ghts IF the majority. and cowardly
sacrifice Of the will Of the people. During the
whole of this state of distraction and confusion,
continuing for siA hours, propositions and ap-
peals were again and again made for cempro-
f,yf ft,ovy
iected or UNDECIDED. 1t seemed that nothing
would satisfy the minority other than their tri-
unipi, or the ruin and total destruction of the
party.
The minority, disappointed in their darling
scheme-ihe premature election of their chief
tain, at the last session OF the Legislature, to
the United States Senate, in violation Of all pre-
cedert usnges of the party and rights Of the
people-seemed determined to triumph or de-
siroy. They then predicted that it the senate
rial election did not come 1T that session, the
democratic party would be overthtown. They
are now, therefore, and have been ever since
their defeat by the people, bending all their ef-
forts. and using all the machinations aud tricks
for which they are proyerbial, to accomplish
this. their prediction--now the cherished oh.
iect of their disappointed ambition Not
ten, with throwing every obstacle III the way
OF fair expression OF popular VIII IN The pri-
mary elections and county conventions, and
finding that so overwhelming was the pnbilc
sentiment against them. that with ali their in
trieue. management and trickery, they could
not succeed in obtaining majority of the Com
vcnrion. they resorted to the characteristic
scheme of conlesting the seats OF delegates from
q number of counties uotorIDusiy opposed TO
them, hoping by this transparent u.an9yre to
secure majority of uncontesied seats IN the
primary organization of the Convention, and
thus hold the rights OF the counties contested
| completely in their own power But IN this,
| also they failed.
Ali these deeply laid and willy concocted
schemes--as they were doubtless considered
failing them, their last desperate resource was
the attempt to carry the Convention by that ui-
blu>hiuc process of arrogance and assumption
on the part of their leader, which we have here
| to!ore detailed s~a -ssrse
Now majority Of the Convention having
thus been prevented from carrying out the VIII
Of our constituents by minority OF the party,
/ which can be designated by no other terms