The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-01-26
CALIFORNIA POLITICS.

See Iredells Statutes, revised by Martin Spoon
er, 20.
CALIFORNIA POLITICS.
SAN Francisco, Nou. 80, 1853.
To the Editor of the National Era:
The political wants and condition of Califor-
MIA are somewhat peculiar, and | think not un-
derstood by the people of the Atlantic States.
AS Congress at its approaching session will be
called upon to act on matters pertaining to
our interests, | deem it important that that
body, az well as the people, be advised of our
true condition; and know of no paper 80 well
adapted to communion with those whose dis
position it is and whose duty it will be to act
in our behalf, as the National Era
Hitherto, the politics of California have been
an enigma. As far as parties werc concerned,
most of the leaders seem to have had no other
object than to render them subservient to self
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Neither party presented
well-defned system of political economy. Their
platforms consisted of general resolutions,
meaning nothing. IL was a common remark
of candidates On the stump, that they had
nothing to contend about. Both parties were,
of course, in favor of " California interestsn of
developing the resources of the State" and
Of thigh prices for labor" But by what means
these desirable ends were to be attained, nei-
ther party ventured to suggest. These were only
to be found in the bills presented to the Legis-
lature. These were the work of one or few
individuals, and he who could devise the most
ingenious scheme of plumber had the most fol-
lowers. These he forced in both parties. Hence,
neither party was responsible, nor could be
held answerable to the people. Among the
measures devised for developing the resources
of the State, and elevating the dignity of labor
by high prices. ere bill to monopolze the
school lands one to dispose of the overfowed
lands by the league or larger quantity, and
two lone by Wing, the other by Democrat
to introduce Coolie labor at four to five dollars
per month.
Another project was the revision Of the
Constitution by Convention. The end to be
attained by Convention was, the division of
the State, and the exclusion from the new Con-
sttution of the clause which prohibits the
granting of exclusive privileges to corporate
bodies, and that which prohibits Slavery The
exclusion of the former would facilitate the
monopoly of the mineral lands, of water courses
and water power in the mineral and lumber
districts, and of plank, turnpike, and railroads
to those districts. The exclusion of the latter
was intended perhaps "to promote the dignity
of labor" 1t will be seen that these several
measures constitute an ingenious, though most
mischevous, system of political economy. They
all look to the same end-monopoly The
thought can hardly fail to occur, that they
originated with men accustomed to contem-
plate the operations of labor on large planta-
tons yet to unity in the system, or co-opera-
ton among its authors, they were introduced
by men of all parties, and from all sections of
the Union.
By a judicious intermingling with both
parties, the monopolists managed for three
vaars IN pravonk anv daclo kior of o,pIao
to control the nominations, and consequently
the elections In 1851 their scheme was faint
ly adumbrated in the Governors message.
A single newspaper in the mountains, in
reviewing that message, exposed the scheme
more fully. The cOnspirators, alarmed to find
themselves SO we'll understood, abandoned their
project for that session. Until after the next
election, you could scarcely find a man who
was in favor of dividing the State, yet at that
same election majority of monopolists were
returned to the Legislature In the session of
1852, the four bills above mentioned were in
troduced. A venal press suffered them to pass
through the routine of legislation, without once
giving tho alarm With ono or two excep-
tions, the press was like the prophets of a GER
tain period" dumb dogs, that would not
bark" The people of Sacramento, where the
Legislature was in session, saw what was in
progress They held meeting, and denounced
the obnoxious measures. Senator from the
mountains wrote to his constituents, and was
very soon responded to by series of resolutions
condemning in strong terms the same measures.
But the School Land bill had passed. The
Coolie bill had passed the House, and sufi-
cient number had been counted for it in the
Senate. The resolutions of these two meetings
changed votes enough in the Senate to defeat,
not only that bill, but the other branches of
the same scheme. The work accomplished,
the danger over, the press not only became
loud, but foul mouthed, in its dcnunciation of
Coolieism.
True Democrats felt the necessity of dec
laration of principles At their next State
Convention they sought to obtain one; but
the monopolists in their own ranks were too
strong. They next sought o denuncia:ion of
Coolieyism; but even this was not allowed
them. AS a compromise, they obtained reso-
luton condemning "Tingley's Coolie bill"
Tingley being Wing, they could condemn
his bill without condemning the system Moth
ing was said against Convention on the divi-
sion Of the State, and it was agreed that can
didates should not be Intercepted on the sub
ject. Such was the power of the mouopolists
in the Democratic party in the summer of
1852, and again they sent a majority to the
Legislature
contained nothing but the Tule Land bill, and
the Convention bill. The former was intro
duced early in the session. 1t was the same
in substance, as that of the previous session
OF all the reporters in the Legislature, one
only ventured to condemn it. He gave sy-
nopsis of it when it was first reported, and
subsequently showed its object and operation
That was sufficient. The bill was permitted
to sleep the sleep of death All that re-
NAMED of their system was included in the
Convention bill, and could be obtained only
through that measure, ard upon this all the
energies of the monopolists were concentrated.
They had a majority, but to carry that meas
ure REQUIRED @ two-thirds vote of each House.
In casting about for recruits, they saw the Wing
party PROSTATE and its leaders ready to unite
with any clique that could raise it to power.
A secret circular, signed by every Wing men,
Der of the Legislature, except one, was sent to
the Wing editors throughout the State. A
new organization, under the name of the Cali
forn;a Republicans, was suggested, with devo-
ton to the Convention scheme as the only test
of orthodoxy The leading Wing papers took
the bait and some of the Democratic, and with
out saying, or perhaps knowing, anything of the
circular, advocated a Convention. The hrst
public intimstion of the ecret circular and its
object was given by paper called the Pacific |
StdteSman, which existed but f)r few months.
The bare announcement of the existence OF
such document alarmed the true Democracy, !
and they took holder stand against the Con-
vention bill, and by hard labor and close watch. |
ing they defeated X Some Wing papers, and
many prominent men of the party, opposed the
coalition and the Convention, and before the
close of the session it became obvious that any
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