, 1855-07-27
The Late Election.

1t is not only highly gratifying, but may,
hereafter, be turned to the account of use
fulness, to look back and see what were
the issues between the opposing parties in
the canvass through which we have just
passed. The excitement has passed away.
Our feelings are Gained we can think
without prejudice, and draw conclusions
without bias, When we do this in ref
erence to the election which has recently
been held in our territory, we are called
upon to contemplate some curious develop
ments in the way of politics. Let us then
examine, and see wherein these maneuvers
may be made useful to our party in the fu-
ture.
As it has been accustomed to do from
the earliest days fits existence, the demo-
cratic party began the campaign with a
bold, frank and open expression Of princi-
pie and policy. Tho first move made by
our party was to call convention after the
old fashion, giving to zach portion Of the
territory its proper representation. The
next, and most important step, was the
making Of platform aud nominating a
candidate for congress by the convention.
In this matter, as throughout the whole
canvass. up to the day Of the election, the
course of our party was plain, open and
Independent. Our platform was unmis-
taxable in every point and particular, and
as full and comprehensive as language could
make IT, The principles and character of
our candidate were equally as well under
stood. In this manner we made the fight.
We neither asked or sought for the aid or
assistance of any faction or ism. We ap-
pealed and trusted wholly and entirely to
the real democracy. The world can now
see the result Of such q course.
But how different with the opposition.
First, the chairman Of the whig central
committee issued a cunningly devised and
well digested appeal to the wings of
the territory, urging them to organ
ize, and modestly telling them how this
should be done. In that circular, there
was no bunoOm6e which would have disgus-
ted the most fastidious fedcralist. We ex-
amined it carefully. The natural inference
to be drawn from the letter, tenor, and
spirit Of that circular, was that we were
going to be met by our old and tried oppo-
nents-the tohig party, The inference gave
us pleasure, for it is always more pleasant
to meet an open and bold enemy, however
strong, than to stand Gentry against ban
ditti-small, though it might be and
then there is something about an open op-
position which commands the admiration,
If not the esteem of all honorable men
But the next step of our opponents proved
our inference was wrong. The whig con-
vention met, or rather portion of it,
thirty-eight delegates out Of sixty-three,
assembled in Olympia, and organized the
whig convention-some of them, casting
two, three, four, and as many as nine votes
and before they could come to terms, and
make a nomination, the disposition of GER
tain candidate before the convention, or
something Of the kind, caused them to step
aside from the plan laid down in the circu-
lar, calling them together, and very sudden
ly free-soil resolutions were adopted--were
tailed on to a uery small chance of whiggery,
and there proclaimed as the faith of the
whig party. No sooner was this done,
than their most prominent candidate with
drew his name, and long thereafter, the
aspiring gentleman received the nomination
by the skin Of his teeth. lie stepped upon