The Shasta courier., 1855-02-03
THE SHASTA COURIER.
The Senatorial Election.

The Senatorial Election.
Up to the present time thirty-odd ballots have
been taken by the California Legislature with
Out an election. This being the case, the people
are beginning to inquire to hose fault it is
that the time of the Legislature and the money
of the people are thus being squandered.
The Times and Transcript OF the 29th ult.
says:
How stands the present case Out of seventy
one Democrats, upon the FIRST ballot DR.. Gwin
received forty one votes-fye more than ma
jority of the whole. In the Senate, ont OF ten
Democratic Senators, elected at the last election
seven are for him. In the House, ont OF forty
three, elected as such, he received on the hrs
ballot thirty, or two more than tvo-th.rds OF the
full Democratic strength in that body. Thus u
will be seen that taking the last election, which
was had in full view of the selection OF Senator
this winter, as the test and Gwn has SIC more
than tscothirds of all the Democrats then elected.
He had not only majority of six over his
whig opponent, Mr.. Edwards, but ten more
than the combined vote of Broderlck, McDou-
gall, McCorkle, and all the scattering votes.
Thus it will be seen that three small factions
Insignificant when taken separately, but, com
bined, holding the balancs of power as between
the regularly nominated Whig aad Democratic
candidates, Edwards and Gwin--actuated moi
by principle, but by motive the most unworthy
personal hostility to Senator Gwn-have thus
far been enabled to defeat the will of majority
of the Democracy of the State by preventing the
reelection af Senator Gwin.
1t is none of our business to say whether they
have acted right-according to Democratic
usage-or not. That is matter which they
will have to settle with their constituents. As
one of the people, however it is, we think, per-
fectly proper for US to remark, that the people
OF California expect the present Legislature to
elect U S. Senator during the current session.
This is one of the purposes for which they were
elected 1t is their duty, their duty to
elect; and if by trickery, stubbornness, Or
man-worship, or man. hatred, or any other igno-
BILE means, they prevent the election, then, i'll
the sight of their constituents. and before high
Heaven, they violate the spirit of the oath
which each of them took at the commencement
of their terms.
This is the proper session to elect Last year
many members could not have gone into an cleo
tion without doing violence to their interpreta-
ton of the Constitution. This year no such OBJ
stacle exists. There is nothing to prevent
an election but the mere spirit of faction--a de-
termination the part Of some to rule or
ruin" 1t is as much a violation of the spirit of
the Constitution to prevent election this win
ter as it would have been an election last winter.
Those gentlemen who imagine that the people
will hold them guiltless if they prevent an cleo
ton, because they were opposed to Broderck,
or Gwin, or McCorkle, or McDougal, or Ed
wards, will find next Fall that they have been
wofully mistaken. These are by no means, we
imagine, the only men in the State fit for Sena-
tors. We are satisfied that the sun would still
continue to shine, the ocean to roar, and the
world to wag on as usual, even if those gentle
men were cast into the sea with large sized mill
stones about their necks. We believe further,
that California affairs would be so little affected
by their 50 blotting out" that. but for the news
papers, the people generally would never
know it.
Gentlemen Senators and Assemblymen, the
people expect you to to it, that California is
represented by a full delegation in the next
Congress.