The weekly Placer herald., 1855-08-18
Tae hunt for Cffice and thirst for Spoils.


lust of place and the avaricious rage tol
spols. They have charged that the hope o'
this class of reward is the only life-giving
quality of our party. and if we are to believe
their professions. it was to crush out this
blightng poison which formed one of thu
leading motives for the establishment of this
order of Know Nothings, in the State of Cali
fornia.
The sixth plank in the national platform O.
that party. published at Philadelphia, con-
tains this language: "lmplacable enmlty
against the prevalent demoral.zing system OF
rewards for political subserviency. and of pun
ishment for political independence. Disgust
for the wiid huat after office Which character
izes the age. This on the one hand. On the
other-hnitation Of the practice cfhe purer
days of the Republic; and admiration of the
maxim that office should seek the man and
not man the office.
All parties have gone wrong, the corrup
tons of the day have become intolerable, and
the mission of this great party. glorying in its
youth and purity, and revelling in its strength.
is declared to be the severing of those cancers
from the body polite. They were Ito emu
late the virtues. wisdom. and patriotism OF
those who framed our national constitution
and first successfully applied its provisions.
They were "to cultivate and develop senti-
ment of profoundly intense Amer can feeling:
Of al D., -
and discarling all thought of place and pow
er, all sordd lust for golden spols take upon
themselves the arduous duty of reform. de-
vote themselves to this great work and ac-
to their lofty purpose.
This in fact was necessary in order to in
duce men to break the political bonds with
which they were already attached to the whig
or democratic parties But time devours all
things saith the proverb-even to these high
resolves of the American party.
At their State Convention there were ten
gentlemen who sought the office of Governor.
and such was their passionate attachment for
our country" that four ballots were necessary
to choke them off; three candidates for Lieut..
Governor: three for Supreme Judge for the
long term. and seven for the short term. For
COmptrolltr there were seven candidates;
eight for Treasurer; ten for Attorney Gener-
al; four for Surveyor General; for State Prin-
ter five; and as to the candidates for the Off
ces of State Prison Inspectors they were so
numerous that they were not counted. There
were then sixty candidates. that were counted.
for twelve positions-surely this evinces on
the part Of these patriots disgust for the
wild hunt after Office which characterizes the
age" proving beyond doubt their ''adm:ra
t on Of the maxim that office should seek the
man and not man the Office"
ANY one who will take the trouble to refer
to the proceedings of the Democratic State
Convention held this year, will find refresh
ing contrast to this rush for Office, in the com
parison of the number of candidates.
The Sacramento Union in speaking of this
indecent exhibition of ambition and self sh
ness, says: 1T was painful to witness the
struggles, and electioneering for place and
spoils, which prevailed, while professions of
reform in public abuses, retrenchment in the
public expenses, and the real interests of
taxridden people appeared to be overlooked
or disregarled by the representatives of the
party in California"
The correspondents of neutral papers refer
red to the "button holing." trading" and
log rolling" VIII ch characterised that con-
vention, more. says one. "than at any pre-
rious contention Of any party"
Oh. Sam. Sam! how can you make such pro
fessions, and then give the lie to them SO un-
blushingly?
Nor is this all. Ned Buntlne. a correspon-
dent of the San Francisco Herald and third
degree member we presume. (the convention
passed a resolution admitting third degree
members of the press,) writing from the city
of Sacramento, under date of August Sth.
says: "All the nominations are made to turn
Oh that of State Printer. 1t is said that the
Citizen Marysville Htrald. and State Iri-
bune have made combination to nominate a
Sacramento man for Governor, which will
have the effect of effectually killing off Paul
Morrill,. of the Sacramento Union. Notwith-
standing the reported combination Of the
Union. Placer Press. and Placerville .An,eri-
:an, this will without doubt be accom- pisbed."