The Empire County argus., 1855-12-22

CALIFORNIA PoLITIcs. The Boston Daily Times
an administration paper, having had its attention
called to California politics by the late election in
this State INDUCES in the following "reminiscences
of political history for the edifcation of its readers
We copy portion of the article to show how po-
ltical matters are understood on the Atlantic sea-
board. The Times, after briefly reviewing our
early history recounts the circumstances Of the ad
mission of California into the Union, and then
says
The first Legislature (that of 1849-'50) elected
William M. Gwin and John C. Fremont u S. Sem
ators. Gwin drew the long term in the classical
ion of the Senators for that State and consequent
ly held his seat for six yearf. His term of service
expired on the 4th of March last.
David c. Broderick, formerly of New York, and
sympathizer with that branch of the democracy
in that State known as the 'hards,' removed to
California in 1919, became leading politician
there, and desired to succeed Dr. Gwin in the u s.
Senate. When Mr.. Broderick was first mentioned
Gin 1859 in connection with the office, he was
probably the most popular man in the State. At
about this time question arose as to the proprety
of calling convention to revise the constitution,
and there considerable said in certain quarters
concerning a division of the State At Demo-
cratic State Convention in 1858 the whole subject
fully discussed, and resolution passed declar-
ing the policy of the democracy to be in opposition
to convention. 1t was noticed at the time that
the friends of Dr. Gwin opposed the resolution, and
those of Mr.. Broderick favored it. Mr. Broder-
ck's friends were largely in the majority, and con-
trolled the convention not only in this particular
but in every other respect.
This convention was holden in the summer of
1858. In the winter following when the Logisla-
ture met it proposed by the friends of Mr.
Broderck to elect successor to Dr. Gwin. A
| - e
members of the Legislature, agreed to elect that
year, but the friends of DR.. Gwin opposed it, not
withstanding the caucus, joined the wings and
prevented the election by Il ma ority of one vote
The friends of Mr. Broderick were much incensed
at what they regarded as political treason on the
part of the friends of DR.. Gwin, in refusing to be
governed by the caucus, and the friends of DR.. c.
were much rejoiced at the posponement of the
election because of that if the election had taken
place that year Mr.. Broderick, they knew, would
surely have been chosen,
The caucus above referred to proved to be the
rock on which the democracy of California split
and the people in the interior regarded the pro-
position to elect DR.. Gwns successor in 1854 rs
year too soon, they returned maority to the
Legislature the next year who were opposed to Mr.
Broderick.
This quarrel between the Broderick men ("the
shoulder strikers") and the Gwn men (''the chiv-
alry') was highly interesting to the wings, who
hoped by of it to be able control the SEN
atorship in the next following Legislature them
selves The result was however, that after about
fifty ballotings, it was found impossible to elect
and the Legislature adjourned without effecting
choice. DR.. Gwin, during these baotngs, usually
received plurality of the votes, and some of his
friends endeavored to make the public believe that
he thus legally elected by virtue of the local
constitution of the State. The fallacy of this has
heretofore been shown and the ground abandoned
In its westward march, like the locust, and the
cholera, Know Nothingism has reached California,
and swept the State. 1t has all the State officers
and large majority of the members of the lower
house. Whether it has majority in the Senate is
said to be doubtful but the probability is, and that
a strong one, that "Sam" will be the ruler of the
Senate we'll as of the House.
Governor Foote of Mississippi who emigrated to
California in 1854, has been a leader of the Know
Nothings-has ''stumped" the State for them, and
doubtless expects them to elect him U. s. Senator.
Should he be elected, (and if the Know Nothngs
are sound on the "spoils7 question, he will be,)
his political grounds will be, doubtless, those he
stood upon in Mississippi-the same those upon
which JEFF Davis" the Alississppians call the
Honorable Secretary stands the most ultra side
of tho pro-slavery party so far as the question of
slavery is concerned.
That many who do not relish his doctrines in this
particular, will vote for him, Know Nnothing