Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-07-26
VOLCANO:
SATURDAY MORN, JULY 2sth, 1856.

At our masthead to-day is the name Of
JAMES BUCHANAN for the Presidency, and
that Of JOIN c. BREcKENRIDGE for the Vice
Presidency. We have unfurled the Demo
cratic banner for reasons that shall be briefly,
but distinctly given to our readers The
Ledger has not heretofore taken part in par
tizan politics, and it is due to the public of
Amador county that they should know the
causes which have impelled this change.
We have carefully studied the political
history of this Republic from its foundation
to the present time, and especially during the
last fifteen or twenty years have closely
watched the rise, progress, and downfall of
political parties. 1t is unnecessary for the
purpose proposed, to go farther back than
to the period when the contest was between
the Democratic party and what is now known
as the late Wing party. Each organization
had its own distinct platform of principles;
and it was always conceded by the wisest
sages that it was good thing for the Nation
that two great parties existed. Both were
natonal-both held in high reverence that
sacred palladium of liberty which we call
the constitution; and each exercised progress
sive and conservative influence upon the
other. Those were the palmy days of the
Republic. The fierce battles that were
fought at the ballot-boxes served only to
purify the political atmosphere, and the good
ship of State plowed the main with all sails
set, and without let or hindrance from any
threatened mutiny or intestine fueds among
her crew of many millions of freemen.
Such was once the happy condition of the
country; but the world has always had its
would-be "reformers," and in the course OF
time these fanatica fungi of the body polite
made their appearance as voters, and stump
orators, and newspaper editors First one
ism and then another was ushered into exis-
tence; and both National parties suffered
from the inroads that were made upon them,
for every new-fangled notion, however ridic.
ulous, is sure to find its supporters. Finally
these isms, or some of them, became sufi
GENTLY powerful to exert an important in
fuence upon popular elections; and for q
number of years. in many of the States, O
corrupt and corrupting balance of power
controlled the public destiny. The confess
was no longer directly between the Whig
and the Democrats; the isms of the day at
tached themselves for the time being t.
whichever party would yield most nearly t,
their demands, and to this policy may b
jnstly attributed the sectional and factiona
storms that have ragged with such threaten
ing aspect for the past eight or ten years
The voters of the Nation, left to the unin
fuenced expression of their own delberat
sentiments, would never have embroied th
country in civil discussions portentous of th
most direful calamities.
1t became evident, some years ago, tina
both of the two great parties would not b
able to withstand the current of fanaticism
one or other, or both, must inevitably b
swallowed up by factionism-by the excres
sence, or fungi, that had grown in distorte
and frightfnl shapes all over the country
The sequel exhibits which party it was ths
became the victim.
Know Nothingism, or SO called American
ism, sprung into existence like mushroom
almost in one night; it was union of til
odds and ends of everything--the member
of every imaginable faction united themselvs
with the order--and large numbers who, u
to the time of this novel organization. ha
remained steaflfast with one or other Of th