The Placer herald., 1856-03-15
Democratic State Convention.


delegates, and the gallery with spectators. At
precisely o'clock B. F. Washington, Chairman
of the Democratic Central Committee, arose and
delivered the following address:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CoNvENTIoN:-My position
as Chairman of the Democratic State Central Com
mittee devolves upon me the duty of calling to
order your body preliminary to organization
The business which has convened you here day
from all portions of the State, is Of singularly
interesting character, it being no less than the
selection of eight suitable persons to orepresent the
wishes of the California Democracy in the highest
assemblage known to the party-a National Con-
venton for the nomination of candidates for the
office Of Presidency and Vice Presidency of the
United States | hope therefore. in view of the
interest which attaches to the work in hand, and
the peculiar position which the party, for some
time past has occupied in this State, will not be
considered trespassing too much upon your
time and patience, by indu gng in few remarks
which have suggested themselves to my mind as
not inappropriate to the occasion.
| 1t is a trte truism. yet one that loses none of
| its force whatever by repetition, and one which
in its bearing upon party action cannot be brought
too frequently or too forcbly home to us, that IN
| UNION THERE IS STRENGTH Association of every
description implies common object to be attain
ed. and the concerted direction Of the NOV ements
and energies of those who combined for
given purpose, is the only sure rational and phi
| liosophcal solution of The problem Of the attain
!
verify believe. and as would tain hope you all
believe, is an association of popular intelligence
and patriotism. having for its object the gteatest
good to the greatest numbers: or in other words,
! the highest Development to which the most per-
| feet system Of free government the world has yet
know. is capable. 1t is association whose
triumphs are written in the elastic strides which
our country has taken towards the tulness of its
destiny and whose vindication is to be found not
in doubtful theories and uncertain problems, but
in the recorded history of a nations legislation
It is an association of which it is haZarding but
little to assert that every great measure connect
ed with the development Of the permanent and
substantial interests OF our country-Whethcr of
territorial enlargement commercial expansion, or
interior rcgulation--oWes to ii its origin CT chief
support 1t is an association in connection with
which we are enabled to form just estimate of
the efficacy Of union and concerted action, when
directed to high and elevated ends by brief
glance at the condition of our country as she waS.
even at period within the limited time Of three
score and ten years dcsi ignated as the particular
life of man. and as she now is. in our own day and
generation. in the fulness Of her pride and the
strength of her democratic vigOr.
| think that it will be conceded. gentlemen, if
there ever a period in the history Of our party
when it became to illustrate the strength Of our
union-to stand up in solid column and compact
rank against the tide of false principles and per-
nicious isms which threaten to inundate the coun-
try-now is the time. 1t may be asserted that a
crisis has been reached in affairs. which,
cordinr as it is met firmly or alteringly, truly or
treacherously. must result in Still greater victory
or more ingiOriOuS defeat, 1t might reasonably
be supposed that the enemies of the Democratic
party. seeing the fruitlessness Of former efforts to
stay the sweeping progress OF liberal and enlight
encd principles. would be induced at this day to
at least moderate their opposition But the re-
verse appears rather to be the case. Each success
of our own whether in popular endorsement or
legislative experiment, but serves to arouse their
energies and quicken their ingenuites to the in
ycntion of new eXpedients. Not recognizing
among themselves any common, abiding and ho-
mogenuous platform-fying from one hobby but
to embrace another still more prcposterous and
absurd-appealing to the preiudices rather than
the native intellect of the masses. and looking to
the success Of the hour instead Of the maturcd ap
prOyal of discriminating popular Judgment
| their very existence as an organization is based
upon opposition Drive them to common decla-
ration Of principle, and they would fall to pieces
| of their very incongruity. Hence ''to palsy the
will of the constituent" becomes the one ruling
principle Of their action whilst in their attempts
to accomplish this "no imposture is too monstrous
! for the popular credulity." By such means the
Presidential elections of 1910 and lS4S were car
ried--by such means the present motley and pie
bald majority attained its ascendency in the popu
! lar branch Of Congress-by such means it is cX-
pected by general fusion Of isms. to carry the
! election in November next. Prompted by no
higher motive than decp-rooted hatred to the very
name Of Democracy. and stimulated to eXertion by
hungry appetite for the spois of office. they
have embarked in leagued crusade-a war of
demolition-to tear down what they can neither
emulate nor excel. Like the hordes of wild bar
barians that swept from the north OF Europe over
Italy, destroying in their mad career the noblest
works of Roman art and civilization. so would
these political Goths and Vandals tear down the
noblest monuments Of Democratic wisdom. Thus,
standing upon the same broad and national plat
form upon which we have often triumphed, we
see its most cherished principles assailed with re-
newed and increasing vlOlence-ltS most valuable
teachings opposed by herGsies the most monstrous,
while even the Constitution itself affords no bar
rier to The reasonable desges of guilty fanati-
cism. Gentlemen it is to preserve inviolate our
platform from such assaults-tO free the country
from the predatory incursions of these political
destroyers, that the Democracy of California are
now called upon to organize and take part in
great national struggle, Will they prove them
selves equal to the emergency? Will they present
to the enemy unbroken front, or with jealousies,
heart burnings and divided councils, again go
forth to encounter deieaG
These enquiries are particularly pertinent at
the present time from the fact that for some
period back IN the history Of our party here, there
has not existed that degree of unanimlty so essen
tial to success We have seen presented the
natural spectacle of Democrat arrayed against
Democrat-cliQues and factions each asserting
their own peculiar claims of legitimacy, while in
too many instances, as fear, principles have been
forgotten in the angry struggle for personal as
cendancy. | do not wish to be understood, how
ever, in referring to these things designing to
arraign any one before the bar of this Convention
for Judgment. Such purpose is neither in con-
sonance with my feelings nor, as | conceive a
part parcel of my business. | simply refer
to them as facts, the proofs of which have melan-
choy existence in the recent disastrous overthrow
which our party has encountered in this State. 1t
is to guard against like occurrence in the future
that | would invoke upon your deliberations to-
day the spirit Of harmony-that would call upon
YOU as Democrats, united in the same common
cause, and striving for the same great end, to cast
from you any latent germs of animosity that may
still linger in your midst, and reserving your fire