New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-10-02

candidate. were 70 the heh Tor the uued States Sen
s,orshp. Hing Caucus held deepotic sway over his
bind ard ohedient subjects. Everything betokeued
close and exciting contest
On the s,h of January-s day both memorable and
e1ecrable-the State OF California was publicly dis
raced BY the assembling of the Legislature known as
the Legislature OF Thousand Drinks The
Dr1kers met at San jose then the State Capital and
the scenes OF debauchery, venalhy and corruption
which ensued defy description. The town full TO
oyeraowiug with the depraved and dssipated followers
of rar,es and politicians, and rum towsd Ike water
even in the halls OF the Legislature The opprcbuous
name ACQUIRED by this body from the custom Of
90. 81 10 members. who had leased room in the
,i,o building aud stored il with rum, Of proposing on
,b soor of the Senate after each drunken effort at
business That all take thousand drinks. AL
over San Jose were what were called Ranches,
vb.re Iouors of all kinds dispensed free by the
,,.or. candidates and lobby members theirfnends
Members of both Houses did not hesitate TO withhold
M nnort from men or measures not represented IN
tho body of the town by these Ranches. The most
iron,-tsp act of the Session the infamous alter
Lot bill and actually owed its passage in great part
70 the following circumstances:
The supporters Of the bill had started rancho
which surpassed by far every establishment OF the
kind in San jose. Beside the common liquors-r1m
Gin and brapdy-n contained an immense quantity Of
cbsmnscpe and good old Madeira" Az conse-
ouerce the other ranches at once deserted and
every other measure. but the Water Lot bill, held by
both Houses in suspense A "run" was commenced
on the stock of the new rancho and in two days and
nights Il was 40 farreduced that great hopes were enter
tanned among the opponents the ou 'hatN wouid De
- ho, randi dom
s,ration was made by the upper, lower and lhird
houses Of the Legislature, and the friends OF 'he OH
began to tremble. Champagne and Madeira had dis
arpeared, and the last barrel of brandy was on tap
Bu, in the midst Of the enemys rejoicing there were
driven up 10 the door two teams loaded with the
Real Old Stingo,' and forty dozen champagne was
announced coming on behind, Against such Odds the
opposition saw that it was in vain 10 contend WIN
such capital the bank could not be broken The
Water Lot bill was passed!
Such was the character Of the Legislature before
which Mr.. Fremonts chances of defeat, not OF sue
cesson were 10 be tried. With such legislation as 'o
above was the time diverted and the question OF the
Scnatorship delayed until the 18th of February "heh
after infinite difficulty the two Houses met III !o'"'
Convention. The chief candidates were Messrs' ~
mont Weller Heydenfeldt, Collier, Gc"ry anu Dtou''
rick Democrats, the latter no' Ill 'H' "''N; ""' -
inc heaven and earth to effect postponement Oi tne
election in order to strengthen his own chances 1.
Rnter King was the choice of the Wings stately, nut
his Southern principles made him more acceptable tHn
either of the other candidates, excepting leydenieId
70 that portion of the Democratic party who cons-
tinted what i now known the Chivalry wing, and
who were then secretly meditatng division OF the
STATE Weller was only make-wcight IN the Con-
veu,ion and was early withdrawn with the hope
of inducing Fremont to retire when the election ot
Ue,deufeldt. Southener would have been easy
This plan Was cut and dried in caucus, one sunday;
but Mr.. Fremont had avowed from the first hour OF
,he Convention that he would not submit to caucus
dieation and conspiracy and from this time forward
fought the battle his personal strength and princi-
niles The contest ran through li2 baotngs. and the
vote WAS divided mainly between Fremont. King aud
Ueydenf,ldt. On the l3Sth, 18th aud l4o ballots,
the vote stood: Fremont 10; King, Il; Heydeneldt,
I3 On the last two ballots Weller was brought IN
and Heydenfeldt Withdrawn; but it would not work.
Freuors friends declared they would cast their votes
for King sooner than yield to the treachery OF the
marty; and on the 9th of February, the Senatorial
convention Of the Legislature of Thousand
Drh ks adjourned without electing United states
Senator but to the infinite relief and satisfaction Of the
people OF the state.