Oroville daily Butte record. [volume] (Oroville, Butte County, Calif.) 1856-1858, 1857-02-12
Party Leader 4

1t popular error witt the writers in
the opposition press, to speak eff prominent
men IL the Democratic, party as being the
headers. In doing this they are careful to
select these whom they think least likely to
meet vita the APPRECIATION Of the people
Their error consists in assigning "lealer"
to the Democratic party. That party is
composed of the masses Of the people, foun-
dcd upon principle, and is guided and con-
trolied by their voice alone. The difference
eetweon the men composing the party is not
so great as these writer's would fain believe.
Yet when circumstances have rendered
man somewhat conspicuous who is acting
with the Democracy, he is Immediately
pointed out as 'leader," more particularly
if there is anything that may be obiectiona-
a ole in his former associations or actions
There can be no ''leaders" in a party guild
ed by principle. There may be those among
them who, surprising Others in intellect,
vigor of mind and research, may be first to
proclaim certain results to which the prin-
ciples Of the party tend, before they become
manifest to the multitude, as the sun illu-
inmates the Mills while it is still below the
horizon But the inequalities of intellect
among the people, like the inequalitie Of the
surface ofour Globe, bear so small pro-
portion to the mass, that in calculating the
actions of party, they may be safely omitted.
Experience has repeatedly proven the
fact that when the Democratic party have
acknowledged ''leader' they have degen-
Grated into factions, divided among them
selves, and have fallen q prey to their po-
litical adversaries, whom they have gener-
ally led captives while acting under the &C
knowledged Leadership" of Clay and Web
ster, men who rank among the most pro.
found statesmen our natikn has ever pro-
duced. Those who have read the history Of
our country with proper discrimination, will
readily agree with as, and the position is
fully sustained by the political experience
of California.
We have been lead into these remarks by
the efforts of the opposition press to stigma
tie the Democratic party, as one controlled
by headers" They thrust those whom the
party have just elevated to the highest, most
exalted and responsible positions in the gift
of the State, to one side, and point to another
member of the party, who has become some
what conspicuous in the present legislature,
as the "leader." These same writer's blindly
followed the lead of Gen. Estell a little more
than year ago, and they are now endeav.
oring to make themselves believe that the
Democracy are doing the same thing. BY
signalling himselfas the most daring, and
taking the lead in its widest excuses, he
obtained the absolute guidance of the Know
Nothing organization, and raised himself to
his present position. He had too much sa-
gacity to remain the 'leader' of the organ
ization until it should fall to pieces and
leave him pre-eminent and alone, the relic
of the institution, his fright of dover" con-
sisting of the remembrance that he had once
led victorious squad. Their success and
happiness under his leadership, taught them
to love and reward him; he left them, and
their defeat and consequent misery disposes
them to hatred. They vent their peevish
ness upon the man who alleviated their suf-
feriDgs.