San Andreas independent., 1857-08-22
Politics and Politicians.


drones of the body polite and become the
working bees of the political hive Now is their
seed-time and abundantly do they scatter it in
the way of promises, among the dear peonle
that they may afterwards reap the golden har-
vest To hear them, one might suppose thew
never performed an act that was not prompted
by patriotism, and never possessed a thought
but to consult the wishes and endeayor to car
ry out the will of the people; whose interests
alone, are actuating them in seeking places of
honor, profit and trust-and were thew not of
that class who have made politics trade. the
same who have ruled California since it has
been State and brought affairs to their pres
ent disastrous condition, we might have some
faith IN their promises, some hope that they
would produce change for the better But
when we remember that the same promises
have been made and the same asseverations
forced into the ears of the public in every po-
htical campaign, and by the candidates of all
political parties since we established our State
organization; and that recklessness and extrav-
agance, ignorance or corruption, have been the
Nt"'AA5 OI nearly all OIL
cials, we may well be justified in expressing
doubts of the sincerity and good faith intended
by those who are so ready, on the eve of an
election, to make professions in favor of econo-
my, retrenchment and reform 1t is true men
competent and honest are sometimes elected to
positions OF trust, yet they appear to be pow
erless to do good, their honest acts and inten-
tlons being perverted or lost sight of amid the
general maze Of ignorance and corruption which
surrounds them. That so many unworthy men
have been placed in power in this State, is
owing much to the material of which politi-
clans have been made, and still more to the
blind adhesion of the people to party tactics and
party rule. After the formation of our State
government, the great mass of the people were
engaged in mercantile, mining or other pur-
suits, and took no interest in politics and cared
but little who filled the various State and Coun-
ty offices, but tacitIy left those things to be
managed by persons of more leisure, who could
find time to attend to the affairs of State -
consequently, the knoui11g ones who came to this
country on account of the vast field that was
open to enterprise, plunged into the political
arena and called to their assistance the gam
blers and sports" they having more idle time
in those days, than any other class, and besides,
having plenty of money, which, being easily
acquired was likewise readily spent, became
very necessary auxiliaries. This class, follow
ing an occupation which had natural tenden-
cy to blunt the finer sensibilities of man, be-
a.
regardless of the means used to carry out their
ends. Having everything pretty much their
own way-particularly in the cities and larger
towns, where politics are generally done up in
small packages" for the convenience of the
public and to save time and trouble in Conven-
tions-it was an easy matter to pack conven-
tions by log-rolling and pipe-laying especially
where the only questions asked were, Hosc
mach can you gice, or a0hat are the chances for a
succession ,"
AS matter of course the interests of the |
people were never consulted, and everything
was found to work well for the principal actors
who always kept in view the system of primary
elections and party discipline, adopted during
the administration of General Jackson, and |
generally credited to the superior wisdom and
foresight of Martin Van Buren, a system which
was first successfully established in the State |
of New York under the superintendent of the
" willy politician" of Kinderhook, to check
the effects Of which, the opposition, under the
lead of VIM. H. Seward, adopted the same tao
tics, whence politics generally in that State
came to be controlled by bar-room cliques and
unprincipIed politicians. To this system, which
has spread into every portion of the Union and
is Justly condemned by the disnterested con-
servators of all parties and deserves the execra-
ton of every patriotic citizen, is owing much
of the political corruption and many of the
evils under which the people now groan-and
in no State has the community suffered more
from its baneful effects than in California, and
nothing better could be expected where politics
was established and worked upon the high
pressure system and the conductors of which,
generally were void of every principle, save
that of success. Primary elections were car
ried and conventions controlled by demagogues
rather than patriots-by men possessed of low
cunning instead Of talent. If good men OBJ
tanned nominations and were elected to cffice
under such circumstances, it was owing rather
to accident than design. Those who laid the
plans of this dirty work and assisted in carry
ing out the schemes unwilling to always
remain in such a position without compensa-
tion and under the rule of honor among there's
they, in time must arrive at the succession and
share in the spoils. That unprincipled men
nave mainly controlled the destinies of the
otate' Is not strange, under this system, which .
is now fastened upon political parties, and
which can be got rid of, only when the masses
of the voters resolve to be untrammeed bv
party discipline and to act independent of nartv
praiudice e