The Nevada journal. [volume] (Nevada City, Calif.) 1851-18??, 1857-08-14
American Mass Meeting.

clpies OF the American party expound-
ed by Major Bowie, Judge Ralston, and
others. Judge A. G. Niles was called
to preside, who, after few appropriate
remarks, presented to the audience the
American candidate for Governor, Geo.
w. Bowie. Though laboring under
severe cold and hoarseness, caused by
speaking in the open air, Major Bowie
succeeded in impressing his hearers with
his ability and his powers as public
speaker. His speech, though pointed
and strong in terms, was courteous, dig
nified and impartial as politician could
well make it. There was no slang or
vulgarity about it, like what universally
falls from the lips of Weller, but it was
couched in high toned gentlemanly Ian
guage throughout. 1t could not fail to
leave favorable impression upon cult
waited men.
He reviewed the history of the Dem
ocratic party in this State, showed how
its legislators had persistently violated
the constitution in the creation of the
State debt, pointed out its numberless
extravagancies and acts of misrule, and
compared its annual appropriations for
the support of the State government
with that of the much abused American
party, showing saving on the part of
the latter, in one year, of little short of
half million dollars. He referred to
the facts and figures and challenged an
investigation or denial of the truth of
his statements.
He examined the principles of the
Republican party, denounced it as Sec
tional, stirring up discord and fomenting
dissenitons in the brotherhood of States.
He said its platform had been carried
away by the decision of the Supreme
Court in the bred Scott case, and that
when a party persists in its dogmas in
the face of that decision. its objects are
revolutionary and subversive of good
order ana the government under which
we live. He said that reasonable and
thinking men of the Republican party,
since the decision had been announced,
acknowledged that the party had no
platform whereon to stand and had
abandoned it. He showed how this
sentiment had operated to lessen the
vote of that party in Iowa, Connecticut,
California, and elsewhere, in State and
local elections. He examined the State
platform of the Republicans. 1t ignor-
ed State questions and forgot California
entirely in its intense nationality. Yet
its national sentiments are string of
resolutions, in all of which, with but an
exception or two, are denunciations of
slavery. What, he asked, had Califor-
MIA to do with question in which she
was not interested? Was not this plum
dered, but glorious State, entitled to a
moments consideration from the hands
of party processing to be the reform
party par excellence? Is our financial
and moral condition to be overlooked as
of little consequence in comparison with
the institutions of other Statesl
Major Bowie was listened to with
marked attention throughout, eliciting
at times applause, and closed with a
round of it.
Judge Ralston was next introduced
and defined his position on the questions
Of the day in brief but comprehen-
sive manner. He said while in the Le-
gislature, seeing the reckless prodigality
there of the Democracy, he pointed out
the article in the Constitution against
the creation of State debt, and enter
ed his solemn protest against its further
violation. But all in vain. He explain
ed his position on the settler question,
which has been misapprehended, in a
satisfactory manner. He was in no wise
a sympathizer with that class of settlers
who trespass upon the lands of another,
knowing of claims to the land. He did
not favor political settlers who make
use of politics and parties to defend
them in their wrongful depredations up
on others property.
DIR. Powell was called out at the con-
clusion of Judge Ralston's speech and
amused the crowd with humorous but
withal forcible speech. He was often
applauded. H. r. Hawkins, of the
Placer Press, j. L. Crandall, American
candidate for State Treasurer, L. B.
Mcfarland and E. T. Burton, Esq, also
addressed the meeting, which was kept
up to late hour.
The AMERICAN TICKET-We pre-