Butte record., 1857-01-17
Topics of the Day.

Topics of the Day.
A MOST momentous question has
been decided. The people through
their representatives, have answered
the oft repeated question, " Who
shall be elected as our Senator for
the long term 2" and have answered
it by the selection of Hon. David c.
Broderick as the man to hold that
Office. Villifed and slandered by his
enemies, mistrusted, feared and shun-
ned by many who styled themselves
Democrats, his statesmanlike quail
ties, his unwavering principles Of de-
mocracy, and his truthfulness and
steadiness of purpose, have at last
verified the oft repeated aphorism,
"honesty is the best policy and
these great, predominant qualities
that so eminently characterize Mr..
Broderick, have secured his election,
convinced as the democracy of Cali
fornia have been at last, that he is
the "noblest Roman Of them all. )"
His slanderers have been rebuked,
and his own character indicated,
youched for as it has been by the
overwhelming vote that was cast in
in his favor. The lukewarm organs
of the democracy that have been so
long watching the political vane, to
see in which direction the breeze
should blow, have veered around with
the weathercock, and now that the
coast is clear and their course pointed
out, have set all sail and are conf
IDENTIFY steering in the wake of their
''illustrious predecessor" Opinions
and congratulations that have long
been held back for whoever should be
the successful candidate, ARE now free
ly and fearlessly expressed, and
many of those who before the cleo
tion dared not declare themselves in
favor of Mr.. Broderick, are now all
of sudden his warmest supporters
and most ardent admirers. We glo-
rify in harmonious democracy, but
we despise this want of independence
In a free expression of sentiment,
this polite Withholding of opinion un-
til the battle is decided. We do not
wish to be understood as Goubting the
sincerity of the joyous demonstra-
tions that have been made by most
of the democratic papers throughout
the State, at the election of Mr..
Broderick, but we deplore their want
of independence in not yielding him
their (un-needeD support before the
election.
But, worse than the silence of those
who now avow themselves his friends,
were the calumnies that were heaped
upon him by those who thought it
their best interest to oppose him.
We know of no better answer to the
charges that have been made against
Mr.. Broderick's character than the
defense made by Mr.. Benton in his
Thirty Years View, of Gen. Jack
son against the assertions made by
Mons. De Toqueville. As was as
serted by De Toqueville in relation
to Jackson, it has been maintained of
Mr.. Broaerick, that ct the majority
of the enlightened classes always op-
posed him." and that his supporters
IN California were but "band of
political vampires" and his friends
have been characterized as "ruffians
and shoulder-strikers," anc how we'll
the follwing defense of Gen. jackson
applies to the case in point. Says
Mr.. Benton: "A majority of those
that Mons. De Toqueville would
chiefly see in the cities, and along
the highways-bankers brokers, job
bers, contractors, politicians, and
speculators-were certainly against
him, and he as certainly against them:
but the mass Of the intelligence of the
country acas acith him." and so in
deed it is with Mr.. Broderick, as the
joyous demonstrations that have been
manifested in various portions of this
glorious State, give ample testimony.
He is most emphatically "the peo-
pies choice, ,"and had his name come
before the people of the State for
their direct sufrages, none can doubt
that his election would, if possible.
have been more triumphant than it