The weekly ledger., 1857-08-15
r. M. BRIGGS. ESQ.

Amador have selected respectable lnen ana
good citizens as their candidates. We are
Glad of this. because we are therefore only
called upon to oppose them on principle
without assaulting private character Take
for example the Legislative ticket put for
ward by the remnant of Know Nothngism
that exists In the county; they have present
ed Mr.. Scott for the Senate and Mr. Briggs
and Mr.. Hinckson for the Assembly-all of
them worthy citizens, against whom we would
utter no word of reproach.
But the fact that the opposition have pre-
sented good citizens, (and even onr personal
frieuds) as candidates, does not make it any
the less our duty, as Democratic journalists,
to strenuously advocate the cause of our own
candidates The Democracy, also, have put
forward good citizens and good men. against
whom there can he no syllable of reproach;
and it is our duty as well as our pleasure to
support them, and show if possible why the
opposition should not be elected If this is
not fair proposition, We d. not know what
fairness is.
1t must be evident to every man with half
an eye or half an ear, that the remnant of
Know Nothingism in Amador are making
pretty much the whole fight upon Mr. Briggs
and against Mr. Stewart They have pitted
whom they doubtless consider their fast nag
against Mr.. Stewart; and by crying Irish"
and swopping and trading and manevreing
expect TO elect their man. With a whole
State ticket, and the balance of Legislative
ticket as trading capital, they calculate large
y upon bargains" they will drive with Dem
ocrats whom they expect to catch mapping.
Now we would ask the voters of the coun-
ty, and especially the Democratic voters, to
take calm and deliberate view of this mat
ter, and make up their minds accordingly
WHO'S r. NJ. Briggs and what does he rep
resent? Why should he be preferred to
Robert Stewart-esp especially why should Dem
ocrats vote for him in preference to Stewart?
Certainly not for any reason that presents
itself to our mind II will not be denied that
Mr.. Briggs is one of the most violent op-
posers Of the Democratic party in the State.
We need not go far back to show that he has
always been so; it is well known and will be
acknowledged that he has never exhibited a
single drop of Democratic blood in his veins.
How is he before the people now? He is be-
fore them as the champion of the remnant of
Know Nothingism; and try to shift as he
may. this is his true ground and the only
ground he can consistently occupy. He was
confessedy the main instrument in re-organi-
zing the X. n. party in Amador, and at the
/ preliminary meeting he bitterly denounced
! those who had deserted the American" col
ors---hurled his nvective unstintingly against
the Democracy-declared his full determina-
tioD to forerer stand by the flag OF "the
Americans" and declared his conviction that
under that rallying cry they could meet and
conquer the Corrupt and unhoIy" nemoc-
cratic party and all other political parties
He was bitterness boiled down, and it
seemed to do bis very soul good to express
it, Again. when the remnant Convention
nominated him he was just as bitter. He
accepted the nomination-accepted the posi-
ton of standa rd-bearer-and promised to
make the best American" fight he possibly
could 1t was no halfway business, but an
out-and-out, no.quartcr fight.
But, dear reader, how is it now? The
tune is changed Any party and any mans
vote-only let Briggs beat Bob Stewart, and
its all right ! Scott, Hinckson, and the 9th
ers can go to Tophet Give us only Briggs.
beat Bob Stewart and you can have all the
rest They certainly do not give the De
mocracy credit for the common sense which
they possess. Has Briggs done anything
within the last three or four weeks to atone
for his denunciation at that time of the De
mocracyY Has he done anything since to
atone for whole life of opposition to the De
mocracyY Has he done anything to gain the
confidence of the Democracy? If so, we
should like to know what it is True, he
now cries Reform, Reform; aud we suppose
also NoParty; but did You ever know the
candidate OF party hopelessly in the minori-
ty who did not cry Reform, Reform, and No
Party? 1t is always the case with the par