Columbia gazette and the southern mines advertiser. [volume] (Columbia, Tuolumne County, Calif.) 1855-1858, 1858-05-27
The Cause of our Defeat.

We copy the following article from
the Butte MISUNDERSTANDING Column
bia for Oroville. We wilronly add that
leading Democrats in Columbia, not on
ly growled at the Democratic nomina-
tions,-but such men as Messrs. Calvin,
Mullan and Cazneau, who have been
fed by the Democracy, voted the amal~
gamation ticket:
"The defeat of the Municipal DEM
ocratic ticket on Monday the 10th inst,
is easily accounted for. 1t is obviously
the fact that leading members of the
party, men who have more than once
been favored with high and responsible
Offices at the hands Of the Democracy
studiously avoided any participation in
primry elections +; leaving the work in
the hands Of the rank and file, and then
carping and caviiing at the nominations
elected by those in whose hands they
have left the affairs of the party. This
very evident apathy concerning pritia-
ry meetings and ratification conventions
is not the worst fault of those who de-
sire to be thought leading Democrats.
Not content with Sinking the "dirty
work. Of the meetings, they, in many
instances refuse their countenance to
the ticket they have left for other to
make for them turning the cold shout
der to the nominees and by their luke
warmness giving aid, comfort and conf
denec to the opposition.
Most undoubtedly the success of the
Peoples ticket is the fault Of "leading'
Democrats. Such may claim that there
was no direct party issue. But we
claim that there was. The nomination
of steadfast Democrats, whether that
nomination is made with the co opera
ton of those "leaders' or not, demands
the support Of the entire party. Gen
tlemen who expect support from Dem
ocrats should help Democrats to office.
We trust that this election may serve
as lesson to these dainty gentlemen
We hope it will teach them that it is
imperatively their duty to take part in
primary meetings, and to lend their aid
and counsel and influence toward max
ing and sustaining nominations. Il is
the accepted, time honored custom of
the Democratic party, to nominate can
didatcs by act of Conventions Ignor~
ing such calamity as "split' in our
ranks, the nominations of Democratic
conventions are ever to be accepted as
those Of the party, and can justly claim
the party's support. So long as the
convention custom prevails, it is as
much the duty Of influential member.
of the party to take active part in Ia
election of delegates and in Fall other
primary movements, as it is to exercise
their right of suffrage at the polls
There always has been, and is now, a
large majority of Democratic votes in
Columbia over any and all opposition,
and if protested leaders, and willing
recipients Of favors at the hands of the
party, will but exercise one half the in
dustry and perseverance in doing their
duty at primary elections and caucuses
as they have exhibited in grumbling and
growing at the work they left for others
to do for them, they may readily pre-
vent future bell ringings and gun frings
of the jubilant, victorious ''People''-
to wit the rejoicings of a coalition Of
Douglasites, Knownothings and Black
Republicans, over regular Democratic
nominations.