Amador weekly ledger., 1858-05-29
THE PLANS OF THE ENEMY.

The present is period of extraordinary interest
in the political history of this State and the PLANS
OF THE ENEMY, for the campaign upon which we
are now entering, should be well studied and thor
oughly understood by THE MASSES ofthe Democrat
ic Party. The Democracy have never been dis
cordant-have never went estray and worshipped
false gods-have never found themselves on an
open sea without helm or compass, and have nerer
been unsuccessful, when The RANK AND FILE have
kept the management of party affairs in their own
hands II has only been when they have rested
from their watchful vigance-it has only been
when they have permitted sclfconstituted lead
ers to manage for them, that they have been
thrown into disorder and confusion. The rank and
file should never cease TO remember that they are
the commanders, and not the commanded. There
are always oilice-seekers whether old leeches upon
the party, sucking its life-bood, or new recruits,
(and new recruits, aspiring as may be, are mar
velously numerous all over the State about this
time) who would rejoice to assume the manage
ment of party discipline and party organization, in
order to shape the same in whatever manner would
best promote their own individual and selfish in
terests Whenever the affairs of the party are left
the good old Democratic ship is to be disman-
tied, and disgraced by defeat in the action or by
the election of men whose very success, in polit-
ica sense, is matter of equal regret. These are
dangerous times when recruits that require more
or less probation and the training of at least one
campaign in the Democratic army, are crowdin
almost by the legion into ranks-when, in fact,
Black Republicans begin to claim that they are as
good Democrats men who have always been the
disciples of Jefferson and the supporters of Jack
son and Polk-and hence II is that we call upon
the rank and file who, toil-worn but faithful have
oft before carried the Democratic banner through
hard-fought fields, and beseech them to once more
reconnoitre the ouposts and far as possible the
forts and ambuscades of our enemies and then meet
and defeat them. viii the rank and file be true to
themselves! They have never yet faltered when
the true music Of the Democratic bugle has been
sounded.
The facility with which the enemies Of Democ.
racy at all periods in the history of our country
since party lines were drawn, have metamorphosed
themselves and their principles is truly remarka-
BILE. They have always been willing aud on the
lookout to shift their sails and catch the popular
breeze-sometimes securing temporary triumph,
but the fact that they have never been able to
maintain themselves in power proving conclusive
ly that they have been incapacitated, from the
incongruity and unsteadiness of their principles,
to conduct the affairs Of government.
Invariably, either directly or indirectly all fac
tions of the opposition have been united against
the Democracy Whether voting united ticket
or not, they have always made the Democratic
party their common adversary it has always been
the great stumbling block in the way of their am
bilious desires, and this account if for no other
reason, they have constantly eveled their guns and
projected their venomous shafts against il, vieing
with each other as to which should do the most
execution. The factions in opposition to Dcmoc-
racy do not, and have not for many years at least
deserved each distinctive name they should be
styled, a whole the Enemy Party-this to in
clude, also those who selfadulatingly style them
selves Independents Whenever policy and
circumstances have dictated such proceeding. the
order has been " close order. march!n y and after
loving and mutual embrace Of all Imaginable isms
a single front, embracing more colors than Jacobs
coat ever did, has been presented to the Democra-
cy. But il is enemy thus marshaed that the
inyincble Democracy love to encounter fer al
though they may be repulsed at the first onset the
victory is more complete and glorious when sec
ond charge proclaims them triumphant
Perhaps the most extraordinary metamorphosis
that has marked the history OF the Enemy, is that
which has occurred within the past few months, or
at least that which it is pretended has taken place
1t exhibits in glarng light the chameleon character
of the Enemy, although the vast preponderance of
color at this time is a decidedly sable hue. The
Presidential struggle of 1856 was emphatically
and it may almost be said exclusively upon the
principles enunciated in the Kansas Nebraska Act
The Democracy maintained that the people of the
Territories had the sole right to regulate all do
nestle Institutions including that of slavery. TO
suit themselves and that they would have per
feet right to come into the Union as States either
with or without slavery. The Republicans took
direct and violent issue, contending that the Kan
sas-Nebraska Act was the greatest outrage ever
perpetrated upon a free people-that the Terrific
res belonged alike or in common to all the States.
and that therefore the people of ali the States had
Alright to participate in and regulate in all respects
the government Of the Territores-that Congress
had the power to prohibit slavery therein, that it
was the duty of Congress so to do, and that under
no circumstances should any more slave States be
admitted. Never, in the history of any country,
ancient or modern, or among any people, was there
an issue more distinctly made.
This was in 1885, and at the State elections in
1857 it was the same they passed over year