Daily national Democrat., 1858-12-12
tInnestv Wondered A..

uet the JlJle Ol Drlttsn Coluinula. Inc law
of England ginstead of the edicts of a char
tered corporation now prevail in that exten-
ded territory. In noticing this change,
Victoria correspondent of the Bulletin oh
serves that many of the officials, who serve,
under the .old regime, are retained in tn,
new government, and that Californians il
| British Columbia are astonished TO find the
most of these officials honest. They cannot
realize how man'ean have a fat office, and
not make all that he is able out of it by way
of "stealings" Well, no wonder Califor-
mans have been used to seeing officials con
duct themselves in this way SO long that they
might very mutually conclude that there was
no such thing as strict honesty in office, any
where, and that an official who did not make
the most out of his position was a simpleton |!
Especially may they be excused for think
ing SO, when we take into consideration that
all sorts of peculation in office have been
practised, here, with perfect impunity, from
robbing the State Treasury of 5000, 900 "at a
haul, to the slyer tricks of official and lille
gal speculation in State and county warrants,
and things of like nature. The scoundrels
are tried for the offense, acquitted in the face
of positive testimony, and actually resume
their former stations in society and settle
down in their old locations, instead of being
in the penitentiary. CAT least, they might
leave the State, for decency's sake) The
press has been fearless in denouneing these
corruptions, and exposing them in advance Of
any criminal prosecution, but what good has
it done? Apparently not a particle. That
portion of the press which is honest, thun-
ders its anathemas against the scoundrels. but
they not only go free but actually seem to
meet with the sympathies of the public. 1t
is even so, and so much the case that pub
lie journal is fully justified in maintaining a
dogged silence in the presence of most as
founding corruptions Why waste breath in
relation to such things, when the public SEN
timent of the country, which should be aroused
to the utmost pitch of Indignation, goes to
sleep over them?
This state of things is not simply confined
to California. Other constituencies, in COM
mon with those of this State, repeatedly ele-
vate to high office men who are known to be |
mere spectators upon the public treasury
mere brokers in legislative schemes for pecu-
mary proft-men, who get their 9uid pro
quo for nearly every act that they do in an
official capacity, and grow millionaires by
species of dishonesty which eludes legal pen
allies but is made morally certain TO the eyes
of the world. A Senator, for instance, goes
to the Capitol of the Union, with limited
means, stays there year or two, spends eve
ry month what is equal to the salary of a
whole session, lives like prince, rivals the
most courtly establishments of Europe in the
luxury and grandeur of his home.palaee, and
spends thousand times more than he ever
'ould have made by any legitimate business
Of legislation, in dozen years of steady SER
vice. What does it prove? Why that he
has been using his position for the purpose of
speculation, swindling, and every species of
that could fill his private Golfers
All this is patent to the country, and yet
hat same individual will go back to his con-
'tituents and ask them for the very position
which he has SO damnably disgraced. One
would suppose that he would be answered
With an indignant denial and thunder of
ebuke which would drive him from the pub
ic presence. BY no meansl He is rich.-
He buys up the time-serving journals around
advocate his claims-members of
the Legislature are elected because they are
for him-all the machinery of partisan chi
canery is set in motion-everythipgt that vast
wealth can accomplish is secured, and 10
and behold this same obscene official harpy
is triumphantly elevated to the highest dig
nifty within the power of the State to be-
stow.
As we said once before, in q former arti-
cle-a. thing which cannot be too much
dwe!t on-the remedy for these evils is in
the hands of the people themselves. If they
lcW not be aroused to their duty, of course it
IS their own fault. Were they called upon
directly to vote for this or that man. known
% be corrupt, they would not do it, but the
rouble is that they are stupid enough to
iote for men who aciH vote for these same
obnoxious and detested individuals Mr.
Jones, or Mr.. Smith, or Mr.. Dugan, or Mr..
Someone-else is running for the Legislature,
and is their neghbor and is a mighty clever
fellow and they will vote for him, anyhow
but they do not reflect that this same anna
zngly clever neighbor of theirs is running
for this office for the very purpose, perhaps,
of voting for the inetfable scoundrel whom
they so potenty detest and execrate. An
other difficulty is, that they do not take suf
ficient interest in the nominating primary
meetings and conventions, but leave professed
politicians to DO their thinking and their vo-
ting. Until the people do arouse themselves
to the proper exertion in this respect, there
will always be some scoundrelly official,
representing them, either at
nome or abroad, whom they have had no di-
,ect agency in electing and who remains fas-
.ened upon them for years. The ballot-box
S all powerful, but it must be used intelli-
gently. and independently, or it becomes the
mere instrument by which the degradation of
he masses is recorded and perpetuated.
sR-The annexed items are from the San
Juan Press, ofyesterday:
MARROW EsoAPE.-The pressure of snow,
md other circumstances caused the sudden |
all Of porch in front of Westerfields shoot. |