San Andreas independent., 1858-09-11
Decayed Politicians.

Decayed Politicians.
Whisky, in the general sense of the
word, as comprising the various kinds of
alcoholic spirits, sold at the bars of the
institutions known as bit" and two
bit houses, is quite as sure in its opera
ton and effect eventually upon the men
tai and physical organs Of the human sys-
tenn as dose of strychnine, the latter
only possessing the advantage over It's
twin brother of being more immedilte in
its results But whisky, combined with
politics, in the every day exhibition of
the profession, brings down the strong
man to the lowest depths of misery, and
effectually units him for the manly duties
of life, so indispensably essential for hu-
man happiness on earth. And these two
pests have done more injury to the COM
munity of California, within the past eight
years, than all the other evils than have
been known to society.
They found fine field to operate in
among the young men who constituted so
large percentage of the community, with
Just sufficient garniture of middle-aged
and old men to make the charmed circle
complete, and form an enticing example
for the youngest of the flock. Of a con-
sequence, there are greater number of
decayed politicians, and men just in the
opening Of life, now among us, who are
totally worthless, either to themselves or
society, than can be found in any commu-
nifty in the United States, of like number
to that of San Francisco.
Whisky and politics have stolen away
the energies and intellect of many one,
who, when he first set foot upon the shores
of California, was endowed with all the
attributes necessary to make up the good
citizen, and constitute a happy man, and
an esteemed member of society. And if
any man doubts this assertion, let him
cast about him, and the instances within
his own knowledge, and from them judge
of the aggregate. The assertion being
admitted, let us see in what way it has
been accomplished. Let us examine the
process of Generalization.
1t may have been that that which in
duced majority of the young men who
launched themselves upon the stormy sea
of political strife in the early days of Cal
ifornia, was the natural ambition which
buoys up the heart of most youths in the
spring time of life, and induces them to
attempt to soar to a more lofty height
than their ability and strength of purpose
will enable them to reach We will admit
this as correct hypothesis for charitys
sake, if for no other reason; but, at the
same time, there is large percentage of
this class who have become victims to the
baneful effects of the two demoralizing
agents to which we have alluded to, solely
because their natural inclinations and de-
sires pointed to this course of life as most
congenial to their tastes, and best suited
to their seif-satis rying abilities. The de
moralizing process began with the early
organization of parties in the State, and
progressed with the rapidity that charac-
terizes the rank growth of vigorous weeds
in garden of flowers and useful plants,
which invariably require the constant
roofing up and destroying of the gardener
to prevent them from overshadowing the
better class of the vegetable products, to
the cultivation and growth of which such
grounds are set specially apart. If
young man was elected to political nom
mating convention in the earlier times,
the chances, as subsequent events have
demonstrated, were as three to one that
he thus took the first step toward moral
destruction. From that time up to the
present day this percentage of those who
engaged in those political managements,
and became known among their political
friends as party leaders, have passed along
the sliding scale of moral degradation,
aided by the indispensable adjunct
whisky-until those who have survived
up to the present time have furnished, as
special class of society, a very numerous
body of seedy and decayed politicians, void
of all ambition now to do more than de-
wise ways and means by which their dur
nal supply of whisky" and "grub" can
be obtained, content to let all the past
rest into the dark oblivion in which they
have buried it, and to let the future take
care of itself.
Those of this class who We're actuated
by an enticing ambition when they first
entered upon the vocation, have, in many
instances, passed out of existence in
wretchedness and misery; while, with a
few isolated exceptions, the remainder
are left in state of utter helplessness,
prototypes of aspiring Icarus, whose wax
en- wings, as he mounted toward the sun,
melted in its rays, and left him to fall
headlong to the earth.
1t would be no difficult matter to single
out names from among those who consti-
tuted the first political conventions here,
and follow them along down from year to
year, acting in the same capacity, occa-
sionally finding one whose name relentless
death has blotted off the roll call; and
arriving eventually at those who are still