Mountain Democrat., 1858-01-09
VVhoIc.uIr D,.frouch,.cme"t.

The lato Know Nothing County Clerk seems
to have carried the doctrine ordisfranchisement
to an extent even greater than his party ever
openly advocated. Perhaps, though, he Is not
to blanc Rs VIC arc at present advised, how
ever, the fault is attributable to him. The peo-
pie Of FL Dorado County certainly did vote for
Governor, and they gave Weller majority over
oil opponents. 1t is certain, too, that the re-
turns were made out aud the Clerk paid for his
services IN making them out. Great excite
ment was manifested In the joint Convention Of
the Senate and Assembly, when It was ascer-
tancd that FL DOrado's vote was not counted
Humboldt and San BcrnnrdinO counties were
also excluded, but their default was probably
owing 10 tho difficulties attending mail CONF
municaii0m between those counties and SacrI-
mento. No such excuse will avail the ncgli-
gent party, whoever 1t was, that lost FL Dora
do her vote.
Mr.. CARPENTER moved in Convention for u
committee TO ascertain the reason why II Do
radios vote wns not returned. Tint Committee
reported that the returns were not made u tho
Secretary Of State in time. There is gross
wrong aud ineXcusablc ugll. encc or ignu-
rance in this matter somewhere. Some at
tribute even worse motives to the perpetrators
Of the wrong, and suggcs' that money may
have been lost and won BY the exclusion Of the
vote from this county. We do not think such
was likely the case but believe that the dis
reimbursement Of this county was owing 10 neg
lect 80 outrageous that II deserves aud will
receive the severe condemnation Of the people
Of this county without distinction Of party. The
facts will be more clearly asccrtaincd in few
days, and We shall then lay them before our
readers.
CmIEF ENGISEER's IlEroRr. The scmi.annual
report Of Chief Engineer Hunter will be found
in another column, and to il We invite the ut
| tcnti0n Of our citizens II presents, we think
fair statement of the condition of the Fire
Department. and shows il to be in healthy
and prosperous condition, needing only little
assis tIneo irnm the city fathers. which We trust
il will receive without delay. We heartily en-
dOrsc the words Of commentator bestowed by
the Chief ON Confidence, No. l, and Neptune
Hose CO,--thcy deserve all the praise that can
be given them, for thcirentcrpriSc and eillcicn-
CIV are unsurpassed. AS to the ccnSure be-
slowed on Hope, Hook and Ladder Co., we
have nothing to say, for We know nothing of
the matter; but we hope that the next report
of the Chief may bc able to speak of the Com
pnny in II different manner. We trust that the
Common Council will attend to the rccommcn-
dations Of the report concerning cistcrns, hy-
drants. &C., without delay, for as the report
says, "thcir rropricty will be made manifest on
moments reflection" Let the Common
Council give the proper encouragement and
mid TO our Fire Department, aud ere lung ii
will he the most efficient one in the mountains
Of California. II is not right that the members
Of the Department should do all the work nee
essary To its efficiency and bear all the expense
ofprocuring apparatus, as they have in agreat
measure done heretofore. On the contrary,
their time and labor nrc all that should be- dc
mandcd Of them, and all the necessary expenses
Of apparatus, houses, &c, should be borne by
the city or contributed by the property. holders
During the last year We have rroyidcntially
escaped the ravagcs Of fire, and we frar that
this has cooled the ardor Of many towards the
| Fire Department III so, We would admonisll
all to remember the 9TH Of July, lsiG, Nndbcar
ia mind that "an ounce of prevention is bcttcL
than II pound Of cure"