The daily Butte record., 1858-05-22
rhe Mountain Democrat, Repentant.

|
dent, concerning the Kansas question,
first reached California, the Mountain
Democrat published at Placerville)
with more honesty than discretion,
came out as strong advocate of Mr..
Douglas position, and announced itself,
unequivocally in favor Of the doctrine
Of popular sovereignty" as laid down
in the Cincinnati Platform. We say
that this was done more honestly than
discreetly that is to say, before the
editor Of that paper had held proper
consultation with the powers that be at
the San Francisco Custom House and
at the Indian Reservations. This
placed the Democrat in a sad dilemma,
and occasioncd great dismay and terri
BILE commoton in the breast of the Col
lector of Customs at San Francisco,
who shortly afterwards indited an ap-
peal to Mr.. Gelwicks, praying him not
to desert the Administration in such a
terrible crisis, and gently reproving
him (sub rosa for his cspousal Of such
an anti-chivalrc cause rs that of Soma
tor Douglas. OF course, after having
committed itself upon the question, the
Democrat could not back square
down" from its position, so in its next
Issue reply appeared to tho Washing
tonian expedicncy shrek, explanatory,
concilliatory, courteous" and drawn
exceedingly mild. There was very
perceptiblc under current of contriton
in this reply, and the intention was
quite distinctly shadowed forth that as
soon as it could be done decently, the
odious subject would be dropped, and
prompt atonement made for the first
great oifense. Before proceeding far
thcr, it may be we'll to make few quo
tations from the ''honcst and indscrcet''
article first alluded to. 1t appeared in
! tho Democrat of Jan. 23d. Here is
ono extract:
I'VE arc, the Democracy Of California are
fully and unequivocally pledged to sustain
the principles Of tho Kansas Nebraska Act
, We took a stand upon this point very dis
tinctly aud decidedly when the bill was fret
7 introduced, and we see no cause to abandon
the position we have assumed. Every COun.
ty aud State Convention embodied the san q
principle in their Platform. The Natione
. Convention. which nominated President Bu
ehanan, reiterated IL in stronger and NOR,
, forcible language All the spcnkers that a.
D dressed the Democracy Of III Dorado during
the Presidential canvass--Iienly. Latham
Johnson, AicKibbcn, 0win, Washington, Til
ford, Van Voorhies and number of Others, -
In language strong. emphatic, unmistakable
vehementiy advocated the same great prin
ciplc. Each aud all Of them would have ta'
ken IL as nm insult had their soundncss on il
been questioned or their sincerity in sus'
tanning IL been doubted"
That was undoubtedly written in al
honesty. 1t is certainly true, and We
= are inclined to think man, or n paper
r honest when it tells tho truth. Tha
: par, OF it relating to lIenly, Gwin ant
, Washington, is TOO TRUE; hence tht
evident "indiscretiop." This was no
y the greatest ofense. Tho subjoincc
{ extract, is if anything tho most often
D sive Of the two:
Judge Douglas has not changel---he oc
: cupies the Same ground now that he di,
= when hc 80 forcibly aud unselishly "stump
ed it" for President Buchanan, and IL is II
), exceeding bad taste. IL not inconsistent
cowardly and base for papers processing 4
bc Democratic, TO oensuro and traducc hin
y for his course"
= Tho latter portion Of tho above, a
applying TO certain "spread eagle" pa
pers, was perfectly unbearable and call
!, ed for more thorough, earnest atone
9 ment than the rest. This great siI
could only be atoned for but in th'
i most complete pentence and tho as
sumption of much sack-cloth and as hes
How was this TO be done To rotrac
o would bo shameful that could nevc
II be done. Silence upon the main ques
ton was one inevitable requirement
y abuse of Senator Brodcrick was tn,
: other. This must be done, at all haz
ards This has been done, and being
done, Gwin, being the very antipodei
' of Broderick, could with much consist
b ency bo puifed. Mark the first cxtrac
!. above, aud then read this