The hydraulic press., 1858-08-21
The Approaching Election.

Ainio the din OF contllctlng political
opinions which precedes now, as it
always does, the calming influence of
the ballot box, we hear much of lie
compton and Anti -Lecompton, of
Douglas and Broderick, of Black Re-
publicans and Popular Sovereignty,
but not one word of California. A
great deal is said about the wrongs of
bleeding Kansas, but hardly a whis-
per 5reathed concerning the evils un-
der which our own State is suffering.
One would suppose that California in-
terests had been already amply cared
for-that her Public School system
could not be improved-that some
Lycurgus had left US perfect code
Of laws, that all the administrators of
those laws were paragons of virtue, to
suspect whom would be SANDER; that
we were enjoying safe, frequent, cheap
and easy communication with the pa
rent States by transmontane and
ocean.routes; that the electric wires
were flashing every days eport good
and i'll across our sroad continent;
that the private virtue of our people
had blotted out the stain of their ear
ly history, and that nothing remained
for US to do but to fall back upon our
felicity and enjoy little Christian
quarreing over national questions
Yet everybody knows these necessary
things are still unaccomplished. Now,
although our duty to the State does
not make it incumbent upon US to sg-
more national politics, these sh Guild not
be allowed to swallow up everything
| else. Of course, we are citizens of
the Union quite as much as of Cali
fornia, and should always take an in
telligent interest in federal concerns;
but our first duty is to the State. Ii
we make that great and virtuous we
shall contribute more to the preserva>
ton and glory Of the Union than if
every one of us took the stump for
the Administration or for Doug glas-
and what different spectacle we
should afford the world So long as
only a few men are found willing to
cotDpromlse their personal dignity by
making partizan harangues, the pub,
lie contempt or ridiceIe is sufficient to
neutralize whatever bad effects might
flow from them; but. if We all run to
listen and mingle in the petty squads
bic, there is no help for US. Those
hermaphrodite minds Which lack de-
cided opinions neither deserve nor
receive much respect ; as little enti-
tled'to respect are those who sacrii ce
all to party, aud boast ofnever voting
other than straight ticket 81
There is an opportunity presented
by the coming election sor every citi1
zen to do "the State some service, =
without ignoring or compromising the
most decided opinions on national pol-
itics. Each voter can sufficiently
assert bis principles in dis regard by
casting his ballot in faFor of those
candidates on the leading State tickets
who most nearly represe ent his views
The two candidates for Supreme
Judge are alike competent for the
position, if there is any faith to be
put in the assurances of their friends,
SO that political preference can be
consulted in this instance without sac
ri6ce; and still more pointedly can
such preference be shown by voting
or refusing to vote for the Congress
sional nominees.
The integrity of our political con-
science being thus preserved, we can
then consult the welfare Of the State
; by voting for the best men presented
E for Office on the several county ticks
cts, or who may be in the field as in
dependent candidates. If tits possi-
BILE to discard men whom We know
would sacrifice the interests of the
commonwealth to those of party, we
ought to discard them. 1t would be
impertinent and futile in this paper to
attempt to influence the public choice
or to declare our own, but We believe
it is proper enough to say what we
have said, and to enter protest,
however feeble, against the blindness
Of partizanship.