Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1859-01-29
Senatorial Election.

H""'ioI. lo"h dho %HEy ~ 1n'e s'"i'oo'
Union information Of the reelection of
Hon. J. ?. BESJAMrK to the Senate of
the United States, and when we nov an
nounce it we only Tell our readers what
they already know; but it is not, and
may never ba known how that result
WAS brought about. Charges of bargain,
of federal influence, and i~nsinuations Of
paid votes, are made upon the streets, at
the corners, and by the press. 1t is not
our intention, 20 indulge in the repetition
of any Of these, suffice it to say that
BENJAMIN is elected, aud while few seem
to rejoice over it, and many seem morti-
fled and disappointed, all say thank God
it is no worse.
The contest in the Democrats caucus
was warm and exciting the friends Of
each candidate stood firm for hours, and
many were the specuIations of those m-
side, as we'll As outsiders, as to the prob
able result in the event Of a free fight.
We quietly looked on, aud like ear ven
cradle female friend, Mrs. Partington,
No. 2, said light old man, fight bear,
fight bear; fight old man, don't part
them, we don't care which whips"
The friends Of Messrs. GRAY and PAR
HAM, voted alternately for the one Or the
other, Until the 42hd ballot, when SAN
D1DeE receiving s. votes, lacking only
INK of a ~nomiuation, they boIted and
attempted to organize the House without
the Speaker, who was with the Demo-
Gratis in th2 House, This move was
ct,eck-mated by the nomination of Mr..
BENJAMIN, aE1d the entering ofthe caucus
Democrats. 1t is evident that Mr.. GRAY
and his friends expected and relied upon
the united sote of tho American mem
bers, and were disappointed in not re-
ceiviug it. What ever induced them to
expect such a vote from the Americans
is more thaa we know, for certainly Mr..
GRAY, who seems to be of the ultra Sc
wing of the Democracy, must
have known hat Americans hold no
such doctrine, but have always declared
their determination to " vote for no man,
and affiliate with no party which does
march and keep step to the music of
the Upion.". We opine that Mr.. GRAY
aud his friends committed the same
binder that the Dig tnocratic boilers from
the Congressional Convention did, when
they expected us 10 abandon IL own
candidates and support theirs, The
American party, it is true, is now disor-
ganized, but the mass of that party hold
this Union must and shall be pre-
and it is a fatal mistake to sup
pose that they will ever unite with those
whose political autecedents teud to dis
1nlon. Bitter as is our opposition to the
oL1DELL and BUCHANAN influence in this
State, and lD the nation, it is nothing in
to our opposition to sectional
The sooner this is known and
understood the better for political
'spirauts.
1t occurred to us as equally strange
hat any one who had ever been a mem
'er OF the American party should vote
Mr.. BENJAMIN;~we could no have
0 voted but We must say that if the
vo Americans who voted for BENJAMIN
i'd in that vote depart from Que plank
| our creed, they no doubt expressed {
nd obeyed the will of their constituents {
he reelection Of Mr.. BENJAMIN is. uni
the circumstances, singular in more +
Ian III ope respect. While it fails to t
leet the entire appreciation Of a major r
y Of either wing Of any party, if not t
as a triumph by any, all at least "
se' some advantage to result from it. -.
''de|lians, Or Administration men. pre- 0
him over GRAr or PARnAA, or to J
*. N, as the Americans are called.
lille GRAY and PARHAm's friends pre- d
rred hiua to SAsD1DGE. and we K. NJ u u
|ouggtl unable to vote for him5 know Il