The Shasta courier., 1859-08-06
Triumphant vindication Of Milton 8.
Latham.

A candidate in Ohio, oace, after defeat in q
race for the Legislature, congratulated himself,
notwithstanding his i'll luck, that he had been a
candidate. He said that he had spent much
money and time in endeavorlng to find out some
thing about his ancestors, but without avail
He never could even learn the name of his
" Grand daddy" In less than week after he
was on the political race-track, however, he
learned more than he wanted to know--he
learned that his Grand daddy's name was John
Smithers, and that said John Smithers had once
been convicted of the high crime of stealing
Jim Johnson's sheep,-[whch sheep, let us
hope in mitigation of Smithers offence, lost its
life in an effort to bite piece out of the calf of
Smithers leg
The experience of the man in Ohiois usually
the experience of all candidates, save as to the
antecedents of their ancestors. Men whose
purity of character breath of slander never tenn
porariy clouded, as soon as they become candi-
dates for office are charged with all the crimes
forbidden in the Decalogue MILTON S. LATHAM,
man whose private life and character have
heretofore been looked upon as singularly pure,
has, since the commencement of the present
canvass, been charged with crimes that would
lend additional blackness to the character of the
veriest scoundrel now in chains at Poin. San
Quentin.
And, first. be was charged with having pro-
cured friend to steal from the room of Judge
Tilford written pledge, which he (Latham) had
given him, (Tilford.) In his speech in Nevada,
on the first day of August, he met this charge
boldly, and by the testimony of Judge Tilford,
VIM. NJ. Lent, and James NJ. Estell, acquits
himself of that, and all other charges made a.
gainst his honorable action throughout the Sem
atorial fight.
He next met the charge that he had once en-
deavored to corrupt the Judiciary, by trying to
bribe Judge Murry. The charge was that he
was to be benefited by this transaction to the
extent of 81, ,00O The idea that man rolling
in wealth, worth Sl50,000 or 100000, would
attempt to bribe Supreme Judge for the sake
of $4,000, is really too ridiculous for moments
consideration by any sensible man, except in
times of high political excitement. Neverthe-
less Mr.. Latham meets this charge boldly, and
with the very witnesses who had been called by
his accusers to substantiate the charge, proves
that it was a most vile and unmitigated slander.
Judge Hydenfeldt, says that Murry did once
think that Latham, had attempted to bribe him
through the agency of Jos r. Beard, the Clerk
of the Supreme Court, but that in second con-
versation with Mr.. Beard, that gentleman in
formed him that he wholly and entirely misun-
derstood the character of the first conversation
and thenceforward Judge Murry never again
mentioned the matter. Jos R. Beard svears that
Latham never in person, or by third parties
approached him for any such purpose. J. R.
Mcconnell says that be never was instructed by
the Supreme Court to prosecute Mr.. Latham for
attempting to bribe Judge Murry.
Other charges, of a less offensive character,
he likewise acquitted himself of. The full
speech is to be found in the Union of the Sd
inst. Let every man who doubts get and read
it. more thorough and complete vindication
from grave charges no public man ever made
Like gold that has passed through the smelter's
furnace, so does the character of this eloquent,
intellectual and gallant leader of the Democra-
cy of California appear after emerging from the
furnace of SANDER, Hseven times heated" by the
malice of his enemies-al the purer and bright
er for the passage through the ordeal