Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-07-23
SENATOR GwN's SPEECH,
DELIVERED AT GRASS VALLEY, JULY llrm, 1859

Inc democracy Of Grass Valley assembled
on Monday evening, the I1th inst. at d few
hours notice, TO listen to speech from Sena.
tor Gwin, on the political topics Of the day
II was specially called, at such short notice
To give the Senator an opportunity Of review.
ing sucll portions Of Mr.. BrUdcricks s speech
at Placcrvillc, as might have reference to the
antagonistic positions they occupied in the
last Congress.
The meeting was called to order BY appoint
ing Judge Smith Chairman. On being pre-.
scnted to the meeting by tho Chairman, Sena.
tor Gwin spoke, in substance, as follows:
FELLOW CITIZENS: tits scarcely fair 10 YOU
or me, that should be called on to address
you ut such short notice, but VIC are old ae-
Tnaintanccs and friends, and there IL no need
Of long preparation for bringing us together
From 1851 to lSjG, annually canvasscd this
State, sustaining the principles and policy OF
the Democratic party, and never failed du.
ring that entire period TO address the sterling
Democracy Of Nevada county. 1t is not nee.
c>>ary to herald my coming with cannon or
that hhOuld have an escort to enter your
TnH but prosperous village. | am no new
man, who for the first time have made INV an.
lraraIcc on the ht>tings before the people O
California. But my colleague, Mr.. Brodcrick
occupies different position. lie, OH Satur.
lar cYrilinG Last the liFAt-tiit,e at,,+aFel
10 fore the people of this State as a public de.
Later. II "a- {" eHal'lt. me To refer to that
speech. -h"''ld it require any notice from inc,
;i'at this meeting was called. Within the last
two hours, lhavc received the report Of hi.
r'innrk> n published in the Sacramento Ihi0I.
and the editor Of that journal vouchcS for the
correctness Of the report.
al, q; 4 4.
one nf the Senators from this State in the Sen.
ate Of the nitcl States. nave steadily avoid.
cd any controversy in debate in Congress, OF
clarw here, withmy colleagues in either House
N""h controversies rarely, if ever, fail TO be in.
curious to new State, aud may result in
scenes that may not add to the dignity of the
parties, nor the State they represent have
strictly adhered to this line of policy since Mr.
IiroIcIirk and myself took opposite positions
Oh the Kansas question: have never noticed
his remarks in the Senate unless an imperative
sense Of duty to myself or the interests of the
State, required such notice from me- 1t was
my purpose in the present CANVASS, to pursue
the SnIne course. should never have alluded
to him in debate only in connection with the
position he had taken on the Kansas question,
in common with the members of Congress
ir1m other States. The personal relations
that exist between us would have prevented
NY ever a'lnling to the collisions between us
in the Senate IN questions pertaining cxclu.
>iVcly To the State We represented unless he
took the initiative. This he has done in his
speech at Paccrvillc, but not in such way
As to require a special notice from me on tLi.
occasion. As he dcvclopcs his intentions iu
the progress Of the canvass, as he indicates he
viii do, what he says may require more spe'
elf" notice from me.
There is no analogy in the positions we oc
cuPy before our common constituency.
have no explanations to make for the course
pursued on the Kansas question, for simply
performed my duty, by acting in accordance
with the opinions Of the party that elected us
both to the seats VIC occupy in the Senate
lie is on trial, ] am not lie defied the in
Structlons Of Democratic Legislature and ap
Pcalcd to the people, who gave judgment
against him. succeeding Democratic Leg
INlaturc ccIISnrCd him, as Senator was never
rcnSurcd before, ard he now joins issue with
them before the people Of the State. For 80
years ! have been a constant supporter oil
Democratic measures and never bOlted the
nominations Of the party. When l cannot
obey the instructions Of Democratic Icgis.
laturc on political questions which large ma
JorIty Of the party, not only in this State, but
throughout the Union, advocate, a seat in the
Senate will have 10 charms for me. But Will,
our positions are entirely different, and it is q
contest in which shall take no part unless il
he forced upon me, for the Democratic mem.
bcrs Of the last Legislature arc fully compc.
tent to take care Of themselves, without any
aid from nc, yet will briefly correct some Of
tue errors, IN FACTS, which find in the report
Of his speech in Placcrville. lie says
"l shall now hasten to give a short history of the
measures before the Senate Of interest to California and
The first point on which we differed he as
serts to DC the reduction Of the salaries of the
Federal officers in this State. As q general
statement, this is not true. If he had made
himself familiar with the subject he would
have known that the late Secretary of the
Treasury, Mr.. Guthrie, framed bill toreducC
the expenses OF collecting the revenue in this
State, and that it was pending before Congress
when took my seat in the Senate. | was in
favor of that bill. The present Secretary o.
the Treasury prepared bill still further redu.
eng these expenditures and reducing salaries
was in favor of that, also; and 1t was sup.
ported Oy every Democrat in the Senate, and
only failed to become a law from the difficulty
S''"H 'Nou'tSN HOh tuC UIShbTceInCnL OF inc
Houses on the Postofficc Appropriation Bill
We did differ in regard to the repeal of the
Act Of 1854, which gave the Postmaster Gen.
eral power to give additional compensation to
PoStlnaSters in this State. / contcndcd then
rs do now, that the Postmasters, especially
in the remote mining and agricultural districts,
were entitled to this additional COMPENSATION
But the main point on which we had direct
issue, was the expense Of living in this State
lie asserted that the cost Of living here was as
cheap as in tho Atlantic States This de.
MED, and am willing to leave the question
to be settled by those who have to rent houses,
hire servants, purchase provisions, and pro.
vide for the support Of themselves and fami.
lies. The salaries of Federal officers in this
state were offensive to Mr.. BrOderick, 1t seems,
from the personal relations which he held to.
wards the occupants. When he had friends
70: instance in the Branch Mint, where AM
told nc has MANY devoted friends, am moi
aware that he has ever made any movement
to have their salaries reduced; although they
are the best paid employees Of the Govern.
ment in this State.
am in favor of reducing the salary Of every
Federal officer in the State; whero It can be
done without injury to the public service, but
not that lndlscriminate reduction that will
bring them down to the same standard with
those in the Atlantic States, OH the assertion
OF Mr.: Broderick or any other man, that tho
expenses Of living are no greater here thar
there.
"Iimc Point" follows next in his speech
and this Is the great gun of hts camnaign.-