San Andreas independent., 1859-08-20
The Lecompton Meeting.

The Lecompton Meeting.
The meeting of the Lecompton wing of the
Democracy, held at this place on Wednesday
evening last, was, as it was intended to be,
quite a feature in the political campaign in
this county. Mr.. Latham and his friends, S.
Fl. Merritt, of Mariposa, and W. W. Cope, of
Amador, were escorted into town from Mokel-
umne Hill, by large cavalcade of enthusi-
astic democrats, in carriages and on horse
back. A band of music accompanied the pro-
cession, which traversed the principal streets
of the town; they had flags and banners,
rockets and artillery. In the evening, many
and large numbers focked into town from the
surrounding country. We noticed delegations
from Old Gulch, Calavertas, Formans Cave
City, Mountain Ranch, Greasertown, Moke-
lumne Hill, and divers other places. Our own
townspeople were particularly enthusiastic on
the occasion, and what is quite remarkable,
though the affair was kept up until after mid
night, and great quantity of the essence of
rye was absorbed in the festivities, not a single
fight occurred. Just 1874 persons followed in
the Cavacade.
At o'clock the assemblage organized by
electing Judge Stevens President John Sulli-
van and VIM. Irvine, Vices; and j. K. Doak,
Secretary. Mr.. Latham spoke for an hour
and n half. We listened attentively to his
speech, and came to the conclusion, from the
matter he presented and the applause it elicit
ed, that it was the most effective one delivered
at this place during the campaign. 1t is not
our purpose to critcse his remarks or refer to
the weak points of his effort This could
scarcely come within the line of so brief a no.
tce as our columns will admit but whatever
sophistries he delivered, they were so we'll
covered by his style as to escape the general
observation. Mr.. Latham is an effective speak
er; but by no means a finished orator. He
can enlist the attention of an audience, but he
cannot deeply arouse their passions. Yet he
is 'trump" card in Il campaign. He reasons
very we'll his memory is good his reading
AANN"
he makes the utmost of what he knows. His
effort to explain the position of the Govern
ment on the "Allegiance" question, did not
make the subject much clearer to the compre-
hension of the people than it was before he
spoke; and there may have been more than
one person present who thought it in bad taste,
to say nothing of bad judgment, for him to
claim honor for his party because old John
Adams had recommended the "Alen and Sc
diton" law, which has been dead for half
century, when in almost the same breath, he
spoke of the 'Kansas imbroglio" rs dead
issue, which it is unfair to bring before the
people in this campaign. Such aiusonS, can
not but strike sensible men as only intended
to pander to the prejudces of certain classes
sound logic to convince their understandings
Decidedly the abest part of his speech was
displayed in the historic review of the slavery
question, which he gave at its close. 1t was
really an able review, in which the orator gave
evidence of having devoted much study and
reflection TO the subject, and splendid mem
ory Mr.. Latham tells anecdotes, in very
merry way, and they usually are complimented
by the laugh or shout for which they were in
tended but it seems to us that they are loose
lumber in his speeches. 1t is well enough for
stupid fellow, who has not sense enough of
his own, to instruct an audience, to amuse them
by retailing the idle slang of humoriSts, but
for one who possesses, as he does. high quail
ties of mind, the anecdote and the laugh are
given at the expense of better things. The
speech was an able and effective one.
Messrs. Merritt, Cope, ]. H. Hardy, and
Briggs, of Amador, each took their turn at
spouting, and kept theexcitement up until l24
o'clock. Mr.. Hardy was sarcastic at the ex-
pense of our neighbor of the Democrat, for
some structures made in Wednesdays issue of
that paper, on his Honor.