The Placer herald., 1860-08-25
rrom the Sacramento News, August 10th.
Mass Neeting-Senator Latham.

.hont two thousand persons was neid last
Suu .ou;uo in front Of the St. George, to hear
S.s.to1 Sses Latham define his position and rem.
1o ~. an account Of his stewardship. The
T;.;,sns' ". Brass Band, recently organized, was
% .,.,;oned on the balcony of the St. George,
."d nerformed occasionally very creditably,
- y;aw of their recent organization. Those
"..smbled composed every political bue, fill
80 ,be street and the balconies Of the St..
nsoroa ISs and Court House block. The meet.
;nc WAS called to order by Postmaster Hard
snberg, and the following were chosen as
oa;cers: President, H. E. Robinson; Vice
President DR.. Donaldson, I. Hunt, Reuben
R.vnes. John Shannon, Owen Casey, r. c.
Mcn,oommery, Frank Powell and b. F.
Msulden. Secretaries-Ssm Neal, Chas.
D.nckers and M. Ault. The President briefly
.tated that the meeting was called BY the
friends of Breckenridge and Lane to discuss
the noli.icsl issues of the day. He desired
that il there were any present opposed to
,be movement they would remain and listen
respectfully. Postmaster aardelberg then
nrasented and read the following resolution:
Rs,olyed, That we, the Democracy of Sac
ramen,o county recognize in John G. Breck
;nridoe and Joseph Lane the true opponents
Of Democratic principles, and as such we
hereby ra,ify their nominations and RECON-
mend them to the support of the Democracy
Of California The President then intro.
duced Senator Latham, who WAS received
with applause. He returned thanks for the
cordial manner in which he was received
ps sppeard before them as citizen Of the
civ and State Of bis adoption, and as pub
lie servant, to speak Of his public acts in
regard to what he conceived to be best for
,be happiness and prosperity of the com.
muni,y. When he could not speak in be.
half Of the people OF California; that mo
men, he would lay down the insignia OF
Office and resume his former position in pri-
yate life. The time had arrived to decide
upon whom should devolve the government
Of the Union, and determine the principles
upon which the Government should be con
Quoted. Dissensions might lead to the over.
throw Of the Democracy for the present;
but though the banner Of the Democracy
90 down into the dust, and the power of tho
Government pass into the hands of its enc
mics, the time would come when the De-
mocracy would become regenerated and re-
sulne the control of the government, until
at least the close Of the century. He came
not as one believing Breckenridge radically
right, or Douglas radically wrong, but as
one who wished to state his own convictions
of what be deemed the right. He could
not turn upon his old time friends who had
fought many hard battle for and with him,
and denounce them As traitors, dscloined
all bitterness towards either of the opposing
political parties, but would speak of them as
they merited. The Republican party was
the common enemy of all Democracy, its
tsnets being dametricaly opposed to the
constitution and prosperity Of the Union,
wsging an unjust war against fifteen sover
eirn States Of the Union. Its Inauguration
dated back twenty years, when it WAS regard
ell as hand Of fanatics, misled 10y their own
misguided Judgment |, had increased stead
lily from year to year, at each Presidential
election, without an abandonment OF its
principles, until at last it has assumed An at
titude Of defiance, being confident Of success.
In this connection he touched upon the high
law" doctrine, which WAS advocated to day
and repudiated to morrow, as soon AS the
party was sufficiently strong to enable it to
put il aside and dictate. 1t had been charg-
ed and asserted that the people Of the North
we're submitting to n Southern oligarchy-
that there was an aristocracy existing in the
Southern portion Of the confederacy
owners Of three or four million slaves,
whereas they (the owners) were but five or
six millions, and that they had an undue in
Auence in the Government. The speaker
was interrupted at this point by the arrival
Of the delegation from the several Douglas
District Clubs and the discharge of several
roman candles which we're directed in a man
ner calculated to infict injury on persons
present. Order being restored, Mr.. Latham
proceeded: 1t had been endeavored to in
culcate the idea that the South controls the
Government; has more power than belongs
to it. and is endeavoring to usurp the reins
of Government and dictate to the North.
We (he sadly Of the North embrace seven
teen States, to fifteen States OF the South
we have control Of the Senate and House OF
representatives. The North dictated to the
South, and not the South to the North. He
would assert that not a single Democratic
President had been elected except by the vote
Of the North. Massachusetts, had had
controlling voice in the Government (having
had two Presidents and two Vice Presl-
dentsD sixty seven years out Of seventy one,
as also representatives in the cabinet of the
patton; and had also had almost exclusive
control at the Court at St. James, New York
had had two Presidents, five Vice Presidents,
and more potential voice throagh her liam
llton, Burr, Livingstone, Wright, Marcy,
Seward, ETC., in controlling the destines OF
OF the country. Should all the volumes OF
the laws Of the United States be collected
and burned, not a single Southern State
would be interrupted in her progress by any
benefit she receives theref~om. Senator