The Placer herald., 1860-09-15
NUMBER g..
ConsistencY.'

! Less than one year ago, in this State was
the scene of a political canvass, the most
bitter and unreenting we ever witnessed.
The main fight at that time was between tho
Douglas or Anti iLeconptou party, and the
administration or Lecompon patty-uoliti.
c'ans and political presses taking the most
ultra positions for or against the main q,,es.
'ion which constituted the then issue. And
even after the election and until within a
short time previous to the assembling of the
Democratic Convention at Charleston. the
war was kept up, though in more mild
and less rancorous manner.
We need not recapitulate anv of the
scenes of that memorable contest. for il ia
not with that we have to dea we only men,
tion 1t for the purpose that the reader NAV
call to his recollection the position and
grounds occupied by politicians and the DO.
litcal press, less than year ago, and com.
pare them with the positions they now oc.
cupy.
We are stckers for principle, and ad.
mlrers OF CONsIsrENCy-a when we see
such high aud lofty tumbing" AZ has been
performed by politicians and some of the
political Journals within few weeks past.
we are forced to the conclusion, that prin.
c'p are secondary object, and consisten.
cy enters not into their composition.
When the news reached this State of the
double nomination at Baltimore, it threw
the "ude MATTERS astrde the "ience." until
they could calculate in which way the "wind"
would blow the strongest A part of these
fence riders" mstakng sudden "yusl"
fnI' iIe youJ no,nn.r,t;
somersaut from the topmost rail, and land
ed in the centre of the enemy's "k,hI"
whom they SO bitterly denounced but
short time previous
We ascribe all honor to that class of Jour
mails, who, unmindfu of the direction which
the titfnl breeze might degn to blow. boldly
nn nrled the banner under which each had
fought IN the previous campaign, determi ed
to follow It's fortunes whether it led to vic.
tory IT defeat. 1t showed they each fought
for principles. But what shall we say for
those who have sul,ifed themselves. and.
without one word OF apology or explanation,
turned their backs upon the principles and
party hey p'ofessed to advocate and uphold!
If right now they were wrong then. Let
those who the past year waged so bitter
ana rehtlesS warfare upon the Douglas
party and principles, and who now fall into
'lne with that party, willing to become
'small toads" in what they were then pleas.
ed to term the "Repubican pudd,e"-we
say, let them come up to the confessional.
and acknowledge that they were wrong, tha,
they had been led estray, and now sought
the true fold. Let them ask tie pardon Of
Mr. Mckibben whom they ousted from his
seat in Congress for the reason that he ad
vocated the principles for which they are
now conendlng, and stood by the man
whose name they now fly at their mast
head. Let them do penance at the grave of
Frederick who fell into the strife. Clear up
your record, gentlemen, first, and enter
the canvass with clean hands, if destitute Of
prnc'p es. NO one envies your preseut po-
sltion. for the contemplation Of it leads us
o eXrla'm-"Oh Consistency, thou art \
jewel,' but alas, how few are possessed of
the precious prize
RpH R/uf /,,1onon11onf