Daily national Democrat., 1861-01-13
SACRAMENTO CORRESPONDENCE.
SACRAMENTO, Jan. 11th, 16G


of the Assembly held another caucus this
evening. 1t was in session about three hours,
and the proceedings were very animated
The result was a very emphatic determination
to adhere to the party nominee for Speaker,
Hon. John Conness. The feeling has been
strong to-day. Ross, (Breckinridge) of So
nomh this morning withdrew what he was
pleased to term the "oliye branch" which
had previously been extended by the Brock
inride party, viz: the proposition that they
should select Speaker from our ranks
Dougherty, of Sierra, one of the ablest Dem
ocrats in the House, replied in a telling
speech. lie ridiculed the idea that the Breck-
inridge side of the House had shown any
disposition to make proposals that could be
entertained 10y Democratic members Seven
ballots were taken. Our party presents an
unbroken front, and gives evidence Of good
drill, and unwavering faithfulness to the par
ty organization. What is to be the end of
all this it is impossible to even conjecture
The two wings of the Opposition refuse to
unite, although by so doing they could in
stantly organize the House. If they are each
willing 80 support Douglas man other than
Conness why do they not confer together and
unite upon one of our members? The fact
they do not is perhaps sufficient evidence
that not one of our men can be induced to
bolt the party to become candidate against
the caucus nominee. As l told you in my
letter yesterday, the Yancey factionists can
not make up their minds as yet to vote for
any man who stands firmly upon the Nom
Intervention platform adopted by the Demo-
cratic party at Charleston and Baltimore
They think we have among our members
some who falsifcd when they professed devo-
| tion to the Notional Democratic creed-who
only supported Douglas and johnson as n
means of getting seats in the Legislature, and
who are now ready to make the exclusion of
Breckenridge men from the councils of the
party, a pretext for boiling, and sneaking
into and swelling the ranks of the Breckin
ridge minority. / at one time feared that
they had reasons for so believing, and so said
| to you. The frmness since exhibited by all
| the Democratic members leads me to recon-
slider that opinion, and to say that judging
from present appearances, the obligations of
party usage are as readily Acknowledged and
as faithfully lived up to as they ever were in
times past.
1t is because Mr.. Conness has been non,i,G-
| ted that our friends will not stir peg back
wards. The opposition to him is not based
upon any antecedents of his which date far
ther back than the late Presidential struggle.
1t is conceded that he is a gentleman of abili-
ty, good parliamentarian, and worthy o.
the respect of the House The trouble, and
the only one, is that he has no Breckenridge
sympathies, no yearning for a restoration of
the corrupt and overbearing rule of Gwin,
Washington Co., no mental reservations
behind his advocacy of Democratic doctrine.
The men who refuse to support Conness here,
would, if they were in power, prescribe and
denounce every man who agrees with Ste
phen a. Douglas When the people see that
this is the condition of affairs, will they not
sustain the incorporating men who, having
helped to rescue California from South Caro-.
lima influence, are now battling TO prevent a
relapse Do the people desire a triumph
and decisive one, of the political jugglers
who have managed, by frauds, smoothly
worded platforms, and sun.blushing false
hoods, to make this State appear, as an ap-
pendage to the Cotton States of Mississippi
and South Carolina for years past p
If not, let them see to it that 9heir represen-
tatives stand firmly by the right. If we
should be defeated in this struggle, it might
pave the way for a lowering of our front at
the next primary elections There would,
perhaps, be efforts made to admit the rebels
of last fall to full party communion. Such a
course would be an abject and cowardly
| abandonment of all that was gained at the
! November election but what army ever ev-
er existed wherein there were no traitors and
no towards? The Democracy can only be
defeated hereafter by stupidity giving itself
up to its violent enemies. Ought any Demo
crat to now contribute to such surrender,
by encouraging yielding to the caprices of
Breckinridge men in the House? The NOR
al effect that such yielding would have upon
the future Of the party is surely too plain to
require any elaboration. The whole story
may be briefly told thus: We are either
| 81 IN o1h 10
cratic creed and organization. If we are
right, we should go on regardless of other
parties; if we are wrong, let US at once ask
forgiveness of the Federal officers for oppo-
sing Breckenridge and, to use a common
phrase, "hand in our checks" To compro-
mise between these two things would be to
say that political parties are mere banditti
organized for the purpose of feasting upon
the spoils and power of public Office In the
language of Miss Betsy Trotwood, 'let there
be no meandering"
The Senate o-day, by vote of l6 to lS
decided upon an appeal taken from the de-
cision of the Chair yesterday, that no busi-
ness can be transacted by them, requiring the
concurrence of the House, until the latter
body is organized.
Seekers after place here, find but little en-
eouragement in the report made by a special
committee ofthe Senate, to-day, recommends
ing the appointment of but two Committee
Clerks. CAPITOL.
ANOTHER English Prince will shortly visit