The Placer herald., 1861-01-19
Organized and Disorganized.

ing an organization on Thursday, but not
without disorganizing that dscorant politi-
cal combination, ere while so boastful of its
success, yclept the Douglas democracy. In
entering the Presidential campaign together,
the old boilers and recent administration
men were actuated by entirely different feel
ngs. The former were confirmed traitors to
Democratic principles and usages--the lat
ter had been faithful to both but in mistaken
zeal for what they claimed as party regular
ity, (although it is now historical that Dou
glas' nomination was secured by trickery),
they left their true standard to unite their
fortunes with those with whom they could
have no cordial union or sympathy. But
few Administration Douola men had pre,li
lec,ions for Repubcanism, while the old
boilers had so little aversion to the ''nigger
creed" that they had found no difficulty in
the two previous years in fusng with the sir
repressible conflict" men. This patch work
party went into the canvass, and for won
der got through it in tolerable harmony
They secured plurality, but not majority
of the members of the Legislature. They
felt jubant over their victory for few
weeks, but as the time approached for the
meeting of the two Houses, it was evident
that perfect happiness and concord did not
unite them all as a band of brothers. The
very first days proceedings in the Senate lit
the pyre of war, and caused the c'ashing
of lingual weapons. The election of De Ia
Guerra caused terrible wrath, and if the
"army in Flanders" swore with greater vim
than some of the outraged Douglas Senators
it is nowhere recorded De la Guerra was
Downey's candidate-Clalk was not The
Governor told Clark he would defeat him.
Clark dvuged this in the Senate chamber,
and Douglas Senators divided themselves in
hostile array against each other. Meanwhile
peace was not smiling upon the assembled
wisdom in the popular branch. Crnness,
the king bee among the small bolters was
aspiring to the Speakership. This was dis
tasteful to that portion of his party who had
always been consistent up to the :ime they
had boted their principles for the myth Of
regular organization. But they had to 90
into caucus and there John had them; he
received the Speakers nomination and felt
exceeding glad. But "there's many a slip
'twixt the cup and the lip" as John found to
his sorrow after days of unsuccessful ballot
ing. The 're@ulars" stuck to John day in
and day out, but the votes in his favor could
not be made 10 count more than thirty four,
and as it required thirty eight and nine, they
determined upon having some man who
could cross the gap. But persuasion in
caucus and out of it. could not induce the
spunky little chap from Ell Dorado to bulge
he had received the nomination, and his
party being strongest, he intended to make
the minorities come to him. But the IRE
gulars' determined that forbearance was no
longer virtue; and setting up Mr. Wood, who
had always been sound until seduced by the
''regularity" of Stephens nomination, they,
with the Breckinridgers, gave him some
thirty odd votes. 1t was not claimed, we
suppose, that Mr.. Conness, was a better Dem
ocrat than Mr.. Wood, but yet Conness and
his friends refused to come to Mr. Wood |
could have elected him at any momen'.
For several days the balloting went on, with
out success, until Mr.. Conness withdrew, but
instead of supporting Mr.. Wood, he put up
Mr.. Burnell, gentleman whom he knew
could catch the Republican vote. If Con-
ness was Democrat, his natural affifiation
would have been with Democrats; but his
nclinalions took him to the RepuLrans,
and he there found the SUI port for his car
lidate to insure success. This coalition has
lone the business, and shown Mr.. Wood,
and his colleagues of the Administration
Douglas school that CONFESS and Co., prefer
using with the Republicans to giving vote
70 man who has Breckenridge sympathi-
zers. So soon, then, has the Douglas party
IN the Legislature become demoralzed-
heir prestige Of victory is gone, and it is
now a fair presumption that the men of like
political incinaions there will act together.
This break up will undoubtedly give a
different phase to the Senatorial question.
Indeed it is more than likely that no cleo
ton will take place this winter.
Well, well, who would have thought that
the bottom would fall out of Doug lasism so
soon in California?