The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-08-23
RepabIIeanIsIa ~ Its GlOry-RU6s1-
Ism Transplant.

Last Saturday night Benjamin r. Nick
erson, independent Republican candidate
for the Assembly, addressed the people
of this city in front Of the Cary House,
and for daring to do so was villainous-
~ assaulted and blackguarded by promi-
nent members of his own party, many Of
whom claim to be decent and respectable
members of society. 'Old men, who hyp-
ocriticaIly profess to be Christians, we are
sorry to say, were the most boiStcrous,
vulgar and riOtous. They stood off and
yelled and screamed and blasphemed rap.
turOuSly-disgracing themselves, their
party, their manhood, their professions Of
piety, their city and their families. They
showed their contempt for free speech,
their slavish instincts, their innate era
venness and vulgarity, by hOOting at,
cursing and interrupting a member Of
their own party, for daring to exercise
the privilege Of freeman. We have no
language to express our contempt, scorn
and adherence of the miserable wretches
who had the will but not the courage to
incitc riot. Lacking the spirit of man
hood, they skulked behind boxes and
posts, and spit their venom at q speaker
whom they we're afraid to face.
Alta previous Republican meeting Nick
erSOn preEeccod graS~ charges against
Thomas Fitch, Junior" Republican
| nominee for the Assembly, and urore;sed
to produce the proof at future meeting.
If the charges were substantiated many
respectable men felt that it would dis
grace the county to elect Fitch to the
Legislature. Nickerson, rather Boosting
~ and imprudently, stated on the streets
that he had procured the proof and would
produce it. This excited the malice of
the friends of Fitch and the leaders of the
Abolition-fusion party, and they swore
he should not be permitted to expose
their candidate. They sent for and
brought into the city their strikers, arm
ed to the teeth, purposely to break up
the meeting, cause "A riot apd spreERRt
Nickerson from exhibiting the proof Of
Fitch's shrewdness," as the fusionistS
characterize his rascality. But the man
they could not silence by promises they
failed to intimidate. He mounted the
stand, referred to charges he had made
against Fitch, produced the proof and
convinced every unprejudiced man that
Fitch was guilty. The evidence was
strong, positive, overwhelming and irrcf.
utable. We shall lay it before our read
ers and let them judge for themselves.
Before closing NickerSon invited Fitch
to take the stand to explain the charges
he had made against him, with the sig
nificant remark that he (N. had other
disclosures to make, not ilattering to
Fitch.
Fitch took the stand, and to the aston
ishment and modification of the lusionistS,
admitted nearly every charge that Nick
erson had made against him-OdInittcd
what he had previously indignantly de-
nied-admitted that he had been expelled
from the Masonic Fraternity. &C., but
a Skcd his friends to regard his miscon
duct as youthful indiScretions"! lie
speedily disposed Of this part Of his sub
ject, and then passionately attacked Nick
erson's personal character, but before do
ing so discreetly remarked that he would
not be held responsible by Nickcrson for
what he said. Toms prudence is bis
greatest virtue. When he left the stand
Nickerson was loudly called for, and in
response he stepped upon the platform,
but the fnsionists were unwilling to hear
further damning evidence of Fitch's
guilt" as NickerSon mildly expressed il,
and for long time they kept up con.
tinual and disgraceful bowling. Not a
word the speaker uttered could bc heard
Wilder and more intense grew the excite.
nent; fiercer and stronger did the friends
of Fitch cry, put Nickerson off the
stand" but not a man Of them ventured
to try the experiment. At length Mayor
Jones deliberately mounted the platform,
courteouSly requested the mob to be qui.
ct, and resolutely announced that the dis
turbance should be quelled, and that
Nickerson should not be molested. His
few words, firmly spoken, had the desired
effect; and Nickerson, nearly exhausted,
abruptly concluded his speech.
1t was the conviction of every unpreju.
diced man present that the fuSionistS
feared the effect of Nickerson's speech
and proof and that they were determined
to suppress both. They partially sue
ceeded on Saturday night, but both will
be published. Had they believed in
Fitch's innocence they would not have
interrupted Nickerson. They would have
urged him to speak and listened to him
attentively, knowing that if Fitch could
clear himself il would operate greatly in
his favor. This impression was general.
After Ni1ckersonI e~~0surc ii Fitch, S
"shrewdneCs," we cannot see how a re-
spectacle party or an honest man can vote
for Fitch.
JUsT PUNISHMENT OF A ScouNpREL. On
Monday last, in the District Court Of