Weekly Trinity journal., 1862-09-06
LaIhan's Record.


! seems to be familiar with his subject, furnishes
I the following record of Lathams political career
from '52 down to the present time. 1t is worthy
3 of perusa
: Milton S. Latham nominated and elected
along with his colleague, Gen. James A. Me-
Dougall, to Congress in 1852, by the united De.
Sshacraey of California. In 1854 the Democracy
Z again assembled in State Convention to nominate
+ Representatives to Congress- but the Convention
! broke up in q row as between Broderick and
( Gwin--each faction finally meeting in separate
Conventions, the Broderck wing renominating
Latham and McDougall, and the Gwin wing
nominating Denver aud Herbert, Subsequently
4 and prior TO the election, the Gwntes induced
Latham (who remained at Washington,) to write
letter declining the nomination. Latham
stated in this letter. in order to conceal his true
motives, 4. e. playing into the hands of the
Gwntcs, that he was tired of Office or rather to
use his exact words, Z" he was sick of the filthy
pool of politics" The Broderickites then nomi-
mated Mr.. Churchman in Lathams place. but so
close on to the election that the change was not
made known throughout the State. The result
was that Denver and Herbert were elected.
In the following year, 1855, Latham became
suNdenly conValescent of his sickness OF the
- filthy pool of politics." and announced himself
JUST on the eve Of the meeting of the Democratic
Convention, as a candidate before it for the
nomination of Governor and this, too, after he
had but two or three weeks previously pledged
his WOIu ana nOnOT 10 GON. BlHlcP ~ tnhI uUutT
no circums ances would he (Latham) be a candi
date for the position before the Convention
against him." (Bigler) Latham also gave the
same pledge to the Sacramento delegaton--a
fact which Col. Wm Long, one of the Sacramento
delegation, boldly charged upon Latham to his
face in the Convention while Latham was on the
stand before that body TO define his position and
solicit the nomination. The result was that
Bigler was nominated and Latham defeated. But
Latham got even at the election by defeating
Bigler and the entire Democratic ticket, and
throwing the State into the hands of Governor
johnson and his Know Nothing party. And yet
Governor Blgler becomes n tool in the hands OF
Latham aud seeks seat in the Legislature in
ordS that he may vote for him 10 go back TO the
Senate of the United States.
We next hear of Latham 0abbling in the
filthy pool of politics " the following year,
1885, by his seeking aud receiving the appoint
menl from President Pierce Of the Office of Col
lector of the Port of San Francisco. vice Richard
i. Hammond, removed. And again, in the fol-
lowing SCAR, 1857. we find Milton S, Latham
using, to lbs utmost limits, the power, influence
and patronage of his Office to elect himself United
States Senatar. llncrinnGtely. however, iar him,
/ The Legislature of that year was beyond the CON
troll bf Custom House Influence BrOderick was
/ its iavorite and had its entire confidence Brod
erck was elected by that body to the l0:g term
or, father, in Weler's place; and the question
was next; who should be elected TO the short
term-Gwin's place? Latham and Gwin be.
came the principal contestants aud il was well
understood by both, well as by the people
generally, that it rested with Broderich to say
which should be his colleague and successful
at pirant. Both sought his inliuence-boh were
ready 10 accede to any terms whereby they could
clutch the prize. At first, Brodcrck was dis
posed to favor Laham-wh0 crawled into his
(Broderck's) back door at the Magnolia, Sacra-
mento, at midnight, November II, 1857, " dis
guse3 so perfectly (as Wm. +. Williamson, who
accompanied him, states in a card published in
the Sacramento UHioH, August l6, JS59O that
johnson or Lees the San Francisco police detec.
tives, could not have known him." to beg of
Broderick to make him Senator
In speech delivered at Nevada during the
campaign Of 1859, when Latham was stumping
the State along with Gwin, Terry, Calhoun Ben
ham, Tilford and others, against BrOderick, and
which canvass resulted in the death Of Brodetick
at the hands of Terry, Mr.. Latham stated that
he did visit Broderick at his rooms at the
Magnolia at midnight, to see on what terms
Broderick would give me Qatham) his influence
for the Senatorship instead of to Gwn" In this
same speech Mr.. Latham acknowledged that he
G4atham) " had told Gen Eslil that ii he would
draw up writing that Broderick should have
all the Federal appointments but three Charley
Scott, tate Congressman and now in the rebel
service, being one of the three) he (Latham)
would sign it, conditional on Brodcrick's giving
his support to him Q4atham) fer the Senator
ship" " O the filthy pool Of politics" In the
same speech. and preceding these acknowledge
ments, Mr.. Latham stated that he bad "rcjccted
Broderick's offer Of the Senatorshp provided
(Latham) would sign writings surrendering to
him (Broderick) aud his friends, all the Federal
offices in this State" (Latham couldn't think
OF giving up his now rebel pet, Charley Scott
no, not even for the SenatorshipD
Unfortunately for Latham and his visit that
night, Broderick had just previously heard from
his then friend and political protegf, Frank Til
ford, whom BrOderick had elevated to a seat in
the State Senate from San Francisco, that he.
Tilford, had missed letter from his room which
Latham had given him, pledging that he (Tford)
should be appointed Collector Of the Port of San
Francisco in the event Of Latham's election to
the United States Senate. Tiford, on that oc-
casOn, and as he has admitted since charged
Latham in presence Of Broderick, Estil and
others, with having puroned that letter from
his room, and threatened TO defeat Latham's
election as Senator on the morrow on account of
it. This frightened Latham that be sent his
friend Prindle TO look up the missing letter, and
that, with such HELM, the letter was found in The
Uery piace ohere Ta(ord had preuiously iooked for
ii Ia Uain that Uery eoeHing These facts have been
admitted by Judge TifOrd since he became an
enemy to Broderick, in order to obtain aud hold
the position of Naval Officer under the Buchanan
Administration.
The developments Of the missing letter case
had the instantaneous effect to put Broderck on
his guard against Latham and his treachery
Aud notwithstanding Latbams subsequent offer
on that night to sign writings to give up all the
Federal appointments to Broderck, save three,
Broderick spurned him aud his offer aud decided
to accept " the least Of two evils " by making
Gwin Senator. the latter voluntarily writing and
publishing letter Of his gratitude to Broderick,
and sOlemnly promising under his own hand.
writing to surrender all the Federal Offices aud
political influence to Broderick. Thus Gwin be.
came an United States Senator again, and Little
Trckster Latham lett out in the cold to dabble
again in the filthy pool Of politics." as he was
sure TO do. Gwin was elected by Broderck's
aid over Latham on the fourteenth ballot, re
ceiVing forty seven votes (seyen more than nee
essary TO choice) to twenty six votes for
Latham. SO ended this series OF Latham's dab
bling in the filthy pool of politics, but not his