The Shasta courier., 1862-11-15
A Lesson from our Home Election

There are some facts connected with the
tesnlt of the recent State election which de-
ksrve special elacidation. The Official returns
'1h0M that the Total number of votes cast for
tEeofice of Superintendent of Public Instruc-
tion was only SS, $3.50. This is decrease of
"a, l62, or 20 per cent, as compared with the
vote cast for Governor in 1861, which was
1870. The falling off in the total vote
may be attributed mainly to the heavy emi-
grafton to Salmon River and Nevada Terri.
tory, which undoubtedly drew 80, 900 voters
temporarily from the State. The secondary
cause may be found in the Indifference of the
Peace Democracy to the election, and the
confidence of the Unionists. But it is notice
able that while the whole vote was so large,
the straight Union vote decreased only per
cent. Stanford had last year 81, ,036; Sweets
vote this year was 81, ,23S; making differ.
ence of 4,798. Stevenson had q, ,574, . fall.
ing of Of 9, ,430, or 80 per cent, from the
number given for Conness. Fitzgerald had
only 1887, against upwards of 81, 900 rece-
ived by Mcconnell; showing decrease of
1894, or IS per cent. The Stevenson vote
was undoubtedly strengthened by accessions
from the Peace Democrats or McConnellites,
especially in those counties-such as San
Joaquin-where fusion on local ticket was
effected between the two wings. The slight
falling off in the Union vote az compared
with the heavy decrease in the Secession and
total vote can be accounted for on the hypo-
thesis that very large proportion of the
true Union Democrats followed Conness into
the ranks of the Administration Party, as in
Shasta, for instaece. which gave Stevenson
only III votes. Stanford was elected by a
plurality; SWEET had majority in the whole
vote of 1907. Stevenson carried three
Fitzgerald carried seven counties McCon-
nell carried last year the Same seven and
eleven besides. SWEET carried thirty eight
counties, having majurities over both his
competitors In our Iodr whereas Stan
the organization of the Union Party went far
towards accomplishing thorough consoliIa-
ton Of the unequivocal loyalty of the State !;
and that it overawed and discouraged the op-
position. Had the Union voters been afforded
no medium for combining action, SWEET might
still have been elected by plurality, but in
majority ofthe counties there would have been
practical fusion of his opponents on local
tickets, and Instead Of having an overwhelm
ing Administration majority in the next Leg
islature, the Democracy of all stripes would
have been in the majority, and could have
elected Milton S. Latham, or some other pal.
terer, to embarrass the Government in the
United States Senate. 1t is to be hoped the
lesson of this election, as of the elections in
the Eastern States, will not be lost upon the
Union men of California. The enemy are
already preparing to make desperate and
powerful effort to regain political power in
the State. The Democratic leaders are now
plotting to bring about combination of their
scattered forces, and will use the errors or
misfortunes of the Government as an induce
ment for others to join them. They will
spend money lavishly, and flood the State
with lying documents and sophistical appeals.
Let all genuine loyalists who do not want
the country sold in the hour of victory and
finally settled with treason, beware of their
willy Vaccinations, remain firmly and cordi
ally together, and remember that they have
come together in the Union Party g for
good"