The mountain Democrat., 1865-04-08
TAo senatorial question.

the next Legislature. Politicians are
aware Of this fact, and are "sctting their
traps" accordingly. They are forming
combinations and marshaling their clans
for the contest, which promises to be ex-
citing and hotly contested, but not bar
monious. There are many aspirAnts for
the position, and among them are some
who have not a single qualification and
whose election would be q singing refec-
ton upNN the intelligence Of The people IS
California. Trusting to the ''sublimity Of
luck" and the credulity Of their party.
they enter for the stakes. They all have
their friends, and strikers posted in differ.
ent localities to advocate their claims and
manipulate conventions. They are all
industriously at work, bargaining, trading
and promising positions to every man of
the party Of the least influence. 1t is fair
to presume, under the circumstances, that
"mixed delegation" will be elected in a
number Of the counties, and that it will
be a difficult matter to concentrate the
strength Of the party upon candidate.
1t may be necessary to resort to another
wardrobe" scheme to elect Senator. -
The last one acted like charm, killed a
formidable candidate and elected a weak
one, and the honorable caveS.droppers
we're all rewarded for their delicate and
disinterested services. Certainly strong
inducement for other honorables, of the
same party, to follow their example.
1t is notorious that the dominant party
is split into factions called respectively
Short Hair and Long Hair-the former
led by CONFESS, Redding, Low & Co., the
latter by Phelps, Pixley, Sargent & Co.
The Long Hairs are formidable in plumbers
the Short Hairs in thorough, compact
organization. The Long Hairs are the
old line Republicans, who are honest in
their intentions and Sincere in their con
victions who advocated Republican prin-
cirles when it was unpopular and odious
to do so; who have superior claims on
their party the Short Hairs are the con-
verts, who, but few years ago, slandered
the Republican party, ridiculed its leaders
and execrated its creed; and who, strange
to say, were not converted to the Rcpub-
lican faith until after the triumph of the
Republican party and that party had
spoils at its disposal. Their sudden con,
version looks suspicious; they may be
sincere, but the old liners distrust them.
And they have reason for their distrust,
for as soon as the converts affiliated with
the Republicans they demanded the larger
share Of the spoiIs aud threatened to bolt
if their demands were not complied with
Their chief was elected L. S. Senator his
fugleman Secretary of State, and nearly
all Of the State and many Of the Federal
offices were given to his followers. Never
were converts more literally rewarded for
their apoSt1cy never were they so ins0.
lent in their demands. This generosity
on the part Of the Republicans ought to
have satisfied them, but it did not. Their
chief aspires to the leadership Of the Re
publican party, claims the right to fill all
the offices with his adhcrents, and dictate
the successor of Gen. McDougall. The
Long Hairs are not disposed to submit to
his dictotion any longer. They have done
more for the party than he has, and they
can represent it fully as ably and far more
faithfully and acceplably in the Senate
They arc not SO destitute of able men as
to allow him to say who shall and who
shall not be elected to the Senate: and
they are determined to elect one Of their
own number. This determination on their
part gives assurance that the election for
members Of the Legislature will be spirit
ed, exciting and acrimonious between the
factions. The Short Hairs, by long prac.
ticc, are thoroughly skilled in all the arts
and tricks by which conventions are car
ried and if the Long Hairs rely solely on
their numbers, they will be defeated. The
Short Hairs are active, united, unscrupu-
lous and devoted to their chief, ready to
obey any order and withdraw from any
contest at his bidding, and in this they
have advantage Of the Long Hairs, who
are not very active and are frittering away
their strength on different candidates.
The Short Hair wing is harmonious, the
Long Hair wing divided, and if this state
of things continues until the conventions
meets, it is not difficult to surmise which
wing will be successful. In our county,
if the Long Hairs acted in concert, there
would be no contest; they would carry
the convention by an overwhelming ma
jority, but they are little too indepen-
dent to follow the lead of any man, and
their independence may lead to their de-
struction. In other counties, they may
be better organized, and if they are they
will wipe out the Short Hairs-if not the
Short Hairs will wipe them out. 1t is q
family fight, in which we take but little
interest and care not which wing whips.
We notice it merely to keep our readers
advised of the good feeling existing be-
tween the two wings of the dominant
party.
PErricoAT PoLITICIANs.-In the cele.
brated Opdyke libel suit in New York, in
which the rascality of prominent Adolf
tionlsts was exposed, the speech of one