The Placer herald., 1865-09-30
Presents the Issue Squarely.

| kToS6UtS Lu0 AbS00 O4U0ACAy'
Gen. J. NJ. Ashley, mot military many
q member of Congress from Ohio, and a
competitor Of Schuyler Colfax for the Speak
er.hip Of the House Of Representatives, after
making 40 extended tour through the min
ing region Of the Pacific slope, has given
the people Of San Francisco and Sacramento
40 ight into his opinion upon national
politics, by public speeches. His San Franz
cisco speech was published quite full in the
Bulletin, but bis Sacramento one is cut Oft
with brief mention in the Union. After the
usual enconums upon the lovely climate
and abundant mineral and agricultural
wealth Of the country. he launches into the
negro suffrage question with vim that
shows it is the subject nearest his heart, and
q hobby that he and the radicals OF his party
intend to ride to success or disaster. On
both occasions he announced himself unqua.
itisdly in favor Of negro suffrage, and made
the subject the telling point Of his speech.
1t is little remarkable, in connection with
this subject, that Mr.. Cofax, brother Con-
gresham, should speak SO frequently in this
State, before the September election. and en-
! tirely ignore the issue, and that Mr.. Ashley
speaks Immediately after voters had deposit,
ed their ballots, and advocates the doctrine
to its fullest extent. 1t looks much as il
Mr.. Cofsx had been put in leading strings
By the Long Haired" managers here,
for fear the enunciation of his senti.
menls would jeopardize their success in the
election; while in the case Of Gen. Ashley,
the necessity for disguise being no longer
important, he was permitted to ventilate his
views withou, let or hndrance. |, WAS
pretty dodge, and the game was so we'll play
ed that thousands Of voters were cheated
into the belief that the question Of negro
suffrage was not at issue in the politics Of
the country, and therefore voted for the
the falsely named Union candidates. As the
local and Legislative Offices are no longer at
stake, and two years will intervene before
they are again TO be filed the leaders in
California are not averse that prominent
members Of the party, like Gen. Ashley,
shall make his proclamation in favor Of ne.
gro suffrage, that the education of the party
TO this theory may commence in order that
the members may be fully indoctrinsted by
! ~ tko, C,,k Il T
sla!ive election comes around.
Gen. Ashley is represent tative man Of his
party. Hs holds the same opinions on this
question that are entertained by Sumner,
Chase. Wade, Greeley, and many other pow.
erful leaders Of the Abolition party, and
they will labor with the same untring zeal
and industry for success as characterized the
efforts Of the old anti slavery party. They
are agitators of the most irrepressibe stamp
and whether in or out Of power, danger
Gus to the peace and harmony of the couu-
| try. And they are dangerous, because, un,
like the old anti.slavery party, but mere
handful for many years, they represent a
powerful minority if not a majority Of the
so-calsd Union party, and consequently
have strength that is not to be despised.
At the late election in this State there
were thousands, aye tens Of thousands Of
men who voted the ticket known as Long
Hair" who denied any sympathy with the
doctrine Of negro suffrage, and declared their
determination to take a stand against i,
whenever they understood it to be an issue
Many Of these men may make their words
good-ws believe theywilI-but many Others
who now so loudly deprecats negro suffrage
and negro equality, will be converts to the
doctrines Of Gen. Ashley and as Jealous 10
their advocacy as the General himself; and
will 20 as far as the most radical in hasten.
ing the population Of these States to the po'
litical, physical and intellectual degsneracy
that has overtaken any of the Spanish.
American countries.
Gen. Ashley is entitled to some respect
for the boldness and frankness with which
he has spoken. He has shown us precisely
where he and his radical friends stand ano
informed Democrats and all conservaliv,
men of the nature and full import Of the con
test before them. Forewarned is to be fore
armed, and the Democracy will accept tn.
issue as presented and fight it out on ,ha
line" until the Abolition citadel is com
plsleiy invested, mined and blown TO the
clouds.