The daily mountaineer. (Dalles, Or.) 1861-1866, 1865-12-16
THE sOLDIERs' VOTE.

The State Rights Democrat of the 9th inst.i
contains paragraph in relation to the SOL
diers vote at Camp< Watson, which does
manifest injury to them and as we propose
to explain to that journal the actual facts,
we trust in its courtesy to make the proper
correction. AS to the legality of the votes
cast there for the legislative candidates at
the Special Election, we think that the pro-
per time to raise that question was when the
contestants for the seat were both in attend
ance at the Special Session. This was not
done, and we are not disposed to 60 behind
the record in the matter to open the issue.
There were undoubtedly some of the soldiers
who voted there who were citizens of this
county and of the Fifteenth Represen tative
District, and there were some civilians who
were legally entitled to vote at the Special
Election. Whether there were any illegal
votes cast, we have not had the means of as
certaining, simply because the poll books
were returned to the Secretary of State,
without being inspected in this city or any
where else that we have heard Of If any
illegal votes have been cast, it should be
made the subject of investigation, if not too
late, and the facts in the case made public
But it is in another matter that we think the
correction is needed, and this is the particu'
lar: 1t is intimated by the Democrat that the
soldiers were kept at Camp Watson on pur
pose to vote, while their services were needed
in another field of operations. To show tba
the military services of the volunteers were
required at the time in question at the place
where they were then stationed, we recall t.
the memory of our cotemporary the fact, tha
three days previous to this election, within
forty miles of Camp Watson, squad 0
eighteen of these very soldiers attacke
and defeated about Fifty Indians KILN
over dozen of them and losing on
of the most gallant and efficient sol
diers that ever was furnished to the arm
from the State of Oregon. From this
would seem as if the position at Camp Wa
son was somewhat resky," as our coten
porary has it, and that these soldiers wei
at the time stationed at a place required b
the exigencies of the times-actively ell
gagged in military enterprises of "great pit
and moment" and as far as we know
were doing their duty. For the furth
information of the Democrat, we will sta
that soldiers are stationed in consider
BILE numbers in the Owyhee country, and
they do not thrash the Indians it is the
fault, probably, and not those at Camp Wa
son, who have done fair proportion of 9
the Indian fighting of eastern Oregon duril
the last four years.
- The Democrat has frequently remonstrat
with other members of the press upon i
subject of impeaching the action of 1
courts, and inr regard to tn eOregon practice
trying man in the newspapers, both befo
and after his trial before court and by
jury, and with great reason. We take
that in going behind the record in this ca.
similar error is committed. Once for a
we should strive to have all things done
cording to the regular operations of the !,
and the constitution, so that we may esca
the consequences of official caprice. In Il
country it is easy to get at the facts, and I
proper way to do it is to bring the VIII,
matter up for judicial investigation. Fall
in this, there is nothing further to be dc
about 1t.
MIDDLE BoIsa NEws.-The Middle IL