The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1866-12-08
WHOLE NO. l2O
Wilkinson and the Gazette Exposed

Wilkinson and the Gazstte Exposed
We desire to notice statement made
by Councilman Wilkinson in his CORES
| pondence with his paper, the Gazette,
| published at Helena In alluding to
those who voted against extra compen-
sation, in the Democrat, he complains
that we gave credit to Councilmen Spratt
and Chiles of Madison county, for voting
against it, but for some reason did not
announce that Councilman Wilkinson
also voted against it. When we alluded
to the vote Of Messrs. Spratt and Chiles,
their action as representatives from
Madison county was under considera-
tion, and if the aforesaid correspondent
had read the article closely, we feel sure,
with all of his admitted dullness of COM
prehension, he could not have come to
the conclusion that any slight or omission
was intended But from the history we
have obtained of his conrse on this bill,
we think any statement that he was OPP
posed in heart to extra compensation,
would be spreading incorrect informa-
ton among his constituents. Now, he
corresponds with his own paper, and the
Gazette, in his absence, has gentlemen o
capacity to conduct it, yet it has not had
the courage to come out squarely and
boldly against extra compensation and
Councilman Wilkinson's opposition to
the bill when it was first up before the
Council was very feeble and uncertain,
and no one considered the gentleman as
: intensely hostile to taking all the bill
would give him, and pocket it with as
keen a relish as any gentleman who
voted for it.
Again, when the bill came back from
the House amended, and the Council was
called for final vote, the aforesaid COM
planning editor was not to be found. We
/. saw the door-keeper in diligent search of
him, and from a statement in the Post,
, (whose reports are furnished by MEM
Der of the Council the editor of the
bold and daring Rocky Mountain Gazette
: lodged the vote, and had not courage
. enough to face the music, and yet this
valiant champion can't see why Major
5 Bruce" overlooked the fact that he, like
e Spratt and Chiles, voted against extra
compensation.
We care very little about the dodging
on the part of Councilman Wilkinson,
9 but what we do complain of is this The
. Rocky Mountain Gazette started out as q
70 Democratic organ, of the unterrified
stripe, Its argument was that the Dem
3 ocrat did not quite fill the bill of intense
Democracy-they promised that the Ga
zette would supply all that the Democrat
70 was deficient in, and they were going to
, "cry aloud and spare not"
u Let us see how far these bold champ
r ions of Democracy have come up to their
=. promises.
= At the last election the real issue in
~ the canvass was the legality of the Legis-
~ lature. The fight was between the Fed
eral Judges, who decided it illegal, and
y the Democracy of Montana, who con-
o. tended that the people had the right to
=. ~ elect members.of the Legislature, and
a az that they could lawfully assemble in
"a Virginia City. What course did the Ga
~ zette take in this matter? The chief ed
.Is itor of that paper was candidate fol
no the Council, and both he and his paper
lodged that question, and had not the
=, courage to face the music and the Fede
' a raj Judges. This we know, for we holt
:" the evidence of the fact, that in Edger
:, ton they declined to adopt the resolution
;s endorsing the Legislature, as was done
- in Madison as well as in Meagher. Th'
- mM Democrats of Madison believed it wa
"a the real question in issue, and deemed i
- due to Governor Meagher, who had tax
~. os en- the responsibility to call the Legisla
,@as @ ture, that his action should be indorset
- and sustained. The Councilman and ed
~ itor from Edgerton had not the mora
"a : courage to meet this question, or th
IN proper appreciation of the gallantry O
~ II Meagher to stand by him in his mani.
~. ar efforts to give to the people of Montan
an o. the right to govern themselves. On thi
question so vital to the interests of tn
10 Democracy, the editor of the Gdzett
,,ot fiinched, and failed to face the Fedora
@ Judges, and hence the great danger C
: " defeating the Democratic ticket in Ed
Y. gerton. We awfully fear that the sam
- course pursued for one year more by tn
- Gazette, will at the next election secur
-" the success of the entire Radical ticket
%. Then look at the course of editor Wi
I tI kinson and his paper on this question G
~ extra compensation. Does it come ou
IA -, as genuine Democratic sheet shoult
aa aa and boldly express it's views. Has it e,
~ hibited any facts to show why such
measure should not pass at this tim
.m ~. when the Territory and counties are II
/. " boring under such heavy debts? Fs
~. "a from it. The Democrat has taken stron
I ItsJ ground against the bill, and it's friend
,IIu I don't like its course all this dislike
80 the Democrat will be grist to the mill {
, 80 the Gazette :" if we hold our peace"
- this the course that paper which ws
al to be an outspoken Democratic orga
nit ought to pursue, when question OF
on. much importance is on the tapis.
: = Now, we are frank to say, that lea
sounding professions never took our fai
10 I'D cy, and in nine cases out of ten, they tul
,erv ~ out to be deceptions; and so far as
loI have been able to discern the animus
hg the Rocky Mountain Gazette. it will ne
20. er sacrifice its own interests for the sal
TT 7, of the Democratic or any other part
onJ II and when the two conflict, that pap
nar will 60 for number one.
Z nf In regard to the respective action
: tba U the CouEciimen from Edgerton, we in
III nitely admire the bold and independel
r.a 10y support given to the bill by Messrs. w
IiAOS nd nxyru IN f1n foob1o fr,r