The Shasta courier., 1867-08-03
Gen. BidweII's Position.

The principal charge urged against Gorham
is that it was generally supposed. until the
count was declared, that Bidwel had a
majority of votes in the State Convention.-
His crime is that he beat Bidwell for the
nomination. 1t has been urged as merit
on the part of Bidwell, that he would do
nothing to secure his own success, and that
he was SO confident of spontaneous nomina-
tion, that his personal and political friends
could not meet him for consultation, except
after his inspection of scented card convey
ed by a colored intercessor. 1t has been
said that if he had been nominated, it would
not have been bv anv trade or trick, or by
the semblance of any of the practices custo-
mary among politicians. From this it would
seem that he expected the office of Governor
to fall to him from the heavens. as mamma did
to the children of Israel, forgetting even
that those favored people had to be up
sufficiently early to gather the mama before
the Suns rays fell upon it. 1t may serve
some purpose of '' the independent press"
10 ascribe this character of dignified and
virtuous imbecility to General Bidwell but
it is hardly in keeping with his successful
efforts to wrest fortune from the profitable
world, or in consonance with those highest
arts of the politician displayed in the pro-
curement of the dismissal of the appeal III
the Chico grant case. These papers do
General Bidwell injustice, or else they
describe character which he assumed for
the occasion as a master stroke of policy, and
which, because of its failure, lie does not
see proper to sustain to the end of the per-
formance. Gen. Bdwell has been nominated
by little mass meeting of sore and dlsap-
pointed politicians in this city in opposition
to the regular Union nominee. The usefof
his name by his tacit consent gives substiin
tial aid to the Democratic nominee. When
appealed to as to his position he says. when
officially notified Of bis nomination, he shall
decline. The organs Of the sorehead gather
ing say it never was intended that be should
be so notified He is thus informed thai he
never will be officially notified. He would
upon this, if the characteristics ascribed to.
him by the 50 independent press" were cor
rect, publish a manly letter, stating that the
use of his name was without his consent,
and unauthorized, that he had submitted his
claims to a Union Convention. and that he
should cbeerfully support its nomiDees-that,
having refused the nomination of Governor
when it could have been secured by a bar
gain, trade or trick, he repudiates the trick
bv which he was nominated with the avoweG
intention of not officially notifying him; he
should then call upon those who profess 10 be
bis friends to unite with him in a hearty sup
port of the whole ticket. Thus far, instead
cf this, he scatters letters over the State, like
snow flakes in Winter, avoiding expressions
of opinion on the one subject about which
the people desire to be informed, but filled
with professions of loyalty, and urging Gen.
Grant for the Presidency. Practically, they
amount to a roundabout nothing, and their
principal merit consists in the literary ability
displayed in the concealment of the ends OF
the circle in which they run. Notwithstand-
ing the vote of his proxy in the Charleston
Convention, Gen. Bidwell is truly loyal, and
when the disappointment of defeat shall
have somewhat abated. he will leave no
doubt on any mind that he is in hearty sym
pathy with the Union party, and earnestly
in favor of the election of its nominees. lie
now practically declines the nomination
made by the sorehead party; presently he
will say frankly that votes cast tor him help
the Copperhead ticket, and to this he will
not willingly be party or an instrument.-
Sac Record.