Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-11-02
Reorganization.

test. When general who has been furnish
ed with all the means and appliances which
he considers necessary to gain a victory over
his opponent, is unsuccessful and his army is
routed and cut to pieces, he is usually sum-
moned before Court Martial and required
to state the causes which conspired to turn a
prospective victory into defta If he is
notable to make satisfactory statement to
the Court. he is dismissed in disgrace. So
it is with party leaders. The people are the
jury and their verdict is recorded upon their
ballots. But this method of procedure is
not applicable to the rank and file. They
cannot be reached individually. The defeat
of an army, aside from the incompetency or
negligence of its leaders, when the contend
ing parties are alike in point of numbers and
discipline, almost invariably arises from want
of sympathy with and distaste for the cause
or principles for which they are fighting. So
far as the causes of defeat are concerned, ar
mics and political organizations are analo-
gous. Now, the Union party was defeated
in the last campaign. What is the cause :"
is the question which everybody is asking
his neighbor. 1t is a palpable fact that rev.
olutions in public sentiment are not easily
effected. Large bodies move slowly"
morally as well as physically, and to effect
great, sudden political change in the people,
requires correspondingly powerful cause
something which excites public attention
and feeling, and which stirs the pool of pub
lie opinion to its deepest depths. No one
can claim that the change from Unonism to
Democracy; from the principles of liberty
and justice to those of slavery and an oil
garchical despotism from an honorable
course in relation to national Indebtedness
to one which looks towards reputation that
when progressive nation takes step back
ward in the march of civilization and en-
lightenment, there has not been change of
the most radical character. What, then, are
the causes which have reversed at the ballot
box decision written in blood with the
swords decision proclaimed at the lannon's
ilOulAi, anu ItCOlulliS VI NulCl lOTnS the
bloodiest page in history. Is the mission of
the Union party fulfilled No; it was form
ed for the purpose of consolidating a d.
vided nationality and its integral portions
are not all restored. Are all men equal be-
fore the law: Nominally, but not practi-
cally so. Was it the action of the " indie
pendent press No; not in California,
even. The settled convictions of mems lives
the prejudices of birth and education, are
not changed and removed, in few months,
by two or three newspapers. That doctrine
is an absurdity. Let every man ask himself
whether his ideas of political right or
wrong take their shape from any one partic-
ular paper :" and see what the answer will
be. That newspapers indirectly influence
and in some degree mould public opinion,
there is no question; but that the issue of an
important election hinges on the course pur-
sued by clique of publishers, is sheer nom
sense. That the Democrats, impelled by
lust for power, the spoils of office and
knowledge that. their identity as party de-
pended upon success, made gigantic efforts,
is true; but the causes of defeat lay deeper
than that. In our opinion, the first great
cause is the attempt to extend the franchise.
Another is that the leaders of the party have
become corrupt and lost the confidence of the
people. Prohibitory liquor laws and anti
Germanic Sunday enactments may have had,
some influence upon the result, but the
effort to inaugurate indscriminate suffrage
is the rock upon which the Union party has
been wrecked. 1t is useless to deny that the
attempt has been made to give the negro the
ballot in the loyal States. A Bill was intro
duced in the Senate, not long since, by Sum-
ner, which declared "that Congress has the
right to bestow the elective franchise upon
whom it pleases," so far as the election of its
Members and President of the United States
is concerned, without regard to State Con-
situations or laws. To be sure it was defeat
ed !; but it shows to what lengths the ex-
tremists would go if they had the power, and
the people have become alarmed. Another
thing, if is not one of the doctrines of the
Union party to allow negroes to vote in the
Northern States even, how does it happen
that it was an issue in the late election in
Ohio where the party has been in power:
Who placed the question before the people
Not the Democrats. The people seem to be
of the opinion that, because our naturaliza-
ton laws are not stringent enough and con-
sequently a great many unthinking, igno-
rant persons hold the ballot now, that
is no reason why the evil should be extend
ed. If either party would pledge themselves
to the abridgement of the franchise it would
at least catch the floating American vote.
We do not believe that a majority of the
Union Members of Congress are in favor of
| indiscriminate suffrage; but they have al
lowed themselves to be guided by such ex-
tremists as Sumner, Wade, Butler and
Stevens-men who, previous to the war,
were the leaders of a party Insignificant in
point of numbers-and the people have re-
buked them for so dong. Before the rebel
lion it was not considered safe to place pub
lie affairs in their hands, and the people do
not consider them any more capable now.
Next Fall will be the Presidential election.
The party has learned lesson and been
purified by defeat. From the ational plat
| form must be excluded that doctrine which
the people have refused to endorse. Grant,
Sherman nor Sheridan, will consent to be
placed on platform which has indiscrimin-