Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-08-24
Democratic Meeting,

of extensively advertised mass meeting of
the unterrifed was held in Mokelumne Hill.
AS immense preparations had been made,
and the greatest lights of the bogus Demo-
cracy were announced to be present and
speak on the occasion, we expected to see
large gathering of the unwashed but not
withstandng the imported delegations from
Amador and various portions of this county.
they at no time numbered more than two
hundred and fifty, all told Union men in
cluded. The town was partially illuminated
with candles. Col. Dudley was chosen
president, with some half-dozen vice presi-
dents, I. brady and W. F. Moses, secre-
taries. As the officers elected were not
prompt in taking their seats on the stand,
the Colonel requested the band to 'give Us
touch > the band touched" Mr.. Haisht
was the first speaker. He prefaced his re-
marks by alluding to our beautiful town;
said it was the incest village he had seen in
the mountains. He spoke of the intelligence
of his audience; but he made several asser-
tions and advanced ideas before he concluded,
which he must have known to be untrue,
and unless he presumed on the ignorance of
his hi arers, he would never have attempted
to sustain his untenable position. In the
outset of his remarks he added a plank to
the Union platform. and from the portion of
that instrument which he himself created,
drew his deductions and based his argument.
Starting off with false proposition, he was
compelled to resort to misrepresentation to
give his misstatements even the semblance of
truth. The whole burden of his song was
the negro and Chinaman. lie said that the
questions of negro and Chinese suffrage were
the main issue in this election, and that the
ULion party was in favor of extending the
franchise to those classes. We contend that
both of Mr.. Haight's assertions were false
and that he knew they were when he made
them. Nothing relative to the suffrage
question can be found IN the platform of the
Union party in this State. it is not advocated
by Union Speakers or the press, and is not
, matter pertinent to this canvass. Cinnamon
cannot become citizens of the United States,
negroes are prevented from voting by the
introduction of the word white in our
State Constitution and no power can change
it but the will of the people expressed at the
ballot box. That the radical ma jority in
Congress is in favor of extending the fran
chise to the loyal blacks in the seeded
States, Ia fact. and that they will do so.
whether the Democrats win this election or
not, is equally true. But all of Mr.. Haight's
/ efforts to confound the policy of the Union
! party in reference to the rebellious States,
with that which it is pursuing in relation to
those in the Union. will not be sufficient to
deceive the intelligent masses. The state
ment that the Union party of California is in
favor of allowing either negroes or Chinese
to vote here, might possibly answer for ar
gument for fourth-rate pot-house politician;
but when enunciated from the stump by one
who a>pires to the proud position of Gov
ernor of this State. he is either grossly ig-
ncran. himself, wilfully falsifes. or judges
standard. Mr.. Haight's evidence to prove
that the Union party is in favor Of indis-
criminate suffrage, was that MIR. Gorham
had not deniedit." Brilliant idea, certainly.
| The next Democratic speaker may contend
that the Union party is in favor of allowing
| cattle and mules to vote-Mr. Gorham has
not denied it. The platform of a party is
the criterion by which to judge its principles.
not the statement of individuals. The aver
sion of the citizens of this State to the
Chinese, and to the negroes, too. for that
matter. is SO we'll known that the idea that
the elective franchise will ever be conferred
upon either, is simply absurd. We do not
| htlipye there are a dozen men IN the State in
favor of Chinese suffrage, and not thousand
willing to extend the right to vote to the
negro. In any event, the question is foreign
| to and does not, in the remotest manner,
enter into this election. MIR. Haight be-
walled the condition of the unreconstructed
rebels of the South, and sympaihized deeply
with them in their afiiction-having TO vote
with negroes or stay away from the ballot
box, He saio he "didn't know but he
would rather be hung, if he were there,
rather than to submit TO such ar indlgnity.
/ Poar fellows! Mr.. Haight touched slightly
upon the Railroad Bill. Tide Lands. etc.
His speech was a smoothly woven webb of
subtitle sophistries and glittering generslities.
we'll calculated to mislead and deceive those
who accept the words of their party speakers
as gospel.
10 Hamilton. the next speaker, was intro
duced by the president as the funniest man
in the world" but he sustained his reputa-
ton poorly. With the exception of stale
anecdote or two. he made no attempt at
facetiousness. In fact, Democratic stumpers
and candidates do not feel in laughing
mood just now; something appears to
weigh heavily on their minds. Mr.. Hamilton
pursued the course usual for 'orators" OF his