The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-10
California; Elections.


From the ~. Y. Tribune.
California was organized as a Democratic
State, and so remained till the breaking out of
the civil war, save that it was carried in 1855
by the Know Nothings. 1t was always under
the control of 'ring" of Pro-Slavery wire-
workers, known as 'the chivalry," and call
ing themselves Democrats though many of
them had been Wings in the slave States
whence they migrated. In 1856 the Demo
Gratis from the Northern States, who had for
years submitted with ill grace to this Southern
rule, were so skilfully organized and so ener-
getically led by David C. Broderick a gradu-
ate from Tammany Hall, that they achieved
the control of the party machinery, and chose
Broderick United States Senator; but another
seat falling vacant Just then, Broderck was
induced to assent to William NJ GWin's cleo
tion thereto, under a promise that Gwin
would defer to him in regard to all Federal
appointments. This promise was made to be
broken, and was broken, as might have been
foreseen. Under Buchanan, ''the chivalry,"
led by Gwin, had their own way at the White
House; and, when Broderick made fight, they
read him out of the party, broke him down,
and one of them challenged and shot him. In
his death the Northern Democracy were tenn
porarily obliterated.
The Lecompton struggle renewed their vital
ity; but Gwin still ruled the party, and headed
an apti-Douglas delegation at the Charleston
Convention. Douglas being nominated how
ever, the Northerners rallied, and, under the
prestige of Irregular nominations beat "the
chivalIy" in the Presidential vote of 1860.
When the tocsin of rebellion was sounded
the chivalry openly took the side of the Rebel
lion, hoping to secure at least the neutrality of
the Pacific slope, if not its actual adhesion to
4la( ,fo1a Eaili ~, SO 41.on
pretty general rally of the Douglasites to the
Union standard. many of them (ineluding
Judge Terry, the slayer of BrodeTick General
Albert Sidney Johnson, who was killed at
Shiloh, and Philemon T. Herbert, eX M. c.
made their way over to the Confederacy, and
did good service in its ranks. But every such
fitting helped the Union cause in California
while the elequence and zeal of the Rev. T.
Starr King, who had just migrated to that
State, powerfully aided to bring many Douglas
Democrats into its support. Thus an irwin
chile party was gradually consolidated, which,
for the last two or three years, has ruled the
State by l5, coo to 10000 majority.
In 1864 a United States Senator was
chosen to replace Ex-Governor Latham, a
"Chivalry'' man, though born in Ohio. Messrs
7. 6. Phelps and A. A. Sargent, Representa-
tives in Congress, were long the leading can
ddates, with nearly equal strength; but the
rivalry between them was so keen that the
choice ultimately fell on John Conness, an
Irishman, who had been Broderick and
Douglas Democrat, and is a citizen of marked
integrity, ability, and worth, but who seems
to labor under chronic inability to regard
those who are not his personal adherents as
incapable of stealing whatever they can lay
their hands on. His colleague being Demo-
crat, and the victim of an unfortunate habit,
Mr.. Conness was thus constituted a power in
California politics, and his sway has raised up
host OF implacable enemies, resolved at all
events to defeat his reelection by the Legisla-
ture to be chosen in 1867.
At the Union State Convention of this year,
the friends of Conness were barely successful
his enemies say, by foul means. They charge
that the COnness men elected their delegates
from the great counties of San Francisco and
Sacramento by stuffing the boxes with Demo-
cratic votes They charge that George @.
GOrham, whom the Conness men nominated
for Governor was a lobbyist, and had re-
peatedly been engaged in legislative jobs to
enrich individuals at the expense of the pub
lie. We do not know that these charges were
true, but they have certainly proved effective.
| Gorham is beaten, as any COnness man would
! probably have been; the boilers setting up a
man of straw, but casting their votes directly
for Henry H. Haight, the Democratic candi-
date, who is leading lawyer in San Francisco
and an uneXceptionable citizen. The fact that
naISnt was All early ana prominent hepuDll-
can, for some years Chairman of the Republi-
can State Committee, was made to tell in his
favor, though, if he does not prove a bittereI
and more venomOus COpperhead than any ori-
| ginal, consistent Democrat, he will prove that
! there is no rule without its exceptions. OF
course, the bOlters-who control the Assooi-
ated Press dispatches, as they controlled all
the leading California journals-say that, il
! Bidwell had been nominated for Governor, he
would have been elected by 10000 majority
SO he might have been, pro0ided the Conness
men had supported him as the anti-Conness
men failed to support Gorham. Onthis point
all is euess-work and speculation.
judicial election is TO be held next month";
when an effort is promised TO retrieve the dis
aster of last week we shall see with what
success, A great party, long excluded from
power, is not apt TO be defeated in the first
flush OF an overwhelming victory which it'
J opponents have, by quarrelliDg, thrown into
its hands; and the patronage of the newly
chosen Governor State officers, Legislature
San Francisco municipality, etc. etc., vii
stimulate the Democrats to do their utmost
The probability is that the Union party canno