The Red Cloud chief., 1881-03-17
CONFESSIONS OF A CANDIDATE.

IIhsel TtkEtt6 - W. w oti.-
Twas folly, but, by Jove, twas fun!
-BOstOn Pst.
CONFESSIONS OF A CANDIDATE.
Tho Brief Political Career Of Prentie-
MuifSrd-A Mcrcenary View or States
menship- Novel Method. or Canvasainx
Utter ISout at the Polls.
THIS is the confession Of a political
villain; not, however, a perjured pOliti-
cal villain. Inever swore TO run for
Office for my country's good. Ibid run
once for an Office for my own good. L
was unsuccessful. Virtue has its own
reward; so has vice. The wicked do
not ALWAYS flourish like green bay
trees. Indeed, judging from a home
experience, l am not prepared to say
that they flourish at all. The fall polit-
ical campaign of 1867 came On while
/ was carrying my comic lecture about
the camps of Tuolumne, Stanilaus and
Mariposa. A thought one day took
possession of me, .'Why not run for the
~LegislatureP" 1 belonged TO a political
party. My frozen toes troubled me a
good deal, and the lecture did not pay
much over expenses. ] consulted with
one of the pillars of our party. He be-
longed in Oak Flat. l took the pillar
behind Dan Munn's store, on Rattle
snake Creek, and avowed my intention.
The pillar took a big chew of tobacco.
stared, grinned and said: "Why not?"
/ consulted with another pillar behind
Bob Loves store in Montezuma. He
was throwing dirt from a prospect-hole
with a long-handled shovel. He leaned
on the shovel, blew his nose au naturct
without artificial aid. grinned, and after
some deliberation, said: ''Why not?" 1
found another pillar of u party slum-
ming out a reservoir neal Jamestown.
He was enveloped in yellow mud to
his waist. and smaller bodies OF mud
plastered him upward. A short pipe
was in his mouth and a shmgulliOn
shovel in his hand. He said: .aGoinfor
it and win"
ENTERING THE FIELD.
With less assurance and more fear
and trembling l consulted with other
and nor influential party pillars in
Sonora, the county town. Some hest
tated; some were dignified: some
cheeredme IN; some said, why notP"
l made the same remark to myself. and
replied ..Why notP" The Assembly
was a good gate for entering the politi-
cal field. Ny ideas of its duties were
vague. Of my own qualifications for
the post I dared not think. But what
matter? Other men no better qualified
than | had Comet to Sacramento, received
their ten dollars per diem and came
back alive. | could do that. They
seemed to stand as well as ever i'm the
estimation of their constituents. Then
"Why notp" The die was cast. an
nounced myself in the county paper as a
candidate for the State Assembly. The
County Convention assembled at So
nora. 1t was a body distinguished for
wisdom and jurisprudence. Somebody
nominated me. IarOse and paid some
body else five dollars. This was the
first price of ambition. Then l found
myself making my nominating speech.
1t was q very successful speech. | left
out politics altogether, made no pledges,
discussed no principles and talked no
sense. At first the audience stared.
Then they laughed immoderately at
times. So did l.. Then they nominated
me by reclamation. Ii was one of the
proudest moments of my. life. although
i did not know il at the time. Taken
for all in all, it was no wonder they
laughed. / was obliged to laugh nv
self ut the whole affair behind the Court
House when the Convention adjourned.
And '.Why not?"
POLITICS WITHOUT SENTIMENT.
1t was the laugh of n fiend! / wanted
the position for the per diem. l was
buried in turpitude. My colleagues
were all running on principle to save
the country. 1t is singular that the
motive of such a wolf in sleeps cloth
ing rs | was at that time was not de-
tected. The great and good men.
secure in their own rectitude and purity
of purpose, by whom | was surrounded,
never once guessed ut the presence of
the snake in their grass. Looking back
at this occurrence after the lapse of
nearly twenty years, | am more and
more astonished that the party should
have risked taking such a load as my
self on its shoulders. l had no position,
no standing, next to no reputation, no
property, no good clothes, no whole
shoes, no fixed habitation and three
sore toes. / had not nor did not real
lie the responsibilities OF q citizen. l
had no family and could not realize the
duties and responsibilities of those who
were rearing Young citizens for the
great Republic. Should such a man be
sent to the State Legislature? OF course
moi. Are such men ever sent? OF
course not. l do not think now that at
tho yNar,A4 Cn,1nn of Il NOS avon tnnnr-
ruptible. Should q person who seldom
saw over ten dollars in his possession at
any one time be sent where he might be
"approached' by designing men? Of
course not. Was such an one ever sent?
Never, The commonwealth of Cali
fornia ran a fearful risk in my nOmina-
ton.
SINS OF A CANDIDATE.
Few. probably none, suspected the
mental misery | endured during this
campaign. Because L knew and felt
my turpitude, L knew my untitneSs
for he position to which l aspired. [
knew where lay the snake in the grass.
Could / meet daily a trusting, credulous
constituency, who believed that my
mind was full of projects for the relief
VI the Stdte anu NdllOil, WllIOut Ic-
morse? OF course not. l had remorse
bad, but | dared not back out and off
the track. So kept on, and the vult-
ures gnawed my vitals. Those who
think the wicked have such a good
time are sadly mistaken. Our party
was firmly grounded on one grand be-
lief. 1t was that nothing the other par
ty could do was right, nothing that we
did was wrong. This at that time L Gid
not believe. But 1 pretended to. Or
rather I stiied all thought on the SUBJ
ject. This was the first great sin. I'm
like my colleagues, 1 wa untrue to my
W convictions. They-but how L
wished for their faith. 1t could move
mountains of doubt. Mine couldn't.
How l hated my conscience. 1t tor
mented me worse than a chronic collie.
There l was standing shoulder to Shout
der with patriots-battling bravely for
q cause, a principle. while IL cared
for naught save a seat in the Assembly
at ten dollars a day.
A LIVELY CAMPAIGN.
1t was a stirring. campaign, that of
1866, in and about Tuolumne County.