The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-14
OUR FIRST STATE ELECTION.
IT WAS HELD FIFTY YEARS
AGO YESTERDAY.
A Quiet Contest in Sacramento,
But Many Thousand Men
Did Not Vote.

Fifty years ago yesterday the electors
of the then new State of California as
sembled at the polls to ratify the first
Constitution and cast their votes tor
the candidates for Governor, Lieutenant
Governor congressman, State Senators
and Assemblymen, at California's first
general election.
Judging from the newspapers of that
date November 13, 1S4y the ratifica-
ton of the Constitution was a formal
affair and had practically no opposi-
ton. The papers gave that matter only
slight mention, realizing that its rati-
fication was a foregone conclusion.
But politics in We olden days ran as
high as at the present time, and stump
orators and liquid enthusiasm were
very much in evidence.
Writing from Sacramento to the alta
California" on November A. 1919, fifty
years ago to-day, ''E. c. X" the Sac
ramento correspondent for that journal,
had this to say:
The election yesterday was a dull
affair. All day long the rain pelted its
merriest, and the atmosphere was chill
enough to house the house living popu-
lation of this city. There We're pollcd
at the two section ballot-boxes, in all,
1868 votes, which is scarcely one
eighth the number of male residents
here.
1.-The number of votes counted up to
adjournment last evening was BOO
Burnett, for Governor, is running
ahead, and stands so, first and fore
most.
''On the Congressional ticket first
comes Wright, with Kewen hard after.
while Halstead (Pet) is whipping up
sharply. Gilbert is coming up steadily,
and there is much scattering for the
rest. The inspectors meet again at .
to finish their work The steamer Nc
Kim is casting off, and this must suf-
flee for the present Weather fine to-
day. E. c. K"
AT IL o'clock p. m. on November II,
1919, the night before the election, "E.
c. K" predicted an exciting time at
Sacramento, and the quotation above
smacked of the disgust he evidently
felt when the election turned out to
be a dull affair. On the night of
the 18th the Sacramento correspond
ent was in high feather, and wrote his
paper as follows:
THE city is on the eve of an exciting
election Canvassing, even at this late
hour, is carried on in it's various quar-
tiers, While busy politicians are infiam-
ming the public mind, and descanting
on principles and parties in every
drinking saloon in the city. The favor
able weather of yesterday and to-day
has impaired life and vivacity to the
body polite, and every profession and
pursuit appears prosperous. The "patri-
otism' of election times was never more
frequent nor substantially stimulated
and strengthened than at the present
time, and wire pulling whether sci
entifically accomplished or by means of
a file used about the neck of cham
payne bottle, is more or less successful,
as the crowd is Influenced by the case
GUS ability of the moving Spirits
AT I this evening a meeting of the
citizens of Sacramento took place in
accordance with the proclamation of
the Public Crier, but it was quite all
for buncombe, and of little else than
partisan interest About $50 were pres
ent in front of the City Hotel, and
speeches were made by Colonel
Zabriskie, Messrs. Kewen, Morse, Hal
stead and others. The speakers were
principally candidates for some office
or another, and the usual pledges were
made, patriotism displayed, and shouts
of response repaid by teller citizens
becoming such occasions.
"It is difficult to foresee the result of
to-morrow's election in this district.
From present appearances we think the
following ticket, in part, will prove the
successful one:
For GovernOr-P. H. Burnett
Lieutenant GOVERNOR. McDougal.
Representatives.. Gilbert and G.
w Wright.
state Senator's Bidwell, Harding.
Bigelow, E. G. Grant, and H. E. Rob-
inson.
TT will not be found far from cor
rect to say the candidates for Assem-
bly, are too numerous to mention, and
new stripes have been coming out
every day during the week, one nomina-
ton for Senator to Congress- closing
emphatically, a la Santa Ana, God and
Liberty Tonight a ticket is being
circulated bearing the name of Dennis
Sage for Representative.