Year: 1868

I
islature some time since. has passed both
Houses, received the Governors sanction and
become law. 1t provides that Represent
atives shall be chosen the coming Fall, at
/ the Presidential election. and every two
years thereafter, inst ad Of a year subsequent
! to that period as would naturally have oc-
/ CURED had no change been made. The law,
in our opinion, is an exceedingly good one,
as it precludes the possibility of our
being without representation in the ma
tional councils. Special sessions of Con-
gress are not unfrequently called, and as
under the old regime there was an interval of
about six months between the expiration of
the terms of our Members of Congress and
the election Of their successors, we were
liable to be without representation in the
event of an extra session being convened.
Such was actually the case last year. The
terms of our Representatives expired on the
4th of March, 1867, and their successors
could not be chosen until the following Sep
tember. In the interim, it was considered
necessary by Congress to remain IN session
to keep watch and guard upon the actions of
the President During that period-from
March until Novem ber-C California was with
out voice on the floor of the House of Rep
resentatives. Special sessions are more likely
to be called upon a change of administration
| than at other times, from the fact that the
victorious party is naturally anxious to con-
form the policy Of the Government to its
principles without loss of time. Under the
present law, as Members of Congress viii be
elected previous to the expiration of the
terms of incumbents, we shall always be pre-
pared for an emergency.


The passage of the Act referred to has
given rise to considerable newspaporial dis
cussion, whether the State Convention called
to meet in Sacramento on the 31st inst


should nominate candidates for Congress or
not. With all due Difference for the opinions
of one or two leading Union Journals which
have advocated the affirmative side of the
question, we think it would be not only bad
policy, but extremely unjust to the masses of
the party to do so. First, no expression of
the wishes of the people has OF can be had
upon the subject now. The primary cleo
tions have been held and delegates to County
Conventions elected all over the State. As
the call for Convention, by the State Cen
trail Committee, declares that it is simply for
the purpose of choosing delegates to the
National Convention" and makes no men
ton whatever of an intention to nominate
candidates for Congress, we contend that no
expression of the will of the people has been
had upon that subject, and that 1t was not a
question ct issue in the primaries. The Sc
lection Of those who are to speak for and
represent US in the popular branch of the
law-making portion of the Government, es-
pecially in the present critical condition of
our national affairs, is privilege which the
people regard with jealous eye and mat
ter in which they will not be dictated to by
Convention which attempts to transcend
its powers. Secondly, Congressional elec-
tions are comparatively local affairs. Each
District has its own Committee whose duty
it is to call Conventions for the nomination
of candidates for Congress when such officials
are to be elected. No call has been issued
by either of those Committees and that of
! the State Committee makes no reference to
| Representatives. From what source, then


will the delegates who will compose the State


Convention obtain the right to make NOM
nations for Congress, should they attempt
to do sos Certainly not from the call of the
Committee nor from any power delegated by
the people. 1t is not at all likely that Pres
idential Electors will be placed i'll nomina-
ton by the coming Convention and no
definite declaration of principles can be made
until after the adjournment of the Chicago
Convention. After the candidate for the
Presidency has been selected, and the plat
form upon which he is to stand has been
framed, then we can proceed understand
ingly; but to attempt to nominate Electors
and Members of Congress, and frame plat
form now before the meeting of the National
Convention, might place Us in a position from
which we would have to recede in order to
harmonize with the national policy of the
party. There is certainly no necessity for
hasty action in the matter. Seven months
yet intervene between the present and the
time for holding the election. Nominations
now would render the canvass long. ex-
pensive and tedious. By all means let US
await the result of the deliberations of those
who will convene at Chicago on the Goth of
| May before committing ourselves. The
most essential particular in the approaching
campaign is to harmonize our forces and
close the gap in the ranks. If these desra-


BILE results can be secured-and no difficulty
will be experienced # the proper course is
pursued-the vote of this State will be cast
for the Union nominee if, however. those
who are entrusted with the leadership of the
party evince disposition to disregard the
wishes of the people, disafection, enmity and
discord will be increased and defeat inevita-
bly, follow. The people have a right to ex-
press their preference for Representatives at
the Primary elections, and if the privilege is
denied them, experience has proved that
party ties are but ropes of straw. New
issues are constantly arising. and in the
present unsettled condition of National affairs
and continually changing aspect of the polit-
ieal horizon, the most lamentable results
might follow haste and indiscretion. Our