Year: 1867

now 10 Hemeuy the EVIL.


The causes which led to the overwhelming de-
feat of the Union party in the last election have
been pretty thoroughly discussed by the press o.
California, and nearly all are agreed that il
did not result from any great change of princi.
pies among the voters of the State, and cannot
be looked upon, or in any way construed, a
triumph OF Democratic ideas of Governmental
policy. Even with the conservative portion of
the Democratic press this fact is acknowledged
and the conclusion drawn that although it has
been Union defeat, there is no Democratic vic
tory. Californians, of both political parties, un-
derstand perfectly well the causes which under
lie and have produced such wondrous effects.
They know that the Union party was defeated by
itself that the apathy which existed in the par
ty from the hour when the State Convention
trampled upon the wishes of the people and
caused thousands of Unionists to lose all inter-
est in the success of the ticket because they be-
lieved that enough would vote to secure the sue
cess of the Congressional and Legislative por-
tions, and not caring straw whether the nomi-
nees of the State Convention were elected or not.
And the result Of this feeling has been, that
while every Democratic vote in the State was
undoubtedly polled, thousands of Union voters
refused to avail themselves of their privileges,
preferring that political power in this State
should pass into the hands OF their enemies
rather than sanction the corruption which had
placed the Union party at the will of few am
bilious, INSCRIPTIONS politicians.


But while these causes perfectly under
stood ON this coast and their legitimate results
partially anticipated, at the East the news has
been received with wholly different intcrpreta-
ton. There, in the absence of better informa-
ton, it is looked upon rs a complete reversal of
every decision which California has rendered for
the past six years-as triumph of Democratic
principles as we'll as Of Democratic nominees.
1t is thought there that the Congressional policy
of reconstruction has not suited the views OF
many who have, in the past, acted with the
Union party. President Johnson is reported as
being highly gratihed with the result in this
State, believing, or affecting to believe, that 1t
is an Endorsement of his policy in opposition to
that of Congress. On what grounds this opn-
ion is based it is difficult to decde-the eyes OF
a lynx would fail to discover anything in the
platform of the Democratic State Convention ap-
proving his plan, and their stump orators took
,tood care not to carry the dead weight OF the
accidental President into the canvass with them.
But this Endorsement will be claimed whether 1t
has any foundation in truth or not, and Union
men cannot shut their eyes to the disagreeabe
fact that the result of the election in our State
will kindle anew the hopes of the unrepontant
rebels of the South, and throw fresh difficulties
in the way of the Congressional plan of restora-
ton in that quarter. 1t would be idle now to
discuss the past, and to show that all such con-
clusons founded in error. Take our own
county as fair criterion, and how many do we
find who were classed as Union men in the past
that are members of the other party now Two
three disappointed ofhce-hunters, and perhaps
half-a-dozen grumblers who make National leg
islation upon the Negro question their excuse
for leaving the party, and who would have left
it without any excuse at all. YET IN Trinity the
Union Gubernatorial candidate runs more than a
hundred behind the average county ticket.


To correct the false impressions with which
the result of our election will be received at the
East, there are two things devolving upon Union
men in this State, which may go to show thai
loyal California has not gone back upon her glo
rous record but is as true to the great princl
ples of Union. Liberty and universal Freedom
as at any time in the past. The Union press o.
this State must show the press at the Eas
the causes which have been at work TO pro-
duce these results, and the Judicial Election II
October bring out the full strength OF the Union
vote There is in our opinion, at least lo,oo'
majority in this State in favor of the Congress
sional plan of reconstruction, and had Genera
Bidvell or some other equally unobjectionable
man received the nomination of the State Con
vention, he would have been elected by these
figures at the very least. Nothing then is need
ed to secure the triumph of the Union candidates
in October but to bring out the full Union vote
of the State.


Our nominees for Supreme Judge and super
intendent of public Instruction are men emin'
emily fitted for the positions to which they as
pire, their record in the past amply proves
Not only are they the nominees o: our party, ou'
they the undoubted choice of the people
placed fairly before them for their suffrages
without any of the log-rolling and trickery
which, unfortunately for us, too frequently char
acterizes the proceedings of political bodies
The excellence of these nominations are acknow-
lodged on every hand, and candid Democrats ad-
init that if Union men do not permit the election
to go by default (as they did in September)
nothing can prevent their being chosen by large
malorlties We hope then, in view of the false
political position which our State has assumed
that Union men throughout California will awake
to the necessity which exists that the true senti
ments OF our people must be expressed and
made known We have the power and car
easily show our loyal brethren at the East that
the Golden State stands side by side with them
upon the question of reconstruction. as she stood
side by side with them in the contest to nreserv.
and perpetuate the Nation.