Year: 1875

We are within few months Of an inn
portant State election, at which State Of
fcers, Members of Congress, Legisla-
ture and the various county officers are
to be elected. Thus far comparatively
! little has been said as 20 who will be the
nominee of either of the parties for the
chief position on the ticket. More inter-
est is shown in Democratic than in Re-
publican circles-arising, probably, from
the fact that the success of that party in
the Fall elections has given it members
in this State more confidence than they
have generally mustered. We are COM
PEELED to admit that so far as prestige"
is concerned, it lies with the Opposition.
The Republican victory Of 1871 was
worse than defeat could have been. 1t
elevated TO the chief offices of the State
those who were more intent upon the
qualification Of personal ambition than
the good of the State, or the welfare Of
the party. These men have abused the
confidence reposed in them by creating
divisions in the ranks which seriously
compromise the chances OF success in the
next campaign. The Independent move
ment accomplished nothing except the
election of Booth TO the Senate where he
will stand alone in his glory-the one sol
itary representative Of " hat was 10 be the
/ n " "a fpRs tn 80
which it was predicted would swallow up
all other parties, as the rod Of Aaron,
when it became serpent swallowed up
the rods OF the magicians Of Egypt
The rank and file as well as the leaders
Of the Independents were taken in the
main from the Republicans, and it is in
these divisions where the Democrats will
find their chief strength. If they are kept
up there will not be the ghost Of a chance
Of defeating that party il this State at
the election. 1t is united and jubilant
over its prospects, and even its errors are
CLOSED over and apologized for by the
3 organs Of the Independents, whose chief
pDJ'Nb GUMS ~ ~ W HiidJ Nuc county
in an attitude Of hostility to the admins
tration, regardless Of the means employ
ed to effect that end.


Is the country prepared for ful ther
Democratic successes Ii we are to
judge by the fruit which the last ones have
brought to maturity We answer, no. A
triumph Of that party in California will
be interpreted ms an endorsement by the
people Of this State, Of all the lawlossness
= and rutiiani,m which is now being prac-
tced TO crush out Repubicansm in the
South. We have seen how the turbu-
lent spirits there, encouraged at the ap-
parent reaction in the North, at once
threw off the mask and attempted to car
ry out by violence what they could not
carry out with the forms of law. More
Democratic victories will be followed by
other scenes of bloodshed and intimida-
ton, which will at last awake the people
to n sense of the fearful responsibility
resting upon them. We should not at
tempt to disguise from ourselves the fact
that the south is bitterly opposed to both
the letter and the spirit ,of the constitu-
tional amendments, and That if the poll
tics of the National administration be
changed, there will be open and undis-
guiscd hostility whore it is now covert
Reconstruction was delayed during the
administration OF Mr.. johnson, by the
acts Of the Southern people who, when
permitted 10 have a hand in framing the
governments under which they were to
liye betrayed Mt once how much they
were deserving of the magnanimity
shown them, by at once passing laws
which would have sent the colored peo-
Pile back to a condition nearly as CALLING
as their old state Of slavery. Their
course necessitated the adoption Of the
Fifteenth Amendment, by which their
p former chattels were placed upon polit-
ical equality with themselves. Now who
? can for moment doubt that what they
5 attempted with the forms OF law, but a
. few years ago, will be tried without those


forms, if they feel assured that their
5 Northern sympathizers, when once in
; power will look leniently upon and apol-
= ogse for their acts


The moral Of the political situation is,
that those who are Republicans must act
as such. The State Central Committed
of the Independents is called to meet
and consult in regard to political action
in all probability the hungry pack who
are engineering that movement will put Il
third ticket into the field. a vote for that
ticket is an indirect vote for Democracy


We know that in other States the Inde.
pendent party has no existence; that in
this State it will have none in the Presi.
dental campaign next year. Under such
, circumstances it will be the height Of fol


ly for Republicans to give any sympa-


thy or encouragement TO a movement
, so purely local, but whose effect, if il
has any can only be disastrous TO the
cause Of Republicanism in n national
point Of view.


s@~s-r4--s--a-s-s-s-su.-ss


THE rainfall OF December was not quite