Year: 1873

At this present writing il is difficult to
decide the political complexion of the
next Legislature, and consequently hard
to tell who viii bear off the Senatorial
prize, which has been the great bone of
contention in the present canvass. OF
one thing only are we certain, and that
is, that no one man can claim a clear
majority of the Legislature. The friends
of Governor Booth are doing some despe-
rate figuring to make out a majority for
him, but in the list we think there are
many whose choice will lay in another
direction. In San Francisco, the twelve
members elected on the dolly Var
den ticket are pledged to Booth or Cas-
sorly, as either one may develop strength
in the interior counties. But it is pre-
sumable that on the first ballot, those
who were elected on the Independent
tickets as Democrats will vote for Cas-
serly, while those who were elected as
Republicans will support Booth. These,
/ in the Senate and House, taken together,
are about equal in numbers, consequently
to carry this Independent vote solid for
any one candidate, that candidate must
rely upon having the straight vote of his
own party. This, then, leaves Booth
with no alternative, than to trust to the
members Of the very party that he has
sought to destroy, for the fulfllment Of
his ambitious schemes. The straight Re-
pubicans in the Legislature, including
/ the hold-over Senators, number about
fortythrce, and with the exception of
three votes from Sierra, one from Placer
and one from Yolo, there are none that
we know to be instructed for Booth 1t
is more than probable that in a Senatorial
vote tho majority of those Republicans
will vote for a candidate still in good
standing as member Of the party,
while it is equally probable that the
Democratic Legislators will be a unit for
Casserly from the start. If such prove
TO be the case, the Governor will find like
Samson, that in pulling down the Temple
Of Republicanism, he has crushed himself
beneath the ruins.


! We believe from present indications,
that the fight in the Legislature will be
moncycd one, and that the side which
disseminates the coin most freely, will
win. Our present Senator, if rumor does
not belle him, owes his seat in Congress
to free use Of money among the Demo
cratic members of the Legislature in 1867,
and when we reflect that attempts at in
vestigation into the manner in which that
election was held, were crushed out by
the Democratic majority Of that body,
the reports have plausible appearance,
to say the least. "Our Eugene" will
have glorious field for the display of
that peculiar talent among Independent
Republicans and Independent Democrats.
His past experience will show that if he
can buy body of men to vote for him,
he can also buy it for silence. As the
affair looks now, his chances in the Sena-
torial fight are the best of any, for al
though there are few less Democrats
than Repub leans in the Legislature,
there is no division Of opinion among
them, while with the Republicans who
were nominated and elected in the regu-
lar manner, ard who owe their seats to
the prestige of party organiza:!!c", there
cannot help being a feeling of bitterness
toward the man whose efforts, above those
Of all others. have contributed to the de-
feat of the party in this State.


Had Booth made his fight for the Sen
atorship in the ranks Of the Republican
party, it would have been assurcdy
crowned with success. We think that
throughout the State, and especially in
the central and northern portions. he was
the direct choice Of the masses. But with
his detection from the party which has
made him what he is, came a reaction
which has made his chances look doubt
iul, to say the least. Strong Republican
counties, where the regular Republican
nominees were pledged and in structed
for Booth after that detection, have gone
Democratic or Independent, and their
legislative votes are lost to him. Such is
notably the case in such strong-ho!ds MS
| Neyada, Placer, Soluno and Santa Cruz
have been. In the contest for men prin-
ciple has been lost sight of and the result
is that all has probably been lost.