y
R A T E S OF A D V E R T IS IN G !
BEDROCK DEMOCRAT,
P U B L IS H E D E V E R Y
W EDNESDAY,
BY
J. M. S H E P H E R D .
O ffice in P ierce’s H a ll.
P erm s
S u b s c r ip t io n
of
One year,..........................................
Six M onths,............... .....................
4 00
2 50
C o r r esp o n d en c e from all portions of
Eastern Oregon is solicited for the D e m o c r a t .
All communications, to receive attention,
“ ust be accompanied by a responsible name.
Personal communications will be charged
*•* special advertisements.
BAKER CITY, BAKER COUNTY, OREGON, MARCH 11, 1874.
VOL. 4.
BEDROCK DEMOCRAT.
BUSINESS NOTICES.
DRS. PRICE & S E M I ,
8 . M . P E T T E N O I L L & C O ., 10 S t a t e
Street, Boston, 37 Park Iiow, New Y ork,
»na 701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, are
our Agents tor procuring advertisements
l o r t h e B e d r o c k D e m o c r a t , in the above
2 !,les> .ancl are authorised to contract lor
advertising lour lowest rales.
n3lf
Second E dition.
DENTISTS,
T m 6 are now PrePare(i t° do all kinds of
JOB W ORK on short notice and at reasona­
Have permanently located in
ble rates.
BAKER
C IT Y , OREGON ,
N. B ._ A ll Job W ork MUST BE PAID
EOR ON DELIVERY.
And are prepared to operate in all branches
o f the
to m ® K ra s ® »,
H. J. GEER, Proprietor.
All work Warranted. Office One Door be­
low the CITY DRUG STORE.
Baker City, Oregon.-n7y
T
I N l> l i K S I G M i l )
W ORLD
respectfully call the attention of
H E
farm ers
and
Fruit Trees and S tolery,
both useful and ornamental, for which I will
sell low for “ MONISH.”
SEND FOlt CATALOGUE.
Address,
H. J. GEER,
Cove, Union County,
Dl71y
Oregon-
P R O F E S S I O N A L CARDS.
L. O. STERNS,
T. C. H Y D E ,
N o t a r y P u b l ic .
Sterns & Hyde,
A tto rn e y s
and
C o u n s e lo r s A t-L n w ,
B A K E R C IT Y , OREGON.
L . O. S terns will attend the Courts of the
Filth Judicial District, and of Idaho and
Washington Territories.
Water Rights and Mining Litigation a
S p e c ia l t y .
Collections promptly attended to.
June 18, 1873.n6y
Attorney-at-Law,
B A K E R C IT Y , O REGO N .
IL L P R A C T IC E IN A L L C O U R T S
o f thè State.
W
Baker City, Sept. 1, 1873. n!7y.
I. D . H AINES,
AND C O U N S E L O R A T
Law, Baker city, Oregon.
[n lt f
A TTORNEY
J. M. S H E P H E K D ,
A tto r n e y a t-L a w ,
B A K E R CITY, OREGON.
S. V. KNOX,
A ttorn ey at L a w ,
(And Notary Public,)
W E S T O N ,
O R E G O N .
W ill practice in the Courts o f this State and
Washington Territ ,ry.
Q P E C I A L ATTENTION PAID TO LAND
Business, and Collections.
n l3tf
J O S E P H H. S H I N N ,
N o ta ry P ublic
AND
C o n v e y a n c e r ,
W ill attend to Conveyancing and making
ABSTRACTS OF TITLE .
Baker City, Sept. 11, 1872.
n l8 tf_
E. W. REYNOLDS,
N O T A R Y
P U B L I C
AND
D E P U T Y U. S. M A R SH A L.
Office with John Brattain, Three Doors
South o f B e d r o c k D e m c r a t office,
on side o f the Street.
Baker City, Sept. 3, 1873.nl7m4
D r . E c 3 ?. T i e r n e y ,
PH Y SIC IA N A N D SURGEON,
BAKER
R
D EN TAL PROFESSION.
C ITY,
OREGON,
e s p e c t f u l l y in f o r m s t h e c it -
izeus o f Eastern Oregon that he bas lo­
cated in Baker City, and gives strict attention
to his Profession.
HT^Office opposite the corner Drug Store.
Private Residence, next door to the
Catholic Church.
Baker City, Nov. 5, 1872.-n26tf.
T . 1ST. S n o w t M . D .
Physician and Surgeon,
B A K E R CITY, OREGON.
the City Drug Store.
O f f ic e — At
MEDICAL E X A M IN E R
F or the New Y o r k Life Insuranoe Co.
n !3if
Mrs. R. C. Shepherd
IS AGENT FOR
. f ir m & Baker’s Sewing MacMnes.
Baker City, Dec. i , 1872.n30tf
R. M ’IN T O S H .
Respectfully offers his services to the Public
In the capacity of
JOINER AND
DESCRIPTION
°f
f
i Ä
T
B
Look at the Supplement for first
rate miscellaneous reading matter.
OP
HON. E. S. McCOMAS,
Delivered at La Grande, Oregon,
February 21st, 1874, in reply to
Hon. James H. Slater.
*]
o
4
GD
[Continued from last week.]
U n io n C ounty , A u g 26th, 1873.
P
t—1
o
E d i t o r D e m o c r a t .- — In looking over the
wide spread and extensively copied com­
munication of our late member of Congress
W ATCHM AKER AND JE vYELER, from Union county, which appeared in the
B e d r o c k D e m o c r a t of July 23rd, in reply
to a letter received by him from Col. T. H.
ESTABLISHED IN BAKER CITY IN 1867,
Cann of Salem , we find many items of pe­
Keeps constantly on hand a well assorted culiar interest, at this particular tim e, to
the Democracy of this State, especially as
Stock of
it is a well known fact that our Hon. E x-
M. C. has, as usual, got his “ dish out” —a
chronic habit with him , whenever there
is signs of an official shower, and one that
and is prepared to do all kinds o f work in he has closely adhered to ever since the
enthusiastic Democracy of Union county
his line o f business.
first placed his name prominently before
Waltham and Elgin Watches at Factory the people. The situation was such in
1868, that the Democracy of Eastern Oregon
n3 ]
Prices
[ tf.
felt that they were entitled to name the
Representative to Congress from east of
the Cascades. They had by united action,
and at a heavy expense to many members
of said party, who never asked or expect­
MAIN STREET,........................................BAKER CITY.
ed any remuneration in the way of office,
builtup the party, and furnished a “ reserve
R EID & FLETCH ER , Prop’r.
guard” that had turned the tide in favor of
HIS HOUSE has been enlarged and re­ Democracy in mauy a hard fought politi­
fitted, and is now the best Hotel on the cal contest.
On looking around there seemed to be
Umatilla and Idaho stage route.
one who desired the nomination, and
Stages leave this House for above and be­ but
he, (J. H . hlater.) was the one. He was
low, and also for Clark’s Creek Eldorado, enthusiastically in favor of an Eastern
Gem City and Sparta.
Oregon man receiving the nomination, and
Connected with the Hotel will be found a more particularly that he should be t h e
m a n . A ll favored a man from this loeali
first class
ty—none seemed to care much who he was
—all thought he would do about as much
good in Congress as he would at hom e.—
Liquors, Wines and Cigars o f the best There seemed to be no opposition on that
quality. Phelan’s Improved Billiard Tables score, in fact there was none. A ll were
anxious in regard to our railroad interests,
ail in good order.
and the nomination was made—made by
o------o
men wno could as easily have defeated as
N. B .—Those indebted to either the Hotel to have selected him. The election that
or Saloon are requested to appear at the ensued raised him from the humble posi­
tion of a county attorney to one of great
Captain’s office and settle.
no5v3tf.
responsibility and considerable p ro fit-
provided mileage could be calculated by
way of the North Pole. He went, he saw,
he DKt w h i s S a l a r y and came hom e.—
Those who enquired for him during his
absence were informed that he was sup­
IL L IA M C O N ST A B L E W O U LD
respectfully inform the Public that posed to be in Washington. Those who
were interrogated felt safe in venturing
he has opened the
the assertion, as he had departed from Ea
C o s m o p o lit a n S a lo o n ,
Grande with a pocket full of affidavits of
Corner of Fror-t Street and Court Avenue, those who were supposed to k n o w , the
opposite Virtue’s Bank, where he will purport of which were to show the proper
be pleased to see and wait upon his frieuds route—the “ b r o a d r o a d ” that led to the
National Capitol was by way of Portland
aud the Public generally. His
and San Francisco. Nevertheless, when
he got ready to start, and notwithstanding
the fact that he had g u i d e b o a r d s in his
Is supplied with the very best o f every pockets—affidavits of warm, personal
thing in his line. He has a Fine Billiard friends, solemnly sworn to, to inform him
Table for the use o f his customers.
which was the proper route to go, as well
Baker City, Dec. 17, 1873.
D32tf
as to show the committee on mileage the
route by which he came, h e t o o k t h e
w r o n g R o u t e , or rather, he got on the
POR TLAND AD VER TISEM EN TS. stage the same as “ any other m an,” and
went by way of Ivelton and the Union Pa­
cific Railroad, east.
“ Recognizing,” as he does, “ the right of
A. P. H o t a l i n g ,
1
( E. C. L o r d .
San Francisco. J
(
Portland. the people to criticise all his acts,’’—aright
recognued by the people long before he
ever dreamed of going to Congress,—we
y
should certainly like very much to criti­
cise and accord all due praise to each and
Sole Agents for tlie
every act of any interest or importance to
his constituency, but really, our memory
fails to furnish anything worthy of either
approval or censure. There were but few
who heard from him during his sojourn in
And Importers of
Washington—there would be fevyer now
since the franking privilege has been abol­
ished. In most instances those who did
431 Jackson Street, San Francisco, hear from him were “ Bolters,” who went
otf and worked for the “ Peoples’ Ticket,”
AND
and done everything in their power
against him in 1868, thus causing him to
25 FRONT STREET, PORTLAND,
run far beUlnd the strength of the Dem o­
n iötf
Oregon.
cratic ticket. Nevertheless, these “ erring
brothers” have ever since been bis chosen
•
counselors, his warm bosom companions;
ri
he has been constantly courting the favor
ri
of these stray colts, trying to induce them
to “ su ck;” he evidently presumes that all
ri
that is required to carry the strength of
ri
the Democratic party, is to see that those
O
who always bolt are on his side, and made
Ä
right and left bowers in the game. He fell
far
short of his calculations in this respect
g
at the timejhe was elected, having run far
W
S T H E N E W E S T , T H E behind his ticket in his home county; also
Ss
CHEAPEST aud tbe B E sT thing in in W asco and Grant, where they still re­
se market for all diseases o f the Lungs and m em ber him as a Prosecuting Attorney,
busily engaged in the capacity o f a “ sm ell­
ri Throat
ing committee.”
£
There are m any reasons why the De­
D A V IS & S C H U Y L E R ,
ri
mocracy should m ake choice of some
ri
more able,competent and acceptable m an,
Portland, Oregon,^Wholesale Agents.
of which she has thousands in her ranks.
©
The Democracy have attacked the “ back
Oct. 29, 1873.-n25n33
i©
salary steal,” from the President down to
the sm allest steal. The People—the la­
boring classes, the patrons of husbandry,
the anti-monopolists of all denominations
all endorse the course of the Democracy
in this matter. This becomes a powerful
Importer and Dealer In
weapon in the hands of the Democracy.—
But should we nominate one who openly
and boldly acknowledges that he has re­
ceived some Eleven Hundred Dollars un­
der that law, which he still retains and
proposes to hold on to with a grip for which
FRANKLIN BOOK-STORE AND SANTA CLAUS’
lie is famous where he is best known—and
thus put a weapon into the hands o f our
Headquarters, Fire-proof
opponents that we are entitled to ourselves.
Brick Building, 105 Front street, Portland, W hat kind of a denunciation o f t he back
pay grab could the Democracy of this
n37
Oregon.
[tf State expect to hear from one whose left
breast pocket was stutted with a wallet
containing eleven hundred dollars of tliose
D R . J. R. C A R D W E L L ,
sam e identical greenbacks? The honora­
ble gentleman seems to try to console his
D entist
conscience by believing that he should
have been entitled to as much compensa­
ENTAL ROOMS, N o . 89, First street, tion
as any former member from tiiis
Portland, Oregon. The late and im­ State, although the route traveled by him
proved styles o f work at reduced rates. Ni­ could only have been traveled by them at
trous oxide for the painless extraction o f the time they went with a “ bull team ,”
while he sped swiftly o ’er the plains and
teeth.
[ n29tf
through the tunneiei mountains, drawn
bj the Iron Horse. Should he receive the
nomination, he will have an opportunity
to defend his course before the people.—
W e will then have a candidate who will
be compelled to m ake a defensive can­
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON.
vass—while it is evident to every ona that
FFICE, Odd Fellows’s Building. Resi­ we should nominate a candidate who.will
dence, corner o f Main and Park streets, have no personal defense to m ak e, but
who can employ his whole tim e in expos­
Portland, Oregon, dir"¡Special attention to
ing the frauds and corruption o f the A d ­
WATCHES, CLOCKS I JEWELRY,
"W e s te r n H o t e l .
T
S A L O O N !
COSMOPOLITAN SALOON.
W
BAR
A . 3 ?. H o t a l i n g & O o .
J. H. Gatter 014 Bourbon f bisiy,
Fine Wines and Liquors,
DIMMITT’S
COUCH
BALSAM!
I
S J M ’C O R M IC K ,
Boob, Stationary, Toys, Music Aa4
NEWSPAPERS,
D
O a b in o t-M a lie r . W.
All kinds and every
For the benefit of subscribers in
certain localities, we issue a second
edition o f the D emocbat on every
Monday morning, which contains all
the news of importance received at
this city up to Saturday noon.
S P E E C H
J . 33. G A R D N E R ,
f r u it g r o w e r s
to my extensive and varied assortment of
K F " The B e d r o c k D e m o c r a t has more
f id e ,
paying subscribers in Baker
County, than has any other two papers pub­
lished in the State. We put no man’s name
on our subscription list unless we have orders
so to do.
bona
H.
W A T K IN S ,
M. D.
O
pt',mp“ y do°e- diseases o f the Eye and Ear.
! n29
ministration party, even down to “ Hipple-
ism .”
The charge has been boldly made against
Mr. Slater, and comes from head quarters,
that the representations made to the Indi­
an Department by him , after holding a
council with tiie Nez Perce Indians on the
4th of July, 1872, was the primary cause,
and opened up the subject of setting the
W allow a Valley aside as an Indian Res­
ervation, the result, of which has been the
loss to Union county of one of the finest
valleys in the State, and to the Pioneers,
who desired to settle there and make
homes for themselves and their children,
the loss of one of the finest agricultural
and stock growing eountrys on the Pacific
coast. Whether this charge be true or not,
I am not prepared to say—it has been al-
lowedAo go unanswered until it will re­
quire an explanation before the people in
the coming canvass, which we are afraid
and believe he cannot successfully give.
The above charges, together with the
well known fact that he has been the cause
of the dissensions that exist in the Demo­
cratic party in Union county, and which
were the causes of his running far behind
the ticket in his last Congressional contest,
are urgent and strong reasons,in our mind,
why the Convention should not nominate
him , but select some able Democrat, who
can go before the people in the coming
canvass and conduct an aggressive, instead
of a defensive campaign. W e have always
been a Democrat, always expect to be a
Democrat so long as the great principles
of the old time Democracy exist, and they
can never die in e
government, and we
shall lend the iiwuinee of the coming
Democratic Convention our hearty sup­
port, let him be who he will—nevertheless
we claim the right to urge upon the m em ­
bers of that Convention to give us a candi­
date who can carry the whole strength of
the party, and not one that must depend
entirely on the strength of the party to
carry him through.
JEFFE R SO N IA N .
After carefully studying the contents of
that letter, in calmness and in all due can­
dor, I am willing to make this apology:—
If there is anything in that article that I
am sorry for I am glad of it.
In a speech that he delivered at Baker
City, last Fail, lie denounced, in his most
scathing language,the statement made in
that article in reference to the W allow a
Valley. I will here state that I received
my information from Maj. M. P. Berry,
one of the commissioners who appraised
the property of settlers in said v illey, and
he stated , in presence of four other gentle­
men, that “ had it not been for com m uni­
cations written back to Washington, by
James ti. Slater while a M. C., the action
in regard to the W allow a Valley would
not have been taken.” Maj. Berry made
this statement, openly and boldly, in pres­
ence of gentlemen of both political par­
ties, and I know him to be a m an who
holds him self responsible for what ha
says; Mr. Slater is welcome to all he can
make out of it. For m y part I have no rea­
son to doubt Maj. Berry’s word; I h a v e
that of Mr. Slater.
Mr. Slater has made several speeches in
which he endeavors to answer some of the
charges preferred against him in this com ­
munication, and} has totally failed, and
there still remain facts so incontrovertu-
ble that should he devote the remainder
of his life lie can never satisfactorily ex­
plain them before the people.
The dark and damning record which he,
in his greed for greenbacks, saw proper to
fasten upon him self, will forever consign
him to oblivion amongst honest m en.—
The days.of those, who received and per­
sistently clung to the proceeds allotted to
them by the “ Back Pay Steal” of last.Con-
gress are numbered, and their political
sepulchers are now m arkingas mile stones
along tiie pathway of corruption and fraud,
which lias been so constantly thronged by
many of our leading politicians for tiie
past quarter of a century, and we would
gladly draw the mantle of charity over
their actions if we were allowed to do so and
do justice to ourselves. It is no fault o f
ours t hat we are compelled to take a hand
in this fight. The right of self defense is
one o f the Inalienable rights of m an, and
one to which we have resorted only when
forbearance has ceased to be a virtue.—
About tbe first of January last I learned
that Mr. Slater, and his little “ Ring” of fol­
lowers, had marked out the course they
proposed to pursue, which was to make
war directly on me. I at once saw the
point. Knowing, as I did, that the major
generals, or staff officers of his ring were
mostly Bolters or Democrats who were al­
ways dissatisfied because the people could
not see the merits in them that they could
see so plainly in them selves, and would
not reward them with an office each; and
knowing that these major generals would
naturally expect me to oppose them, as I
always have done, they had concluded to
all get behind Mr. Slater and use him as a
“ battering ram ,”,and proposed with him
to knock down everything that stood in
their way, and, by hanging on to his skirts,
each one would at last reach the long de­
sired haven—a County Office. It was very
evident to m e that Mr. Slater was pursu­
ing a very unwise course, to allow him self
to be thus prostituted to the use of a small
and thoroughly diseased faction, and per­
mitting him self to be urged on and placed
in the front of the fight, as the champion
and mouth piece of a little ring of annual
office seekers, each of whom based all his
hopes of success upon Mr. Slater’s ability
as a “ battering ram .” Desiring to work in
harmony witli Mr. Slater and to sustain
and give strength to the Democratic party,
I sent him tiie following communication
thro’ a friend of Mr. Slater’s, also a friend
of m ine, whb had talked with Mr. Slater,
anc suggested to him that he thought if
Mr. Slater and I would meet and talk to­
gether that any difference existing between
us might readily be compromised by slight
concessions, and to which proposition Mr.
Slater seemed to readily consent. In view
of this fact I handed him this letter:
L a G r a n d e , Ogn„ Jan. 7th, 1874.
M r - J o h n B. M a r t in .—S i r : Believing
you to be a warm, personal friend to Hon.
Jas. H . Slater, and knowing you to be a
warm, personal friend of mine, I desire to
say to you that I am painfully aware of
the ill personal feeling existing between
Mr. Slater and myself, of which I presume
you have no knowledge further than you
may have heard. If you have been led to
believe that Mr. Slater has done every­
thing in his power against me heretofore,
by representations of m yself and my
friends, or if you have been led to believe
to the contrary by representations made
by Mr. Slater and his friends, I know not.
I have this to say upon m y honor, which
I deem as firm a bond as any man living:
First—I will assume freely the authorship
of any article of public print ever written
by me in regard to Mr. «later, and defend
the same before the public whenever I
deem it necessary. JBut, before doing so, I
desire to say that I am not a candidate for
any office within the gift of the people of
this State that Mr. Slater wants. H e m ay
place his finger on any office he m ay de­
sire to work lor and 1 will do all in my
power to put him there; providing he will
not work against me, but for m e, for any
office I m ay desire to work for t h a t d o e s
n o t C o n f l i c t w i t h h i s i n t e r e s t . But I
do not intend, as heretofore, to work for
and do all in m y power to secure the suc­
cess of any person w h o w i l l e x r e c t m e
t o DO ALL I CAN FOR H IM , AND ALLOW HIM
TO DO ALL IN HIS ROWER AGAINST ME.
I
am perfectly willing lor Mr. Slater to se­
lect his position, and I will do all in my
power to place him there, with a like re­
ciprocation on his part; or to allow him
to “ paddle his own canoe,” and I will do
the same—although the former course
would, and always would, have suited me
much the best. You have m y consent to
inform Mr. Slater of m y views on this sub­
ject if you see a favorable opportunity and
desire to do so.
Yours, very respectfully,
E. S; McCOMAS.
Upon receiving this proposition he asked
“ time to consider it.” He considered and
NO. 44.
counseled his friends six days, and then re­
turned me the answer th a t,’ the fight had
gone so far that he could not consistently
withdraw from it, therefore, he was on the
‘war path.’ ” Previous to this deliberate de­
cision I had met Mr. Slater on the streets and
in Col. Chapman’s room, at the Mountain
Exchange Hotel, in company with a number
of gentlemen who were interested in the fo r ­
mation o f a'Railroad Construction Company,
to assist in building a Railroad over the same
route that Mr. Slater, a very short time ago,
boldly declared that nobody but “ an insane
person or a fool would ever think o f building
a railroad over, "an d he exhibited no signs of
the workings in his blood, o f the hydrophobia
which so soon drove him mad, Again I met
him at Mr. Daniel Chaplin’s, in company
with gentlemen who met there for the pur­
pose of forming an incorporation to build an
Academy, and he showed no signs o f his mal­
ady; but, on the day after he had answered
my peace propositions, by announcing that
he was on the “ war path,”- some o f the gen­
tlemen who desired to organize the Construc­
tion Co., desiring'his presence before me as
a Notary Public, to acknowledge his signa­
ture to the articles o f incorporation, went out
to hunt him up at the appointed hour, as
tiiat always has to be done when anything is
required o f him that pertain» to the public
interest. They found him in a saloon, treat­
ing the crowd t o ------ a long and bitter har­
angue against me, declaring himself on the
war path, and admirably imitating a “ blath­
ering lunatic.” He positively refused to come
before me to acknowledge said articles of in­
corporation, thus certainly exhibiting more
o f the quali ies o f an insane person or a fool,
than any person I have ever known as having
to do with the Portland, Dalles and Salt Lake
Railroad, and acting in many other respects
so directly adverse to the honorable, open,
high toned and gentlemanly demeanor which
is supposed to characterize the conduct of an
“ average Congressman, that those gentlemen
heat a hasty retreat, with a dark suspicion on
their minds that one ex-M. C. was on a “ huge
blow out.” They described his appearance as
being hideous in the extreme. The gigantic
form of the “ beef-eater” loomed up like a
toad stool in a fog. His voice sounded like
the braying of a superanuated ass in his mai­
den attempt at a war wlioop; his eyes blazed
like two rotten apples in a dark cellar, and
they said he was actually “ black in the face.”
On being informed o f the condition of things,
and fearing he might do something rash in
his madness, I at once repaired to the saloon,
but he was gone— “ Deaths stillness reigned
supreme.” Fearing in his frenzy that he had
given way to his feelings, and been too lavish
in the distribution o f his “ smiles,” I hurried­
ly interviewed the “ bar-keep” as to the
amount of his “ clean-up,” he informed me,
with tears in his eyes, that Mr. Slater had
been constantly treating the house t o ---------
denudations o f any persons who would have
the brazen audacity to wear side whiskers,
but that the bar had not taken in so much as
the “ sweat from a bit, and then he fell into
a reverie and, unconciously, repeated the fol­
lowing:
“ Are Congressmen all gabbling rogues,
Intent alone on plunder,
Who, for a dollar would scale the Mount
Of Jove,—and steal, by thunder.”
Now, to the citizens o f Union county, I de­
sire to propound a conumrlrum or two:—
What was the sudden cause of Mr. Slater as­
certaining that he wa s on the war path? Whore
does there exist, in Union county, any politi­
cal ring, and o f whom is it composed? Mr.
Slater has charged me all over this county as
being an organizer ol “ political rings.” Now,
I boldly assert that there is only one Political
Ring in existenco in the D( niocratic Party
in Union county, to my knowledge, and the
leadei o f that “ Ring” is James H . Slater,
and he has his subordinates, major generals
and blowers and strikers in each precinct in
this valley, and the only reason that he is
now on tiie war path, is because each o f the
members o f this little ling expect to obtain a
county office, in case he is successful, and
full well they know they never could suc­
ceed on their own merits, as they are mainly
composed of disaffected bolters, and it is into
the hands o f this class o f men tiiat he pro­
poses to place the county offices o f this coun­
ty in case he is successful, and he said in his
speech at Summerville, that he was told by a
friend, that if he did not’make the fight as he
is now making it, tiiat his friends would
throw oft on him; and this particular friend
boldly stated that he told Mr. Slater that he
must go on with this fight, and plumb the
line just as it was laid down for him, or h e
would canvass this county against him. Now
it f*eems as singular as it is true, that a man
who has had the people gather around him,
and push him along and bolster him up, un
til they had placed him in Congress, would
allow himself to be so thoroughly and/com-
pletely overshadowed, and made a poppet in
the hands o f this insignificant and ^ p r in c i­
pled bag of wind, and allow himself to be­
come moulded like a piece of putty in the
hands o f a few designing men, who care no­
thing whatever for him or the Democratic
Party, and whose only ambition is to endea­
vor to foist themselves on the people o f this
county, and secure some little, petty county
office. What a contrast is brought to our
minds, when we think of a man, who once
claimed the high and honorable position o f a
member o f the American Congress, who,
from his lofty position, should lend his in­
fluence, his energy and ability in safely guid­
ing the ship o f ¡átate, and assist in piloting
the Government of the United States from
among the shoals and reefs that have so long
threatened her destruction, decending to the
lowest depths of a county precinct politician;
engaged in mud slinging and personal abuse,
so low down and contemptible, that no gen­
tleman dare undertake to reply, without de­
scending to vulgarity that would cause a blush
to mantle the cheek of the lowest and vilest
denizon of “ Barbary Coast.” Oh! consisten­
cy, thou art a jewel—-a Congressman on the
war path! a statesman dabbling in the poli­
tics o f a precinct on the Pacific Coast, and as
a pettifogging attorney, pleading the cause
of bolters and party disorganizes! a great
political apostle preachin g to the people to
send the “ best men” to act as their delegates
in conventions, and then, if they did not do
the business to suit them, to “ scratch the
ticket-” A Back Pay Grabbei preaching
against corruption! A political leader advis-
•iug his followers to ‘ ‘ bolt the ticket,” if eve­
rything was not entirely satisfactory: What
are party Conventions for? I have heard of
about seven candidates lor Sheriff in the
Democratic Party. There will be at least six
o f these defeated* and the chances are they
will all be dissatisfied; it is a very easy thing
to say the Convention was “ packed.” Mr
Slater said, in his speech at Summerville,
“ send your best men as delegates, then if
they don’tdo the business to suit you, scratch
the ticket, that’s the kind of a Democrat for
m e.” This kind of teaching says to six de­
feated candidates and all their friends, “ go in
and win if you can, if you can’t, go to work
and defeat the person who does.”
What
dangerous political heresy is this, and where
did fie learn it? Was this his early education
at “ Oberlin,” or was it taught him by tbe
lady with whom he boarded at Washington?
But, let us refer to Mr. Slater and his
“ R ing.”
Who. are they, and what do they
want? The leader lives in Iowa Precinct,
and wants Mr. Slater to say: ¡ ‘ Well doue thou
good and faithful right bower, I’ll play you
One square or less, one insertion,........ 92 50
Each additional insertion,.......................... * rr
One square three mouths....................
6
Business Advertisements by the month-—
Quarter column...................................... $6 00
Half co lu m n ,.............................................10 00
One colum n,............................................... 15 00
Ten per cent, additional on advertisement»
to which a special position is guaranteed. -
QTF’ The space o f one Inch, up and down
the column, constitutes a square.
N. B.—All debts due this office are payable
in Coin, unless otherwise expressly agreed.
for my land office trump, take a seat at my
right hand, or get a country school until
Mc*’ s time is out; keep cool and your hogs
out of other peoples’ wheat stacks, and you
shall have your reward.” Another Major
General, or staff officer has his headquarters
at Summerville and his hind quarters in the
saddle, he is not only willing to fight, bleed
aud die for the cause, like our fore-fathers o f
Bunker Hill notoriety, but is also anxious to
he hailed as the honorable gentleman from
Union, at onr next sesionof the Legislature.
Next, in the Cove the member expects not
only to be a Warwick in politics, but also to
fill the place so ably filled by Warnick as
Sheriff'; while the member from Union is
willing to put up, tor the preset) t, with the
judicial robe o f Judge Brainard. This com ­
bination should be organized under the cor­
porate name o f the “ Office Seekers Co oper­
ative Union,” an organization or “ ring”
formed and conducted on the plan o f a “ Mu­
tual Admiration Society,” and for the pur­
pose o f dishing out offices to its principal
stockholders. The capital stock, or princi­
pal offices for distribution, are already en­
gaged, yet I understand there are a few placo*
of minor importance that might be secured
by early applicants. Having heretofore had
some experience as a stockholder in an in.
corporation o f which Mr. Slater was the head
manager, I deem it my duty to warn my
friends o f the fact that the stock is rapidly
on the decline and I have no doubt the whole
concern could be purchased in a short time
for the price o f a plug hat. This, gentlemen,
is the “ Slater R ing,” and is the only politi­
cal ring that I know of existing in Union
county. He is no leader of Rings! No, not
he, and why? The reason is so plain that the
smallest boys all over the county can see it.
The “ King” possess more brains than he,
consequently he is nothing more than a truck­
ling, pliant, subservient tool, who performs-
the part assigned to him by its member»,
saying: “ Oh, master, whatsoever be thy will
even that will I de. I f they counsel him to
accept honorable terms o f peace,!he is willing
to do so. I f they advise him to take the war
path, he at once makes a break for a saloon,
and tries to imitate a “ war whoop;” fortun­
ately nature has been very kind to him, and
evidently cut him out for a great warrior, as
it has given him a visage so black and grim
that he needs no war paint to make him look
sufficiently hideous for the occasion. Wore
I not well acquainted mith him , I might feel
some alarm, but I have seen hina on the war
path before. I saw him attack a » attorney
once, about one-fourth his size, and he deem­
ed it necessary to arm himself with a volume
of the Code o f Oregon; and I, in the good­
ness ot my heart, canvassed around amongst
his fr ends and paid his fine. He puts me-
very much in mind o f the big, swarthy con­
ductor who, in passing through tho car, no­
ticed where some person had been spitting
tobacco juice on the car floor, he ripped out
an oath and said: show me the man that had
the audacity to spit tobacco juice on this car
floor. A tall, slender, young man raised up
and said: I am the man, sir! All right, says
the conductor, you are the very chap I ’m look­
ing for—give me a “ chaw tobacker.”
What Mr. Slater expects to gain in this at­
tempt to ride over me, I am entirely unable
to see. That some of his backers expert to-
secure office in case of his success, I am fully
aware. They have, therefore, resorted to the
same old cry that has always been raised
heretofore, a “ ring,” a “ clique.” a “ faction.”-
It is the same old cry o f stop thief! stop thief;
yonder he goes, that is so often resorted to­
by pick pockets to screen themselves.
It is a painful and humiliating duty that
devolves upon me to defend myself—paiufui
from tbe fact that there exists, probably, but
very little- difference between the views of
Mr. Slater and myself on the political issues-
o f the day. True, I claim to be a better and
more consistent Democrat than could be
made out o f the black broth o f a dozen like
him, if boiled down into the concentrated
quint-essence of the pure and unterrified ar­
ticle; having never bolted or scratched a
Democratic ticket in my life, and having
never thrown cold water on any Democratic
ticket while it was in the field. Yet, with all
these esi ential Democratic qualifications'that
I possess, and o f which he is entirely desti­
tute, judging from his past record and lato
speeches, I was willing to extend to- him the
right hand o f Democratic fellowship; believ­
ing as I always have, that—
“ While the lamp holds out to b u m ,
Tho vilest sinner may return-”
Humiliating from the fact that our common
opponents, the Republicans, who are suffer­
ing the dire calamities o f a family quarrel
between the Mitchell and Corbett wings-of
their party, are looking on aud highly enjoy­
ing this fight. Again, in this respect, I claim
to be by ter a better Democrat than my op ­
ponent—I never like to see our opponents
enjoy any fun at our expense, I, therefore,
proposed the fairest terms I could think o f
for peace. I offered to let Mr. Slater select
his position, and I would do all I could to
put him there, with a lfke reciprocation on
his part with me, for any position that did not
interfere with him. He claims that the pro­
position was all one sided— I certainly think
so too; but I think it was all on his side: I f
the proposition was not a fair one, I wa»
willing to appear before the Central Commit­
tee, and state our grievances and leave the
decision to the Committee as jurors, and
abile their decision. I stated to the mem­
bers of the Committee my willingness to do-
this, but he co fid not accept this arbitration,
and whv? Because his friends, his “ ring,”
told him that lie must “ plumb the line;”
walk the tow-path that they had marked out
for him—and oh! what a disastrous calamity
to lose the influence and support o f his little
faction. What a humiliating spectacle, to
see a member of Congress with his finger
caught by a “ crab,” and tho crab running
away with him. But why, if Mr. Slater had
any grievances against me, or if his punish­
ment, like Cain, was greater than he could
bear, did he not come to me on tbe street, or
in my office, where he could find me every
day, and state them like aman. Iwouldhave
been willing, aud am yet, to make any apol­
ogo that I deenud due, if he could have
shown me where I had done him any wrong,
with a like reciprocation on his part. Agaiu,
when he concluded to take the war path, and
decided to make a canvass of this county,
why did he not come to me like a man, and
tell me he was after my scalp, and if I had
any defense to make, to go with him and di­
vide time; I would willingly have accompa­
nied him, furnished one half the conveyance
and one half the expense—fui nislied a l l the
whisky, and slept with him, for the sake o f
economy—and I’m a nice, clean man.
Mr. Slater is an old resident of this county
and so am I. I am perfectly willing to allow
myself east into the scale with him, and have
ail our actions o f the past, weighed in the
scale o f Justice, aud submitted to the People
as jurors.
In 1872, when it became apparent that the
time on the Dotes taken by the State on the
sale of State land must be extended, so as to
give the pui chasers longer time to pay for
their lands, what assistance did Mr. Slater
render? Ask Sam Hannah and Dunham
Wright, our only living representatives o f
that session—but Mr. Slater was not a mem­
ber say you—neither was I, yet we were both
in Salem at the time. I remember standing
in front c i the State Department one day,
just after the Legislative body had adjourn-: