Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 2.djvu/35

Rh the Dred Scott decision, and the Kansas policy of the Buchanan administration; antagonized the democratic state platform and the viva voce mode of voting, and favored a Pacific railroad. April 8, a national democratic convention, as it called itself, assembled at Salem and nominated James K. Kelly for Representative in Congress, E. M. Barnum for Governor, A. E. Rice for Secretary of State, Joseph L. Bromley for Treasurer, and James O'Meara for State Printer. Their resolutions approved the national democratic platform of 1856, and extolled President Buchanan and Gen. Joseph Lane. On May 21 Denny and McBride published a card declining to be candidates.

The split in the democratic party was due to several causes, some personal and some political. Mr. Bush, as editor of the Oregon Statesman, wielded a vigorous and caustic pen, and any democratic laggard or recusant was pretty sure to feel the lash of that paper. This made a considerable number of soreheads in the party. Then, there was an antagonism in the party to what was called the "Salem clique." This clique was understood to consist of the following persons: Asahel Bush, J. W. Nesmith, B. F. Harding, R. P. Boise, L. F. Grover, and their close adherents. It was claimed that these gentlemen were using the party for themselves and their friends, and, as they were all free state men, it was thought by some that they were not as friendly to General Lane as they might be. Last, but not least, there were more aspirants for office than there were offices to fill. All the elements of opposition to the "Salem clique" fused in support of the ticket headed by Colonel Kelly. The chief canvassers for that ticket were Colonel Kelly and James O'Meara, and the chief canvassers for the Grover and Whiteaker ticket were L. F. Grover and Delazon Smith. I made some speeches in different