Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 12.djvu/354

 346 W. C. WOODWARD being comparatively unprejudiced, is enlightening. 1 He noted that, as in all such assemblages, two elements were at work the one actuated by patriotic impulses, the other knowing no higher motive than a greedy thirst for the spoils. There was a third element, he continued, which was steadily kept in the background, but yet, such was its irrepressible character, that it would occasionally make itself manifest. "We will be un- derstood as alluding to the Secessionists, the number of whom was decidedly large. This was shown in the vote for governor, state printer and in fact for every office outside of Con- gressman. . . . From the first it was apparent that the name of Judge Wait was to be used as a make-weight for the balance of the ticket." The platform adopted was a good illustration of how clever- ly and plausibly a bad cause can be presented and of how real motives and animus may be sugar-coated. The sentiment of the immortal Jackson "The Union must be preserved" was declared to be the watchword that the Democracy of Oregon sent forth to animate the masses in the hour of their country's peril, to rally for the, supremacy of the Constitution, the per- petuity of the Union and the preservation of the rights of the States and of the people. All "Constitutional efforts" were advocated for the suppression of rebellion and restoration of the Union. In nearly every resolution, the sacred name of the Constitution was invoked as a rallying cry. Peaceable adjust- ment along "Constitutional and legal lines" was the demand made by the Democrats. In this platform, in 1862, the Re- publican Administration was charged not only with conducting the war for the emancipation of the Negroes, but also for their enfranchisement. The corrupt coalitions of "so-called Demo- crats and abolitionists," which had resulted in placing sec- tional men in the councils of the Nation, were condemned. The Union ticket was overwhelmingly successful in the June election, the majorities ranging from 3177, for McBride for Congressman to 4155 for Cooke for treasurer, these two Re- i Account reprinted in Oregonian, May 3.