Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 9.djvu/376

348 T. W. Davenport. it. Still, with this handicap they had some claims to Demo- cratic support. They were honest and frank to assert their fealty to the administration of James Buchanan, which would go far with strong partisans, and they were not backward in charging the Bushites with treachery to the party and of being tinctured with Black Republicanism. It was at this juncture of affairs that the Republicans of Marion met in delegate convention at Salem to nominate candidates for the Legislature, and there was much probabil- ity of electing them. The Colonel treated us to a thrilling fifteen-minute speech, and after the noon adjournment met with us in a private conference, at which he counseled against making nominations and in favor of voting the Bush ticket. Of course it was well known that in any probable event the Republicans would constitute but a small minority of the Legislative Assembly, and alone could elect no one, but that in combination with the Salem-Clique members could elect the Colonel along with one of their number. Said he: "We will assume that the members from Marion will be Republicans, but the canvas will drive into opposition those Democrats who are really with us in principle, whereas, if we fall in with them at the election, they will be almost compelled to unite with us to save themselves from defeat by the friends of the administration, who are in the majority in other parts of the State. I am sure that great events are barely in the future, in which the friends of popular government will have to bear a prominent part. The Douglas men are at heart with us and we shall need their help." Then, in one of his intro- spective moods, when his eyes seemed to retire and return with added lustre, he said, "The old Democratic barrel is falling to pieces, and why should we, who need some of the staves, hoop them together?" Is it strange that this prophetic metaphor was the climax of argument? The Republicans of Marion had borne the stigma of "Black" so long that they were disinclined to sur- render their first favorable opportunity to reap a victory at