North Branch Democrat

The Congressional and Senatorial Question,

As will be seen by reference to the proceedings of the Democratic Congressional, and Senatorial conferences, published in our issue of to-day, we have no candidate for these offices in the field. The conference at Bloomsburg, recommended the support of Henry W. Tracy as against his corrupt and unscrupulous competitor, the Reverend George Landon. Since the result of this conference has been known, that pet and tool of Wilmot has been withdrawn from the contest. This is a virtual admission of his unworthiness. The people whose rights he had sacrificed, whose taxes he had voted into the coffers of a soulless corporation, were about to consign him to a political grave, so low, that his day of resurrection would never have come. Wilmot, thought that by a change of men, at the last hour, the people would assume that a change of principles had also been made. Robert F. Clark, an obscure man of Columbia Co, is pushed forward upon the board, in the desperate game this tyrant is now playing, for a place in the senate of the United States: Every vote, therefore, cast for Clark, is a vote to return that blackest of all abolitionists—that most unprincipled and corrupt of all politicians, David Wilmot, to the place he so much covets.

Having no candidate in the field, and with these to choose from, it will be for the Democrats of this district to decide, whether they will, by neglecting to vote for Henry W. Tracy, aid Wilmot in his schemes of plunder and corruption, or not. Whatever may be said of Mr. Tracey's views on the negro question, he showed himself, by votes and speeches in our legislature, a man capable of resisting the poisoning and corrupting influence of that hydra headed serpent, under whose glittering charms the pious Landon fell. Aye more, he, like Hercules with club in hand, stood up day after day, and dealt blows at the monster which, had it been less a monster, would have destroyed it. Thus much we feel it but just and proper to say of Henry W. Tracy. That if elected to a seat in congress, he will carry into that festering pool of corruption and profligacy, the same honesty, the same fearlessness in defense of the rights of the people, we cannot doubt: That his votes and influence will ever be found on the side of the conservative men of the country, we firmly believe.

Wm. J. Turrell, the abolition candidate for state senator, coming as he does from the hot bed of abolitionism, fostered and brought out under the nursing hands of Wilmot and Grow will lend all his aid. to further their schemes of ambition, corruption, and negro equality His vote, if elected, will be cast for Wilmot as the next United States Senator. As in the case of congressmen, the democratic party having no nomination for state senator ; the choice will be between Col. Elhanan Smith who has been placed in nomination by the "People's Union Party." and this man Turrell. Col. Smith is personally well known to the citizens of our county. His views upon the political question of the day, are also well known. We need not therefore, speak of him or them. He has but recently addressed the people of this county, and defined his position and principles.

We have thus briefly noticed the candidates for these offices, that our friends may choose from among them. We wish it to be distinctly understood that we ask no man to vote, neither for Mr. Tracy nor Mr. Smith. But, as it is the right of the people to choose their own representatives, it is their duty when they come to make that choice, if they find two men, both perhaps, in some respects objectionable, to follow the teachings of that old maxim, which saith : "Of two evils choose the lesser."