POLITICAL PARTIES IN OREGON 323 factions on this score. While Douglas is a professed friend of the Union, his colleague Johnson is as rabid a Disunionist as Yancey." 1 This attitude seems rather strange, considering the success- ful coalition which had just taken place between the Douglas Democrats and the Republicans in the election of United States senators. The Argus was evidently determined to im- press those wavering voters, who were loyal to the Union, with the necessity of supporting Lincoln. To make it easy for such to support the Republican ticket, an attempt had been made during the recent session of the legislature to re- peal the Viva Voce ballot law, passed during the troublous times of the Know Nothings, and to substitute the secret bal- lot. A bill to this effect was carried in the house by a vote of 18 to 12, the Republicans and the Bush, or old organization Democrats, supporting it, the Breckinridge Democrats oppos- ing. 2 The Salem correspondent to the Union made this com- ment: "There, is, however, this gratification that this meas- ure, intended to cover up the tracks of the Bushites in voting, as they intend to do for Lincoln, cannot pass the senate. Not- withstanding the impotent howling of the Clique organ, there is Democracy enough here to kill it, so that after all, the coalitionists only show their cloven feet, without realizing any advantage." The prophecy proved correct, as the measure was lost in a tie vote in the senate. It is diverting to see the old organization Democrats attempting to withdraw from their own noose which they had tied to catch Know Nothings with, while those members who as National Democrats had so vehemently denounced the Viva Voce law, now upheld it just as strenuously. 3 On November 6, Oregon gave Lincoln a plurality of 270 votes over the Democratic candidates and the political revolu- tion of 1860 was complete. The candidates were voted for as i Union, Oct. 13. 3 Two '"notables" remained consistent one on each side. Col. J. K. Kelly of Clackamas, an old National, and now a Lan Democrat, voted for the repeal, while Bush, who had championed the Viva Voce law, was, according to his own statement (Statesman, Nov. 5) opposed to ita repeal.
