POLITICAL PARTIES IN OREGON 49 the support of the state governments in all their rights and the Federal Government in all its vigor. The congressional policy relative to the South was heartily condemned and Presi- dent Johnson was as heartily and unequivocally endorsed. The shade of Senator Douglas was again tacitly invoked for aid in leading Douglas Democrats back into the fold, in a resolution endorsing his expression that this Government was made on a white basis for white men, hence "we are opposed to extending the right of suffrage to any other." The platform denounced as a base insult to the gallant living and heroic dead, the efforts of the Radicals to convert the Nation's victory into a partisan triumph, seeking to make the late war one of conquest, instead of suppression of the rebellion for subjugation instead of re- storing the Union, for the Negro instead of the white man. Centralization of power, the protective tariff and the system of national banks were, opposed and the taxation of United States bonds demanded. James D. Fay 6 4 of Jackson was nominated for Congress ; Jas. K. Kelly of Wasco for governor; L. F. Lane of Multnomah, for secretary ; John C. Bell of Marion for treasurer ; James O'Meara, of the States Rights Democrat, Linn, for printer. Editor O'Meara now found himself running for a lucrative office on a platform which strongly endorsed President Johnson whom he strongly opposed. 65 He accordingly came forth cheerfully with the manifesto "We shall stand by the Presi- dent. To be with the President is to beat back fanaticism." 66 An interesting and significant characterization of the per- sonnel in general of the two state tickets is found in a private letter from Senator Nesmith, dated at Washington, May 20, 1866, to Judge Deady. "It seems to me," he writes, "that the Democratic ticket with the exception of Kelly is such a one as Jeff Davis himself would select, while the other is such as no one ought to select. The first is controlled by men who de- 64 "Of Irish descent, a little fellow with a gamey manner florid, fluent, ready and impudent. A thorough going anti-coercion Democrat." Deady, April 6, to Bulletin. 65 Supra, p. 40. 66 Quoted in Oregonian, April 28.
