with certain broad principles laid down by the founders of the American
Constitution, as expounded by the statesmanlike A; or were the fatal
quicksands, on which the ship of state might be wrecked, warningly
pointed out by the eloquent B. The practical result of all which was the
nomination of York and Scott to represent the opposite factions of Sandy
Bar in legislative councils.

For some weeks past, the voters of Sandy Bar and the adjacent camps had
been called upon, in large type, to "RALLY!" In vain the great pines
at the cross-roads--whose trunks were compelled to bear this and other
legends--moaned and protested from their windy watch-towers. But one
day, with fife and drum, and flaming transparency, a procession filed
into the triangular grove at the head of the gulch. The meeting
was called to order by Colonel Starbottle, who, having once enjoyed
legislative functions, and being vaguely known as a "war-horse," was
considered to be a valuable partisan of York. He concluded an appeal for
his friend, with an enunciation of principles, interspersed with one or
two anecdotes so gratuitously coarse that the very pines might have been
moved to pelt him with their cast-off cones, as he stood there. But he
created a laugh, on which his candidate rode into popular notice; and
when York rose to speak, he was greeted with cheers. But, to the general
astonishment, the new speaker at once launched into bitter denunciation
of his rival. He not only dwelt upon Scott's deeds and example, as known
to Sandy Bar, but spoke of facts connected with his previous career,
hitherto unknown to his auditors. To great precision of epithet and
directness of statement, the speaker added the fascination of revelation
and exposure. The crowd cheered, yelled, and were delighted, but when
this astounding philippic was concluded, there was a unanimous call
for "Scott!" Colonel Starbottle would have resisted this manifest
impropriety, but in vain. Partly from a crude sense of justice, partly