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Page: of 627
NEVADA GAZETTE AUGUST 3, 1865 391
THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1865
POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY OF A. A. SARGENT.
EDITOR GAZETTE: In reading your spirited paper I see that you charge Mr. Aaron A. Sargent
with being the prince of bolters from regular nominations. Will you please give even one
instance where Mr. Sargent has ever bolted from a regular nomination made by any party in
Convention? LONG-HAIR.
In reply to the above inquiry, we propose to review the political career of Mr. Sargent. We always
intend to answer any inquiry when it will enlighten the public. Mr. Sargent is a candidate for a seat in the
United States Senate, the highest office within the gift of the people of a State. The people cannot have
too much information regarding the public acts of public men. We suppose “Long-Hair” is in search of
light. We will give the facts and dates as near as we have been able to obtain them.
The first appearance of Mr. Sargent on the political stage was in 1852, when he was nominated
for the Assembly on the Whig ticket. Men generally, after receiving and accepting a nomination from
a party, are willing to make some personal sacrifice for the good of the party. But where selfishness is
the ruling element in a man’s character, party and principle are ignored. Mr. Sargent has a keen sagacity
for success. When he cannot snuff that in the political atmosphere he is sure to change his base. As the
campaign progressed he snuffed defeat, resigned, and another was selected in his stead. The only reason
we have heard assigned for this change of base was, a prospect of defeat; yet it cannot be denied that
his withdrawal on this ground, just before the election, must have contributed to the defeat of the whole
ticket. Duty to the party and to those associated with him would have been a sufficient incentive to have
induced most men to have stood firm through the fight. During this time Mr. Sargent was editing and
publishing a Whig paper in Nevada city, called the Nevada Journal.
Through 1853 he continued a rampant Whig. In 1854 the Whigs rallied their forces early. It was an
important election. County officers were to be chosen. In those days the emoluments of these offices were
immense—especially the Sheriff’s office. The patronage and influence of this office were very desirable
to the Journal. On it depended its existence. There resided in the county a man who was popular with the
people and of sterling integrity. Sargent fixed his mind on this man. It was John H. Dickson. He went to
him and induced him to become a candidate. He was his choice of all others. The Convention assembled
on the 24th of July. John H. Dickson was nominated for Sheriff, and A. A. Sargent for District Attorney.
Sargent, in a speech before the Convention, pledged himself to do all in his power for the success of the
ticket, and particularly his friend Dickson—because he was ravenous for the printing. The Democratic
Convention met and nominated a ticket about the same time. W. W. Wright, or “Boss Wright,” as he was
called, was the Democratic nominee for Sheriff. The campaign opened furiously. Sargent assaulted the
Democratic ticket with all the malignity of his nature. In a few weeks a “change came o’er the spirit of his
dream.” A new panacea for political evils arrived on the Pacific shores. Samaritans were dispatched to all
parts of the State. A stranger arrived in this city about the last of August, and in a quiet manner announced
himself to a chosen few as the veritable “Samuel” spoken of in the good book, or “Uncle Sam,” as he
was afterward called. Sargent was one of his first patients. He gobbled up this Know Nothing herb as a
turkey would a worm, and recommended it to his friends. A Know Nothing hive was established here, and
Sargent became the king bee of the institution. [Continued in next day’s Gazette. ]
ACCIDENT.—At Grass Valley on Monday, a little son of John Fahey fell down the stairs of the
Exchange Hotel, breaking his collar-bone and sustaining other injuries.
THE THEATER.—What is the matter with the Theater Company? After getting everything in