I asked, “Why not?” He replied, “Because everybody is for McCarty, your opponent.”  I said, somewhat sharply, “Anderson, I have come here to fight my own battle and I intend to carry Nevada.”  He laughed and I rode on.  The first man I met after reaching the hotel was Captain Morgan, who afterwards commanded a steamer on the Bay of San Francisco.  After talking for some time on general topics, he asked me about a story in circulation that I was an abolitionist.  I saw at once the work of enemies, and I now understood the meaning of General Anderson’s remark.  I assured Morgan that the story was entirely false, and added; “To-morrow will be Sunday; everybody will be in town; I will then make a speech and show the people what kind of a man I am, and what my sentiments are on this and other subjects.”  Accordingly, the next day, in the afternoon, when the miners from the country were in town and had nothing else to do than to be amused, I mounted a platform erected for the purpose in the main street, and commenced speaking.  I soon had a crowd of listeners.  I began about my candidacy, and stated what I expected to do if elected.  I referred to the necessity of giving greater jurisdiction to the local magistrates, in order that contests of miners respecting their claims might be tried in their vicinity.  As things then existed the right to a mule could not be litigated without going to the county seat, at a cost greater than the value of the animal.  I was in favor of legislation which would protect miners in their claims, and exempt their tents, rockers, and utensils used in mining from forced sale.  I was in favor of dividing the county, and making Nevada the seat of the new county.  I had heard of numerous measures they wanted, and I told them how many of these measures I advocated.  Having got their attention and excited their interest, I referred to the charge made against me of being an abolitionist, and denounced it as a base calumny.  In proof of the charge I was told that I had a brother in New York who was a free-soiler.  So I had, I replied, and a noble fellow he is—­God bless him wherever he may be.  But I added, I have another brother who is a slaveholder in Tennessee, and with which one, I asked, in the name of all that is good, were they going to place me.  I wondered if these “honorable” men, who sought by such littleness to defeat me, did not find out whether I did not have some other relatives,—­women, perhaps, who believed in things unearthly and spiritual,—­whose opinions they could quote to defeat me.  Shame on such tactics, I said, and the crowd answered by loud cheering.  I then went on to give my views of our government, of the relation between the general government of the Union and the government of the States, to show that the former was created for national purposes which the States could not well accomplish—­that we might have uniformity of commercial regulations, one army and one navy, a common currency, and the same postal system, and present ourselves as one nation