The Nevada journal., 1855-08-24
The Secret Circular


dom 1--WE undertake to say never was collec.
tion of men of equal numbers assembled Oh the
shores Of the Pacific that embodied more.) Sc.
lected j. Neely Johnson as the choice of the
party for the Office Of Governor of the state o.
California, No sooner nominated, than he be-
came mark at which the filthy ISLANDERS and
innuendoes of venal polititilns were hurled
Old acts are trumped up or surmised and with
a look of wisdom and horror combined, in I,
damnable whisper are poured into the ears Of
the honest and unsuspecting, in language no1
direct and pointed, but dark and mysterious
concealing raw head and bloody bones
which, when disclosed is to make the eyes start
quills upon the frctted porcupine, Men who
haven two consecutive ideas above common
oyster, who never saw the document, and could
not comprehend its meaning should they read
it, if they could read, are creeping around
s.ealthily on tip'toe, like an old maid in n
house reputed to be haunted, with her brows
up'ited and mouth ajar, and whispering "sccret
circular" as ifit were an ogre or "Gorgon dire
fraught with woe unutterable to the humar
race. The dark insinuations thrown out against
j. Nicely johnson, aud his connection with n
document, to which the names of many emf
nent nlen of the Legislature of 1858 we're ap-
pended, are designed to catch the votes of that
portion Of our population originally from the
northern and eastern states who are peculiarly
sensitive on the subject Of slavery. But We
will show that all these omiuous whispers. and
dire f1rebodings of awful calamities to come,
amount to nothing, except to hush squalling
brats in the nursery, Or frighten few old gran
ues in petticoats aud out.
What was the "secret circular" the entrals
of which FOUL document the haruspices OF Pha-
lanxiSm have examined and foretell therefrom
the "wreell of matter and the crush of worlds
Why, mirabHe dictu it was document
signed by such men, as Catin, j ohnson. Wade
Letcher aud othcrs,-men whose intelligence
and patriotism have never been questioned, and
whose private as well as public characters are
without stain +; and the doctrines set forth in
the instrument, to which our immensely ratri.
otic accusers specially object are the calling Of
a conven ton for the revision OF the constitu'
ton, and division of the state.
Now, what is there SO horrid in all this
lsit not acknowledged by every intelligent man
who thoroughly understands the constitution
of this state, and has seen its practical work
ings. that it is collection Of odds and ends
thrown promiscuously together, and that new
constitution is extremely desirable =?
If the wiseacres Of the Phalanx horde, would
but examine the course of John B;gcr, see him
sign bill to-day, sworn as he is to support the
Constitution, and veto the same tomorrow, on
constitutional grounds, return to his old opin-
ion again, and approve, once more to reverse
it in veto, they must come to the conclusion
as their God is infallibe, or at least, honest, y
that there is something wrong in the Consttu'
tion of the state. Let any Phalanxer brand
the advocacy OF the revision oftlc constitution
as infamous, ard we will prove some ofthe i'm
maculate leaders of his party, to be sunk as
deep in infamy as the signcrs Of the secret cir.
cular" Were it not for the expense that
would accrue to the state, the question of d
thorough revision Of our Constitution would be
more generally discussed. The number OF
amendments proposed and adopted in the last
Legislature, is proof Off prevalent convic-
ton that our present constitution is far from
perfect.
But the division of the state is the great
bugbear. Men see grinning horrors in the
project But whatever difference of opinion
may existas to the proper time, for the divi-
i'n of the &c 'ritory occupied by the state Of
California. there is singular unarmiiy among
men conversant with the wants and interests Of
the various portions of the state, that sooner OF
later, the state will be divided, and this opin-
ion is not confined to men from any particular
section Of the Union. There is snch diver
sty of interests in our widely extended terrific
ry that o separation seems inevitable. We
do not agree with the signers of the circular
that the time was ripe two years ago, or even
now, or for years to come for the formation ei
new states upon the Pacific. The whole
amount paid into the state Treasury from that
portion of our territory sonth of Monterey since
the organization Of the state government, is less
than Sl25, 600 per-eaasm incunsiderable
sum to support state government, and vet tia
people Of that section complain of the bur-
thens of taxation. How much more onerous
must their burthens be, separated IRON us and
obliged to support new state organization
But were it not for the slavery question which
is sure to be dragged in by certain agitators OIL
every trivial occasion, the division Of the state
would be subject of no more than ordinary
interest. That the Circular may be divested
of its fancied horrors,we append for the satis-
faction of those most interested Il portion Of it,
rolof;ro IN cla vary aritafion