Oroville daily Butte record., 1856-10-21
Dir Rnchannn,s Letter.

At the Democratic Meeting on Saturday
Evening. Mr. Van Voorhees,, in referring to
the railroad question, read the following
the subject. Mr. Buchanan's unqualiicd
endorsement Of the Railroad in March, 1853
at Philadelphia, was sufficient to satisfy all
rca-ouablc men Of his position on this great
measure. This letter, however. clnches the
matter, AMI We trust we shall hear no mere
of "Blchanans opposition to tho Pacific
Railroad" The Sacramento State Journal
says: We have the pl"asrrc, this morning,
Of laying before cur readers, a most import
ant document. We present them n letter
from james Buchanan, upon the important
sulject of the great Atlantic and Pacific
Railroad. As will be perceived, it was ad-
dressed to our friend, Col B +. Washington
and owing to his abssace from the city. il
was not received by him until yesterday
We congratulate the Democracy that they
are now in the possession Of Il conclusive
rcfutation for the false allegation. upon this
subject, Of strolling Know-Nothing and
Black Republican lecturers. MIR. Buchan-
ans letter is short and to the point. 1T
leaves no hook upon which to hang a doubt
in reference to his position 1t comes
squarcly upto the mark, aud acknowledges
both the consttutionality and the necessity
Of the work. This is just such n letter as
might have been expected from James Bn
chanan. Liberal and comprehensive in all
his views, while he has ever stood by the
constitution, be has at the same time permit
ted no hair-spltting distractions to inter
pose to the detriment of our great national
interests His whole career as a statesman
is n guarantee, and the best that could have
been demanded, that if he were President
as he assuredly will bc-his great and com
manding influence would brought to bear in
the construction Of this great national work.
His letter comes at II most appropos season
1t completely spikes the guns of the enemy
and dcprivcs them of their last thunder
But to the letter 1t is as follows:
l7lh September, 1856
To b. F. Washington Esq. Chairman of the
d mocratic State Central Committee of
Calitornia:
SIR II have received numerous commu-
nicttions from sources in California entitled
to high regard, in refer ence to the proposed
Pnchc Railroad. AS it would be impossible
for ne to answer them all, | deem it most
proper and respectful to address you gen
eral answer i'll your official capacity. In
performing this duty to the citizens OF Cali.
torna, act in perfect consistency with the
sci imposed restriction contained IN my let
ter accepting the nomination for the Presi
dency, not To answer interrCgatorics raising
new and different issues from those presented
by the Cincinnati Convention; because that
convention has itself adopted resolution il
favor Of this great work. /, then, desire TO
state briefly that, Coucurring with the con
vention, am decidedly favorable to the
construction of the Pacific Railroad and,
derive the authority to do this from the con
stitutionnl power ITO declare war" and the
Constitutional duty ito repel inyasions.'
la my judgment, Congress possess the same
power to make appropriation for the con
struct0n OF this road, strictly for the pur-
pose OF national defence, that they have t.
erect fortifcations ut tie mOath of the hlr-
Dor OF San Francisco Indeed, the necessity
with a view to repel foreign invasion tronl
California, Is rs great in the one Csc as III
the other Neither will there be danger
from the precedent; for it is almost imp"ssi-
BILE to conceive that any case, attended by
such extraordinary and unprecedented cir
cumstances, can ever agaiu occur i'll our
history. Yours, very respectfully,
JAMES BUCHANAN.