The Placer herald., 1856-01-12
The Union.


separated portions of our common country.
The time is at hand when California, the
youngest and most distant of the confcderacy
of States, will be called on to record her
sentiments on those leading questions. Young
as she is, and sparse as may be her popula
ton in comparison with her sisters Cafor-
MIA still holds the golden key to the secret
chambers of their opinions, and their acts as
founded on those opinions. No State in the
grand constellation of the Union can boast
of greater resources and no State is so ca
pable Of subsisting without the aid of others
as California; it is therefore, with pure mo-
tives of disnterested affection for our com
mon country that she will strenuously raise
her standard in opposition to the sectional
disquietudes and geographical distinctions
that have been the offspring of designing
men, who are ready to agitate any, even the
most revolving and distracting questions, to
sow discord and to breed unnatural jealousics
in the hope of gratifying their own vaulting
ambition.
Faction and fanaicism have been the lead
ing dsturbers of our public tranquility, and
slavery has been the great lever by which
fanatics and factionists have endeavored TO
| blunt the patriotic sensibities of the people,
by narrowing down their views from the
great general principles of the Union to the
limited horizon of-sectional and merely geo
graphical differences. They have beclouded
the great subject of national prosperity and
supremacy to add lustrc to their own limited
controversy; they have drawn off the popu-
lar mind from the leading and more impor-
tant consequences Of our existence as united
people, to direct its attention to question of
very inferior importance: they have inter
woven topics of morality with those of ma
tional policy, and so blended them as to al
most convince the people that they are one
and the same interest; they have manufac-
tured sensibiities-have earnestly labored to
create svmrathies and have tampered with
the impusive feelings of the people, to the
exclusion of cool and quiet judgment, and
the arguments of dispassionate reasoning
regardless of all consequences. sole Y for the
purpose of creating political capital for
themselves.
But few years ago, the very mention of
the possibility of dissolution of the Union
sent shudder of horror to the heart of the
hearer; but a short time since, and the man
who could deliberately converse on such
topic, was regarded with an indescribahle
sensation of loa'hing. and esteemed little
better than political Arnold The Ameri-
can blood froze in its veinous channels; the
American heart stopped its pulsatons, or
throbhed with Indignation at the bare utter
ance of such a proposition; but now we have
come TO listen without disgust, to read with
out horror, and even deign to reason on the
possibility of such an unuttcrahle disaster
How long have we not proudly thrown
back in the teeth of Europe their vile taunt,
that our glorious Union was a mere expert,
ment the result of which would be anarchy
and final dissolution into petty sovereignties?
And vet we have come to look on its accom-
pl' shment with complacency How long
have we not boasted of the noble example of
popular freedom that we were setting to the
nations of the globe? And now we quietly
argue the possibility of giving the lie to our
reservations, and of making ourselves a by
word and reproach to all coming time.
How often have we not boasted of the bcne-
fits that were to accrue to the great human
family by holding up to their gaze, and for
their imitation, the unexampled blessings we
enjoyed as a free and united people, And
now at the fanatic instigation of a few half
crazed demagogues, we coollv deign to phil
osophse on the possible dissolution of the
Union. How often have we not held up the
admirable picture of an extensive country,
embracing every variety of climate, and eve
rv difference of local interest and of opinion,
moral, social and political, based thereon,
vet harmonsing all these differences, anal
gamatng all interests, fraternallv compromi
sing all points of dispute, and inviting the
oppressed Of all countries to shelter under
our free and peaceful standard? And now
the ear is pained-the very soul is sick
with every DAYS report Of threats and dis
cords, and sectional jealousies, the creations
of the heated brains of over ambitious tra
tors.
He was no ordinary man who so siren
uously urged upon lis the immense import
ance and value of National Union. Those
were no common men who first organized,
gave vitality to, and pronounced their bene-
dction on the Union Of the American States.
Those were no political demagogues who
signed the ever-glorious Declaration OF our
National independence and we are willing
to stand the issue of a comparison between
their minds. their purity, their patriotism,
and those of the reckless disturbers, the trai
torous undoers of their deeds. Who that
loves his country would ALLEVIATE one portion
Of this Union from another. and under the
solemn ties, cemented with the blood of our
fathers, that link the States together9 Who
but the political treacherous villain, whose
hopes Of political preference has induced him
to use all sorts of sophistry to blend politics
and morality together, to build his arguments
on high sounding phrases about freedom
free soil, DC, to the exclusion of the clear
sighted views of our fathers, and the des
truction of the existing happiness, strength
and nronress of their sons which is to b.