Volcano weekly ledger., 1857-04-11
To the Members OF the American Party
in California.


the last week or two, several letters from
prominent and influential individuals among
YOU. asking my opinion touching the expedi-
cncy of continuing the organization of the
American Party in California for future polit
eal purposes aud have also received by
the last mail from the Atlantic States, for
NAL communication from the highest official
source known to the American Party OF the
Union as a national organization, suggesting
the proprety of immediate steps being taken
in this State for the sending Of delegates to
the National Amer. Convention, expected to
assemble few months hence in the city OF
Loui willie. Under such circumstances, |
trust it will not appear unseemly, or be look
cd upon as an attempt TO dictate TO Others
# | make in this form defamation of such
views as | conScentiously entertain npon this
interesting subject claim, of course, no
special influence or control over the opinions
or actions of Others, but desire simply that
there shonld be no mistake in any quarter in
reference to my own particular altitude at a
moment so important in the country's history
as the present, and especially that there
should be no misunderstanding on this point
among those with whom it has been my honor
to cooperate for several years past, and from
whom | should most reluctantly separate at
this time.
The American Party in California, as |
have always understood, was originally set on
foot by some of the most honest aud patri-
otic men | have ever known, mainly for the
purpose of securing a faithful execution Of
the Compromise Measures of 1850, of sup
pressing the agitation Of the question of do
mestic slavery, and preserving the Union IL
self from the dangers which seemed to menace
it from the prevalence of fierce sectional hos
tlllty in two opposite quarters OF the conted-
eracy. However it may have been elsewhere,
the American Party in this State has been
at all times wholly untanted either with the
hereSy of Abolition or that of Secession
" Universal religious liberation" has been
with US ii cardinal principle; and i'll regard to
! the naturalization laws, we have contcntcd
ourselves, as party, with insisting upon
! "judcous revision" thereof Resolutions on
these subjects, and an avowal, IN unequlyoca
| language, of an earnest desire for the estab
lishment of "a railway from the Pacific Ocean
TO the Mississippi river, comprised almost our
whole distinctive party creed We supper
/ ted Fillmore and Donelson in the late Pres
idential campaign because under all existing
circumstances we thought that the great OBJ
ject which we had at heart would be more
certainly attained through their Instrumental
/ ity The Presidential contest is now with
the history Of the past Mr.. Plerce's admiuls-
tration is at an end and a new and bright
era Is visbly dawning upon US Mr.. Bucl-
anan has been formally lnaugurated, and his
! { al ifta nfii bo 10 N faI II ~
| Inaugural Address has been promulgated
among his coun'rymen, and all far-mud-
cd and unprcjudlced men must acknowledge
it to be manly, dignlied and patriotic doc
ument. ] cannot but regard it as equal in
merit to any production OF the kind which
has heretofore emanated from the Federal
| Executive since the days of Washington
4 Whilst there is nothing in it which have not
been gratied to read, there is at the same
/ time nothing that any reasonable man conld
have desired it to contain, which is not to be
found in some part Of that document, and
expressed, too, in language most luminous and
| lorcible.
/ 1t breathes throughout a spirit Of genuine
nationality and enlightened conservatism; aud
he denounces sectioualisn in amauner 10 leave
no doubt OF his inileXible determination TO
maintain the Union iuviolate against all iis
enemies, wheresoever located. He pledges
himself to do all IN his power to suppress the
dread question which has for so long period
disturbed the peace, and put the Republic
itself in jeopardy He asserts the old aud
approved doctrines of the National Demo
cratic Party of the Union, upheld by its
members in the days of Jefferson, OF Jackson,
and OF Polk; and he procans boldly and
unmIstakabIy, the great principle OF Non
Intervention, as first promulgated by General
CaSs IN his Nicholson Letter, and afterwards
embodied in the Democratic Platform OF lS4S,
aud in the COMPROMISE measure Of lSJ0,--n
the support OF which Clay, Webster a
Cass, and Il ID Dickinson established claims to
the eternal gratitude Of their cUuutrymen.--
The new President eyuces an atiect,Onate aud
truly statesman-Ike sohcitude Tor the welfare
anu advancement oi our favored portion OF
the continent, which should call forth a
grateful response from every city, hamlet and
couury-pace III California.
The Cabinet officers whom he has chosen
are just such as the Republic needed at this
moment, and wth whose selection the whole
country will, ana ought to be more than sat
shed. They are all able and tried men, aud
each Of them, on different grounds, may well
claim the respect and confluence OF their lei
low citizens. They need no commendatOn
ut my hands, and II would be justly viewed
as lresumptu0us IN me TO undertake specific
"A