San Andreas independent., 1857-07-11
Prospective and Retrospective.

tention had we paid, as independent journalists.
to the political aspects of our State. or rather
the struggle for Office that is now pending-that
we have, to some extent, evaded the question.
As men, having right to our own views and
the expression Of our own sentiments and feel
lngs we give no man the right to question our
motives or our actions; we allow none to die
tate what we shall do. As the editor, indi-
OF an independent JOURNAL paper
winch processes to be, and is trammeed by
the dictation of no CLIQUE of no party. of no
comblnatlon--we hold ourselves at all times
ready to promulgate our principles upon the
questions which agitate this State; ready at all
times to hold up to popular oboquy, men or
measures calculated to njure its credit, its
its glory, as of the great confede
ration of the United States. In our early num-
bers we expressed such to be the Intention
Our aim, when we started, was to issue a peo-
pies organ of the mountains. We subserve
the interests of no political party or creed our
object being the success of those with whom
we are most closely identified the working
classes.
Since our first publication, questions of vital
interest to the citizens of this State and county
have been raised with boldness we have ad-
vocated the measures deemed to be good, and
have combatted the wrong (or that we con-
ceived to be,) with equal ardor. No promises
of our friends, no Vaccinations or threatenings
of those opposed to US, have deferred, or will
deter, US from pursuing the path of duty; and
though there have some differences arisen be-
tween this and the citizens of other localities
in the county, yet we have the proud satisfac-
ton of knowing that the greath of the peo-
pie of Caaveras were with us, and we were
doing what we considered right.
The great question of State poity that now
agitatcs the public mind is the State debt
We see party-numbering among it men of
unblemishcd honor and eputation--making the
non-payment of our debts plank in their plat
form. We hear men outside of that party gray
ly discuss the right and propriety of paying
what our own rulers have endorsed. The legal
tionable. The technicalites of the law would
eXonerate us from the blame of conviction of
debt; but there is higher and greater bar,
before which, as State, as member of an
honorable confederacy, we will have to appear
the bar of public opinion, before the gaze of
nations; our creditors arc strewn over the whole
world. BY reckless waste and expenditure, our
rulers-thosc whom we have elevated over us
those whom we have acknowledged to be our
Legislators and lawmakers; those whom we
have endorsed by our votes-havc encumbered
US with debt under which our State and citi-
zens daily groan; they have heapcd taxes upon
us scarcely to be borne, and it hardly seems
wonder, that in the first outbreak of resentment
and evaporation, we should find men who would
the reckless mislegisation, the fraud
violence, rascality and villany that has hereto
fore characterized our legislatures, in expend-
ing the monies of the State, and hurrying US
into such vast debt. But in the sober second
thought, when we reflect that our honor is at
stake, our honesty to be questioned, that upon
1ui fOtOo thC Ctlilh l'tppulSSS VI
IF our innocent fellow beings is pending, when
We know that the stroke would not fall upon
me of those who have so gnobly acted, but
lpon those entirely who trusting to the known
honor and probity of our citizens,
lave at times came forth nobly and manfully
o our assistance, and lent "a helping hand
hen we cannot, as men having our future pros
perity at heart, men who would deplore
the moral wrong of reputation, longer refuse
our votes against SO monstrous evil. We
have remedy and satisfaction at our COM
mand, in sending, by our votes, the bowling
pack of public plunderers and mislcgislators
who have fattened upon and voted away our
best heritage, back to the oblivion from whence
entitled Let the policy of our citizens be this,
and soon we would have no cause for repudia-
ton, no cause for contention concerning it.
In our county, questions have arisen, engen-
dering contentious not at all the most amiable
in their neutrality-suspicious., no doubt. seri-
ously affecting the interests of certain portions
of the county The removal of the county sea.
has given rise to much embittered feeling-on
this question we advocate what we deem to be
right On the confines of one of our borders,
scarcely mile and half from the extreme
limit on one side of our county, the county seat
is situated, while the citizens of another part
can hardly arrive at it in half days hard
travel To this we have objected, and do OBJ
ject. There are many other situations in the
far more favorable for the spread of
town; other places enjoying all the facilities of
Mokelumne Hill, and to which comparatively
easy access-on account of good roads diver
ging to all points-is had by the citizens of all
parts of the county and yet the energy, enter
prise and determination of a few men at the