San Andreas independent., 1857-08-01
John Tihgman.
SACRAMENTO. July 27. 1851.


SACRAMENTO, July u, 1857.
Gentlemen II have had the honor to receive
your letter of this date, propounding to me cer-
tain interrogatorics. 1t comes from respecta-
ble citizens not " devoted to party and is en-
titled to respectful answer.
To your first question answer: Yes.
To your second, | answer also in the affirma-
tive, having as | believe, plainly advocated
this, in the speech made in the House of Rep
resentatives, on the 9th of March, 1850, when |
said, in contending for the admission of Cali
fornia, " advocated the election Of our pres
ent Chief Magistrate, not merely as Whig but
as the great representative and champion of
the right of man to self-government If no
other southern man votes as do, I will vote
for the admission of California" ] could not
have opposed the admission of California had
her Constitution tolerated slavery, though re-
joice, as one of her citizens, that it was exclu-
ded.
To your third question answer The de-
cision in the Drcd Scott case, like all other de-
cisions of the Supreme Court of the United
States, is entitled to profound respect, and
though differ in opinion, rs expressed in my
public speeches, with the majority of the Court,
| regard this, like all other cases. As finally de-
termining the points properly before the Court,
and to be acquiesced in By all good citizens,
until overruled.
To your fourth question: of course, answer
Yes. . a thorough reform" of the abuses to
which you refer can alone redeem the character
of our State, and secure her the confidence of
business men throughout the world, and the re-
spect of her sister States.
have not dwelt much on this topic in the
speeches have made recently, because it was
an unpleasant task to refer to individuals con-
neeted with the mismanagement of public af-
fairs, and because thought these abuses were
universally admitted and understood by the
people of California. If any one has heretofore
denied that California has been shamefuly
mismanaged, let him read the speech of the
lion. John Is. Weller most accurately reported
in the Sacramento Daily Union of this morning
This gentleman-for whom, individually en-
tertain no other than feelings of kindness and
only intend to oppose his political opinions
this gentleman, now the candidate of the DEM
ocratic party, said in that speech:
But can say this, my friends that if am
elevated to that position, | shall do all in my
power to correct those old abuses which have
brought disgrace and dishonor upon our State.
1t shall be my constant aim to instil into the
administration of public affairs in California,
that degree of moral integrity which especially
conduces to the prosperity and happiness of
any community"
No opponent of the so-called Democratic party,
no honest Republican or American, can de-
nounce those supporters of the Democratic NOM
inee, who perpetrated those old abuses in
stronger terms than these.
Again, he says:
But we of the Democratic party are pledged
to stand up in favor of the public credit. You
and know that a large portion of our State
debt was incurred in most rascally manner.
You know that those bonds were issued by
profigate parties. But it was done by the men
whom we had selected as our agents.
In the propriety of sustaining public credit
fully concur. Private credit is wealth. public
honor is security. The feather that adorns the
royal bird supports his fight-strip him of his
plumage, and you fix him to the earth" But
how is that credit and honor to be secured p
Surely not by keeping in Office {" our agents."
the broken down politicians" referred to by
Colonel Weller-men who only labor to get
otflce, who cannot live without the supporters
OF the old abuses which have brought dis
grace and dishonor on the State-the platform
builders, the promise-making, promise breaking
Democracy of California The question is now
submitted to the patriots of California. mot
devoted to party whether they will sustain
those who confess all that has been CHARGED
against them?
In answering your letter. ayow no new
prlnclpie, no new doctrine. | wish it distinctly
understood that stand only upon the platform
OF my past life and expressed opinions-that
am not candidate asking for my own eleva-
tion, but have yielded to the solicitations of a
convention of good citizens, who have not re-
CURED surrender of principle on my part, but
VINO think, as do, that +" in essentials there
should be unity; in non-essentals, liberty in all
things, charity"
With high respect,
Your obedient servant,
EDWARD STASLY.
10 David Meekcr, F.. G. Wnchcn Or. r. Bell,
and nthcrc