San Andreas independent., 1858-07-31
TO THE DEMOCRACY
-OF--
CALAN LR RASi


phys, the 10th inst, to prepare an Ad-
dress to the People of Calayeras county,
declaring the reasons for the course pur-
sued by that Convention, and setting
forth the grounds of difference with the
administration of James Buchanan, in
the policy pursued in reference to Kansas
during the last session of Congress, and
the action that should be taken by all
Democrats who hold principle paramount
to men, in the approaching political con-
test.
A Democratic County Convention was
called by the Central Committee to meet
at Murphy's on the 10th day of July,
1858. In accordance with that call, the
delegates from the various precincts in
the county assembled at Murphy son that
day. The Convention organised, and
commenced its labors. Among its first
acts, it was manifest that an arbitrary
course would be pursued, and all required
to believe as one man believed, or pro-
scription must follow. The Resolutions
adopted by that Convention-embracing
the political principles of its members
sanctioned every act, thus far, of the adj
ministration of James Buchanan, leaving
no room to differ with it upon any measure
upon which it had acted. The test was
illiberal, unjust and democratic; and
by this rigid course, drove from the Con-
yention those who could not sanction and
approve of every act of the present Ad-
ministration From a Democratic Con-
vention, where an open, liberal policy
should have been pursued, it became ex-
clusively an administration Convention,
and no alternative was left to those who
could not sanction its every act, but to
withdraw and organise separate Con-
vention upon true Democratic principles
A separate Convention was organised J;
Resolutions, expressive of the political
principles of it's members were adopted !;
Delegates to the Democratic State Con-
vention, to be held at Sacramento city on
the 4th Of August next, were elected; a
Committee appointed to draft an Address
to the Democracy of Calayeras county,
and County Committee appointed to
call County Convention to put in nomi-
nation candidates for the various County
offices, and to nominate a candidate for
Senator in this Senatorial District, and
members of the Assembly. A call for a
Popular Sovereignty Democratic County
Convention, to be held at Angels the
10th of August next, has been made by
the committee appointed for that purpose,
and it is to be hoped that each precinct
will be represented by its usual number
of Delegates, and full Convention be
held to express, with emphasis, the pop
ular sovereignty Democratic principle pre-
vailing in old Calaveras.
We will now present the reasons why
we, as Democrats, cannot consistently
sanction and sustain all the acts, thus far,
of our present National Administration :
In June, 1856, at the National Demo-
cratic Convention held at Cincinnati,
Ohio, which nominated our present Ma
were adopted, constituting the Cincinnati
Platform, which were to be the chart by
which the candidate for President, there
nominated, was to be guided during his
Administration, should he be elected to
that office. Among those resolutions, is
one which reads as follows:
"Resolred, That we recognise the right of
the people of all the territories, including
Kansas and Nebraska, acting through the
legally and fairly expressed will of the ma
jority Of actual residents; and whenever the
number of their inhabitants justifies it, to
g form Constitution, with or without domestic
slavery, and be admitted into the Union upon
" terms of perfect equality with the older
States"
In James Buchanan's letter of accep-
tance of his nomination, we find the fol-
lowing language:
THE Nebraska Kansas Act does no more
than give the force of law to this elementary
principle of self-government; declaring it to
g be the true intent and meaning of this Act, not
to legslate slavery into any territory or State,
" nor exclude it therefrom but to leave the
"people thereof perfectly free to form and
"regulate their domestic institutions in their
q own way, subject only to the Constitution of
" the United States. This principle will sure
"ly not be controverted by any individual of
" any party protesting devotion to popular
government"
In the same letter, Mr. Buchanan says:
ain accepting the nomination, 1need scarce
"ly say that accept in the same spirit, the
resolutions constituting the platform of prin-
ciples erected by the Convention"
The Presidents language is clear and
explicit, and fully endorses the princi-
Piles embraced in the Cincinnati platform.
And as a proof that James Buchanan
continued to hold to the Interpretation of
the principles laid down in the Kansas
Nebraska Act, and as reiterated in the
Cincinnati platform, long after his elec-
ton, given by popular sovereignty Demo
Gratis, we refer to his letter of instruc-
tions to Governor Walker, when about to
enter upon his duties as Governor of Kan
sas. That letter bears date March Both,
1857, and contains this language:
"When such a Constitution shall be SUBJ
emitted to the people of the Territory, they
must be protected in the exercise of their
fright, of voting for or against that instru-
ment, and the fair expression of the popular
"will must not be interrupted by fraud or Vi
olence; | repeat, then, as my clear convic-
ton, that unless the Convention submit the
H C0n StItutfau tn tho of oil no 81