Daily national Democrat., 1859-09-03
Report of a Public Meeting at San Juan.

report which was furnished us by letter, Of
meeting called by the Republicans of North
San Juan, Nevada county. 1t is dated Sep
tenlber lst, and as Nn evidence Of public
feeling in the section alluded to, is worthy
Of perusal:
+. "a large and enthusiastic gathering of the
the people occurred at this place last night
Over eight hundred people, men of all par
lies were present, and were addressed by
that fearless champion Of the peoples right:
and eloquent defender of the peoples honor
Col. Z. D. Baker. 1t was the largest meet
ing ever held IN this place, outn numbering the
Weller and Scott meeting several hundred.
The meeting was presided over by Col
James Collins; II. Fl, Farquhar, ESQ., acting
rs Secretary. On taking the stand Col,
Collins, in few brief, eloquent and appro-
pirate remarks, announced the object of the
meeting to be to listen to a speech from Col.
Baker Col Collins prefaced his remarks by
thanking the meeting for the honor conferred
upon him in being called to do honor to his
illustrious friend, Col. Baker. He said he
did not belong to either party now organized
in the State of California, and that conse-
quently in what he might he might say con-
cerning his knowledge of Col. Baker, he
could not be charged with partizanship. He
said he had known Col Baker well and in
tlmately for the last thirty years. That du-
ring that long period Of time he had watched
his political course, and that he never vet
discovered that he had done any act either
in or out of office, that met with his disap-
probation, or that did not rebound to the
glory and honor of his country. lie said
that nearly thirty years ago, when quite
young man, Col. Baker volunteered as A COM
mon soldier under him in the celebrated
Black Hawk war, and rendered important
services in that war; that at later period of
his life he leita seat of ease in Congress VOL
UNFAIRLY, and volunteered his services in the
army of the United States to fight the Mex
Scans; that he was a Colonel in the army.
commanding thousand men from the State
ot Illinois; that he was in some of the most
sangulnary battles fought on the plains of
Mexico, and that in every action in which
MS regiment was engaged tie acquitted him.
SELF admiralty and won distinguished henors;
mat he returned from Mexico with that por.
ton of his regiment that survived, with
halo of glory encircled around him which
Louis Napoleon might envy. Col Collins
spoke of Col. Bakers election to Congress in
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his services to the people of his District in
the Congress of the Nation; of his wise and
conservative councils, and his indomnitable
energy, perseverance and integrity. He said
that in electing Col. Baker to Congress, the
people of California would do a wise act, aud
that they might rely upon him in any en-
ergency. lie concluded his remarks by in.
Producing Col. Baker, whose preseuce upon
.hc stand was bailed by three loud and deaf
ching cheers. Amid the rip roaring plaudits
of the vast crowd, Mr. Baker spoke for more
than two hours in mastery strains of elo
quence, interrupted frequently with plaudits
and cheers. Never since this town has been
peopled, have our citizens listened to any
thing like Col, Bakers speech here last night
Language with me is inadequate to depict to
You faint idea of his glowing eloquence,
and hence shall not undertake it. lie diyi.
ded the subjects which he discussed under
different headings, and discussed each to the
end. He spoke of the Compromise of 1920,
Known as the Missouri Compromise; explain
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concusively that it was Southern measure,
cpponed by the North. lie spoke of the
Compromise niea6uFes of $780, the causes
that led to them, the reeults and the benefits
derived from them. He said that after the
Compromise measures of 1850 were adopted
and California admitted into the Union, the
question of slavery, it was supposed, had
been removed forever from the halls of Con-
gress; that men of all parties, with the ex.
ceptiOn of q few Abolitionsts scattered here
and there in the northern and eastern States
acquiesced in those measures and conceded
that the slavery question was forever settled
so far as Congress was concerned; that as
the Presidential election of 1856 approached,
the party known as Democratic finding that
they had lost ground in consequence Of the
miserable administrative policy of President
Pierce, and seeing that unless some rallying
cry could be raised, such as the old jackson
had in the palmy days of Jacksonism Re
publican President would probably be elect
ed, set themselves to work and produced the
bill known as the Kansas N ebraska Bill.
lie explained the principles contained in said
bill SO far as they relate to the slavery ques
tion, and said the rallying cry adopted was
Popular Sovereignty" James Buchanan
was elected President
He portrayed in beautiful and eloquent
language the principles of popular sover-
eighty, and said he went for those principles
with oil his heart He said Scott charged
him with having changed. lie acknowledged
the corn, admitted that he had changed and
quoted passage from Burke to show that
he who never changes is n fool. He repeat
ed over and over that he had changed
changed for the better. That seeing that
the people could be trusted to form their
own institutions without thr aid of Congress
sional interference, he had changed so far as
to give them the right to do SO that he had
no fear In trusting the people that the mass
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