The hydraulic press., 1860-06-02
CALIFORNIA IN THE UNION.

Senate, accused his colleague, Senator-Gwin,
of having asserted that, in the event of the
+ fdissolution of the sAmcrican Oonfederacy,
California would unite with the southern'nr
slaveholding States. Senator Gwin, it is
/ reported, promptly offered fiat eontradic-
tien, to- this accusation, and said that the
1 opinion he entertained-and which he had
publicly exprcSsedlwaS that California and
Oregon, with the territories of Nevada and
| Washington, in case of the separation of'the
northern and southern States, wouid form a
distinct unitedr republic, entirely independent
Of any of the fragments of the exploded con-
federacy. If this is the real opinion of SEN
tor Gwin-and there is no good reason to
doubt that it is-it will find abundance Of
eehoes.in California. 1t is exceedingly pain
full to contemplated the possibility OF a disso
lntion of the Union ;"but, as the politicians
| Of the eastern Seaboard have accustomed
themselves to speak of it in terms Of flip
pancy, there can be no harm in the people
of the Pacific coast looking out for them
selves, in the event. of such deplor;tble ca
lamity.
Notwithstanding our belief that the \ mer-
lean confederaey is capable of ,wthstanding
much ruder shocks than audw threaten it,
stfl! while oar eastern brethren manage to
discuss the probabilities Of "a disruption of
the republic with so much 'Moschala,tce, we
can see no iGlpropretyin Californians being
alive to the subject. There is law of ma
ture, pervading and ruling all animal life
human and bestial-called self-preseryation;
and it is difficult to see why this natural law
is not as applicable to communities and states
as to individuals. If the American Union
ready stands in danger, as the eastern poll
| ticianS, assert, it is duty which California
and Oregon, and all the embryonic states,
between the Rocky mountains and the Pa
cific, owe to themselves to be prepared for
the emergency. The politicians OF this our
State. of aCaltforria-with all due difference
be it spoken-have never done much to ad-
vance her in the pathtof physical and social
excellence With exceedingly few Exceptions,
the men, who have aspired to -lcgisiate for
car people, are not of those who deserve
martyrdom for an exuberance Of either
wisdom or patriotism. For dll this our peo-
PIE aresno doubt to ola ne for, having the
power to elect wise and good men to Office
they deserve condemnation in not exercising
that power eficaciousiy. fHiie 'Aiult, it is al
legged, lies with the party conventions, who
make bad nominations and compel their in
nocent partisans to indorse them by'tieir
votes. Perhaps this is SO and, if it is so,
the sbest@aaTfce that can BE given to these
conventions-of all parties-is to choose
their candidates from their very best men,
so that the rank and file mary be enabled to
indorse thefn without disgrace to themselves
or injury to the State.
The people of California are exceedingly
intelligent-none more so in the whole
! Union-for the reason that they are the very
intellectual cream of the older states; but,
in the matter and article Of choosing their
legislators, their intelligence seems to sleep
| while they suffer all manner Of impudent
prctenders to caiele them out of their votes.
This unfortunate state of things, as has just
| been limited, is laid to the account of the
nominating conventions but is it not pos
sible for an intelligent people to either alb
rogate the system of nominating conven-
tions, or compel them to perform their duties
with more of an eye to the public veal?
California is prodigy of civic growth
Though 'enly decade in years, she has be-
come very great, even to the outstripping of
many of her sister states, who began exis-
tence long and long before her. But that
she owes her greatness to her politicians, no
man, who has watched her progress and can
think and judge with soberness, i'll admit
Ao--her greatness has been brought about
BY the indrstry and energy of her work-a-
day people-thc people who mind their own
business and neither care nor seek for Office
who persist in building up the State, in
spite of all the clogs with which the igno-
rance and imbecility of the politicians are SO
constantly thwarting and confusing them
We must have honester hearts and brighter
intellects in our legislative halls ard when
We get them we shall have legislation more
ia consonance with the welfare and glory Of
great people, than has been our fortune
hitherto. With wise and virtuous lecisla-
ton we shall be prepared to remain happi-
ly in the Union, SHOULD it hold together, or
go out of it,shouid it explode, and set up for
ourselves respectfully. The people must take
a little time from their hurry of mining, and
farming, and cattie-raisng, aad Go some of
their own political thinking.
LEvY's DRY Goobs.-As will more fully
and at large appear, by an advertisement in
this paper, our friend Levy has removed his
dry goods and fancy store to the fire proof
brick building one door east of McGure's