Daily national Democrat., 1861-05-22

'"' 'N'''H S"ii iulil IbICitil. DN Tue ca
perience of nations, and the light of history
we can see conscript laws dragging the son
of toll into military service, families decima-
ted, industry paralyzed, commerce destroyed
individuals and States bankrupt, ruin, gloon
and desolaton in the land-the civil yedins
to the martial law military spirit and mill
tary chiefs rising, millions of lives sacrificed
finally ending in despotism, with liberty los
forever
For what purpose are we to have war? l.
it to preserve Union by force? Will yor
make the South lore the North at the point
of the bayonet and consent to live with hei
as a family of States? 1t is madnessl Mad
ness ! Madness!l After hundred victori
Gus battles in favor of the North, she would
need an immense standing army to hold hel
conquered possessions. Let the reader pause
here for reflection, and ask himself for what
object is there to be war;
How can an appeal to arms be avoided /
This is the great practical question of the
case The South is determined and united
and has declared (as no idle threaU that tc
collect revenue and hold Notifications in her
ports, will be treated as acts of war Presi-
dent Lincoln solemnly declares in his inaug-
ural address, he will use all the power at hiq
command to do both. He has already means
enough to initiate in day the awful trage-
dy, trusting thereafter to the cry of "blood, u
to bring the necessary Congressional aid to
prosecute the unholy contest. May Prov-
dence change the direction of events until the
sober second thought of the people of the
free States can be spoken upon this question
calmly at the ballot box.
We must speak of things as they now exist
of actual, present realities-instead OF
| linn of linuc ,r,,1l Il a.
TO be- or as they once were, and from 7ecesSi.
ty, must treat @ih tie South as formidable
body, rather than undertake to pursue and
hang each man for treason. The exigency
demands that the commission or continuance
of all acts tending to aggravate the existing
difficulties pending the attempt at settlement
should be scrupulously avoided
Tile tdxdti0a Of commerce in the harbor OF
a State against its will is the highest insult u
! sorereignty and the most provoking of con-
lct. There is no distinction, in principle,
between the duty on goods in the harbor and
the direct tax on the same goods in the ware
house or upon the real property Of the State.
And it would be equally provocative of war
to enforce the former with Navy, as the
latter with an invading army. The people
of the seeding States believe that they have
righlfully withdrawn from the Union and
formed new confederation, and he must be
wilfully or stupidity blind TO the mainsprings
of human and national action, who cannot see
that the exercise of such acts of sovereignty
in their ports by what they regard to be a
foreign power, would never be submitted to
for moment without collision. We recur t 7
the qUestion-how can war be avoidede
Those who have the political power of tho
North must stay their hand, and avoid all
! ..
well the caus es Of secession, and offer in good
faith sufficient guarantees against recur-
renee of such causes. If such guarantees are
not offered, then the party in power will be
competed 10 dckaomiedge an accomplished Se6d-
rotion ard tie independence of the seeding
States. England had to pursue such course
towards the colonies, after a bloody struggle
of seven years How much better it would
have been for both had she done so on the
lth Of July l77G, or before the battle of Lex
ington.
We can but express a sincere desire that
the States may be re-HHited, and that the
/ whole Nation may gain strength, and new
/ elements OF perpetuity from Che ordeal
/ through which it Will have passed, and that
/ the American flag may float forever over
/ every sea; protecting She commerce and citi-
zens Of thirty-lour States. To this end, Cali
/ lornia Is prepared to accept and adopt any
compromise, which may DO agreed upon BE-
t'rceu the North a,@ Soufh
News of Il settlement and ye-la,iop would
be received here with acelamations Of delight
California may not as get have felt the
shock Of the disturbing elements rs deeply as
some OF her sister States, but there is tie more
/ il, store fer her. 1t is folly, aye more it i.
madness 60 close our eyes TO the condition,
Responsibilities, duties and obligations OF
| California in the apprehended catastrophe.
Tier popH'ttioH, unlike that Of any other
state, has been drawn rromiscuously from
! the rice. tobacco, cotton and sugar pnnta-
| lions of the SoWh, as well as from the trades,
! factories and farms OF the NorM and West.
! So recent has been the immigration of nearly
all our population that the love of home,
| kindred and friends is still strong with US. 1t
matters not upon which side of the present
| issue the majority in sympathy may be :ound,
it would be a snail ma ority and large mi
nority Should that minority be required to
take arms against their recent homes and kim
| drcd? The mind revolts with horror at the
contemplation of such contingency
An attempt at coercion would prccjPddte
/ this 9ucattoa upon our people. Pcoce IN or
o,ra borders, peace between our sister States
the hope of adjustment, the happiness and
prosperity of all sections, forJid the applica-
tion Of force.
We, therefore, cordially invite all to unite
upon common platform, regardless of the
past and bring the united strength of all tc
prevent coercion, avert perhaps civil war
and Sarc our State from its train Of erHS.
CIIAS. LINDLEY, Chrm'n.
L. L. EYRE, Recording Sec'y.
WM j, lIooToN Cor SecV