The hydraulic press., 1861-07-27
Lindley I'm a Quandary.

Secession is hard dose for Charles Lindley
| to swallow. He was born too far north to be a
| disunionist at heart. He has got one foot in it,
however, and hesitates whether to put in the
other or draw entirely out. The first State Sc
cession Convention would not accept his plat
form, and he sought to amend it. In this he
was not entirely successful. Now, that it has
met second time, he offers further modifca-
tons. The Sd and 4th resolutions of series
which Mr.. Lindley offered, read as follows
g. Resolred, That California, from her institu-
tons, interests, associations and patriotism, re-
| mains true to the Union, and loyal to the Con.
stitution and flag of our country.
f. ResOtred, That we condemn both Northern
and Southern Observation-Disclosures and Se-
cessionists-for plunging our country into Sec
tional war. 1t should be the mission of Califor-
MIA to aid in arrestng this fearful STRIFE and re-
storing peace to our distracted people. But she
must contend for peace question of policy
sctttin the Government with whose destinies she
is cast, and whose honor is our honor. She
| must contend for it to preserve the whole coun-
try. If she fails in this, then she must contend
for it as a means of preserving from exhaustion,
| anarchy or military despotism those States with
which our lot is cast.
In support of these resolutions he said:
Mr.. LINDLEY said he would detain the Con-
vention but moment. He knew the sentiments
of the Convention, and it was with reluctance
that he offered the resolution here. But in the
former meeting of the Convention, he knew there
were members sitting who, if reports were true,
were now on their way to join the forces of the
Southern Confederacy. Yet they had helped to
make party platforms by which he was to live in
this State. He said to those gentlemen, and to
all others who were disposed to carry their pro-
ceedings with pretty high hand, that that was
not fair. While the country was at peace he had
fought for the rights of the South, bit the South
was now in a belliger,nt attitude towards the
North and the destinies of this State were clear
ly and Enthusiastically with the North. 1t was
therefore their political duty, whether from
choice or necessity, to act within the sphere of
the Government within which they lived, and
whose laws and Constitution they were bound to
obey. He would fight for peace in legal man.
ner, if possible-nOt alone nor mainly for the
interests of the South, but for the sake of pre-
serving the Northern States from anarchy, mill
tary despotism, bankruptcy, disintegraton and
total ruin. He would do that not to aid the flag
of the Southern Confederacy, but for the benefit
of the North, with whom his own lot was cast.
He desired the Democratic party to stand before
the people Of California in that attitude, and not
in the attitude of battling for peace for the Ike
of the Southern Confederacy. No gentleman
from Kentucky or Louisiana ought to expect
him to do more than that, and they ought all to
JOIN with him, foregoing their personal sympa
thies, and accepting the issue which Secession
and Abolitionism together had forced upon them.
But the proceedings of the last Convention and
the course of certain gentlemen in the Legsla-
ture would place him and all the party upon the
record as fighting tn battle of peace for the sake
of the enemies of their country, because a
great public question they must treat the Seeded
States as enemies. He would conted for peace,
and against the usurpations of the Administra-
ton, but it must e within the Constitution and
the laws of the country within which he lived
This was the change he asked to be made in the
platform, and he appealed to the Convention to
reflect well before they voted on the resolutions
which he offered"
Mr.. Montgomery, of Napa, moved to indef-
nitely postpone the resolutions, and said, among
other things, that che hardly expected the n
tleman would come back, after the part he took
in that (the frst) Convention"
The resolutions finally sent to commit
tee of seven, where, of course, they will be emas
culated or entirely strangled.
If we were Mr.. Lindley, we should most in
continently get out of that "foul crowd" He
don't properly belong there, and is too good
man to compromise himself by occupying false
position.