The weekly Butte record., 1861-07-20
The Secession Convention Again.

the 8th of last month, in which, they adopted
platform and sent delegates, upon it, to the
| Secession Convention at Sacramento, which
came near reading them out, with their Union
platform; but, we presume, the intended act
was stayed, on promise that they would try
and do better, as they had another chance on
the 18th of July, when they were to, and did,
meet to nominate a county ticket. We pub
lish the resolutions adopted on the 18th inst;
they take the back track, from those we pub
lished by the last meeting of the Breckenridge
Convention. The new platform is partly wishy-
washy, and deals in conceded generalites, and
partly deals in the regular Secession doctrines.
For instance, take the 9TH resolution, which
declares that the continued existence of the
war is fraught with no good and is incompati-
bic with the genius Of the Government and
destructive of the Union,-which all means,
that they are opposed to the war, under any
circumstances-tha that it is incompatible-tha
they are opposed to its continuance. OF course,
they deny any and all cause for its existence );
in other words, peaceable Secession and let
US alone doctrines are preferable to sustain
ing the Government and maintaining our ma
tionality, at all hazards.
The last resolution, and the last part Of it,
looks to State allegiance being paramount TO
National
The second resolution contains the idea lately
adopted by the Secessionists, that the Presi
dent, in his prompt action to maintain this
Government, has transcribed his Executive
powers and infringed upon one of the other
departments Of the Government They ignore
every act not strictly provided by law, and lay
aside the law of necessity and expect the sworn
head of the nation to patiently wait for the
conyening Of Congress, while they, in the
meantime, usurp the property of the people,
and go on undermining the foundations of the
Government.
We cannot but regard the resolutions we
publish elsewhere, as being fair and square
back down from the platform they heretofore
adopted. In them, they met the issues of the
present crisis fairly, and declared the true
Union doctrine but in these, it is so smother
ed up under conflicting sentiments and ideas,
no one can find the true Union spirit in them.
1t is not there, and the resolutions were drawn
for that purpose, but with the seeming inten-
ton to be very loyal. They are far from being
plain and direct enough for the people.
Upon this new-hngled platform the Con-
vention, on the second day, nominated for the
State Senate, John Lambert a gentleman
from Eastern Virginia, and who, of course,
had a constitutional weakness against declining
Il nomination for an Office however remote the
chance might be for his ever getting it, and
who, in accepting the nomination which had
just been declined by Messrs. Vance and
Smith, said he was a peace candidate-was
opposed to all war policy, and if California, at
the ballot-box, favored war policy, he would
not be with her. He wanted compromise or
anything, so that his Southern brethren should
be 80 let alone" This is the same individual
who drew and presented resolution to the
former Breckenridge Convention, declaring that
they were opposed to any war of aggression
by the Administration, upon our Southern
brethren, and that nothing contained in the
platform there passed should be so construed.
The resolution was somewhat modified by the
Convention, after it was inserted in the plat
form. For Assemblymen, they nominated
- Billings and B. P Hutchinson, who was
Peoples party man and nominated by them
For County Judge, T. Wells, the present in
cumbent, was nominated, and, on being called
out, said he was at q loss to know how he
could reconcile bis nomination and pledges to
the Peoples party, with bis acceptance at the
hands Of the Breckinride Convention But he
built bridge to escape upon, as We have else
where shown. He made quife long speech,
and felt awful bad to hear men on the streets
discussing the war and glorying in its victories
and defeats, and had often retired to his room
and lifted up his voice and wept, until the
crocodile tears would wash out the bloody
vision from his fruitful and distorted magina-
ton. For County Clerk, w. z. Denckla, the
Peoples nominee, was indorsed, as he was one
of the right men, set up for that special pur-
pose. For Sheriff, W o. Middleton was
unanimously nominated by sixty-four delegates,
who held and used forty eight proxies, and be-
ing thus indorsed, be felt bound to make a
speech, in which he admitted that the people,
or some of them, regarded him as Secession
ist, but he pronounced the charges unfounded
and false said be was true to his country
and claimed the right to differ with his fellow
citizens upon the policy pursued by the Gov
ernment in the present crisis. We are of the
opinion that he has been lending aid and
comfort, and furnishing supplies " to the Sc
cession organ of this county, for some time
past But as the office of Sheriff is one of inl-
portance to the people, we shall leave them to
judge whether his nomination shall be confirm
ed by them. He, however, told the Conven-
ton that his election was sure He has a stern
oonnpatitor IN tho maroon Of Mr. Pol1orJ u.bo