The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-02-09
"Tn. a..4..,.n Jour.sIs.1

involves every mans principles and char
acteF in this State; rumOrizers, alarmists,
and lalsi6ers who have never possessed
the authority Of reasonable and consistent
principles to judge Of and TO differ from
the opinions Of other persons, are now
concentrating upon the importance Of ma
king "UniOn and disuniOn" the chief pO-
litical issue in California, and upon that
are fixing their own and the status of 9TH
ers COnceiving that fair representation
Of the question in its general relation will
not be advantageous to their interests in
California, they affect to be pressed by pa
triOtic feeling 50 irresistibly that while
they are in favor Of maintaining the Union
with desperate means, there must be an
opposition which, impelled by q desire for
the formation Of Pacific Republic, can
not be in favor Of the Union by any means.
Thus arranged, they pretend to no discus
sion Of the merits Of their issue but decide
thst any assertion which they may make
against the Democratic party will sustain
itself, and that the most effective manner
Of settlement is that which coldly regards
truth and carries merely the conclusion
that the party which supported Mr.. Brock
inridge for the Presidency are al avowed
secessionists. The Sacramento Union
publishes list Of the papers taken by
members Of the Legislature, and refers to
the MOUNTAIN DEMOCRAT as the principal
secession paper" in the list. The Sac
ramentO Bee, arOtten fislula Of the 7CIHiOn,
says:
! Every ono If the journals published in the
mountain regions Of California, save only the
Placerville DENOCRAr, is for the Union, now
! and forever"
Again the self sufficient and flatulcnt
Union alludeS to the " secession press"
and the Putrcscent echo answers:
Heretofore VIC have enumerated but Eve
! papers in the State rs secession Journals, but
some two or three others have shown their
heads leaning IN that direction 30 that now
they may be enumerated thus: San Francisco
Herald. Narysville Ezpress, Stockton ReP"bli-
can, PIacervilIe DENOcRAT, Butte UemOcrdt,
Placer Herald, Sonora Democrat, MaripOsa Ga
zeft'-eight in all. 1t may be considered strange,
but II is nevertheless true, that each and every
one II these are political journals, and sMppOrted
the Breckinridge party at the late election and
thus il Ia that 10 all California We find no re.
ce.siOnist who was not . supporter Of that
ticket! This Is significant. Well, IL they are
aaI q has ,I,
number about 10000 IN California, while all
the other parties. who have 10000 votes, are
strong Union meu."
Now, here We are, permanently settled |!
The lines Of our province are unmistaka-
bly, drawn; our position is defined, re de.
fined, and none can see us in any light but
that Of unconditional, fully declared and
ultra secession! "This is significant
Mr.. Breckenridge never uttered a dis
union sentiment; he said; "The COnsti
tuition and the equality Of the States are
the symbols of the Union" We favored
his election and argued that without the
fullest enjoyment Of Constitutional guar
antce, the Union could not maintain it's
proper entirety. Mr.. Douglas dogma
prevented the election Of Mr.. Breckin-
ridge and tho administration Of the gov
eminent with the genuine symbols Of the
Union in advance Of sectional fanaticism.
The southern States promised secession
in return for the triumph Of Lincoln. The
advocate Of ireprcssible conflict between
the slave and free States was elected |;
States have seeded, and now Mr.. Doug.
las, the champion Of the strong Union
men" Of this State, says war is disuniOn,
certain and inevitable, and that to save
the Union he will admit that ell Of his
former action was wrong. that his "great
doctrine" was destructive Of the necessary
harmony Of the people and Of the States |!
But we have Sacramento authority for
saying that all who voted for Breckenridge
in California number 30, 900 disuniOnists /;
and We have only unprincipIed and inia.
nous authority for saying that the Noun
TAIN DEMOCRAT Is an advocate of disunion.
"The strong Union men" say that the
Federal Government must be sustained in
4 war on South Carolina; thereby COM
pact constituted in spirit Of peace. con
ceSSion and equality "must and shall" be
preserved; therefore, those whOsupported
Douglas and Lincoln in California are
"StrOng Union men," The MOUNTAINS
DEMoCRAT has said that the Union is a
compact Of sovereign States in order to
establish justice, insure domestic tran.
guilty, provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare and secure
the blessings Of liberty; but that these
objects cannot be attained except by the
voluntary efforts of the people of all OF
the parties to the compact; that the
Union is desirable; that just remedies
for domestic evil should emanate from
those to whose account the evil is charged;
that Union maintained by Federal force
sustained by sectional animosity. would
be more oppressive and unenlightened
than European despOtism; that il the
Union cannot be maintained except by force
Of sectional hatred and war, it will lose its
original constituents and dissolve itself.
Therefore, the DRxOCEAT is an advocate
Of diSunion. Furthermore, we have said
n distracted Union was not en- object Of
the Democratic party, and that every
true American in this State deplOred the
difficulties Of the Union, and sympathized
with those States which have been an
noyed by the fanaticism Of other States ;
therefore, the DENOcRAT Ia secession
ist." And we have said that political "a
natics and agitatOrs sre endeavoring to
ruin the country, and that in the event of
La