The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-03-09
The Promise OF secession.

cry one Of the States which have seeded toteC
for lbreckinridge :--ShdStd Courier.
Was it not said in the argument against
the Republican and Squattcr Sovereignty
parties, that the doctrines of those par.
ties, il applied through National Admin
iStratiOn, would so enhance the danger and
distrust Of the South that disunion would
DC an inevitably speedy consequence -
The people Of the South, their opponents
will contend, had 10 right to promise dis.
solution; no, certainly not THY had
no authority from their own circumstances
to observe their own grievances and to
determine what would make their griev-
ances completely oppressive, and to warn
the Northern conservatives that their re-
fusal to support the platform with Mr..
Breckenridge would warrant scccS>ionnry
action in the South. Mr.. Breckenridge
and all Of his adhcrcnts declared that non
interference toward State rights and pro-
tcctcd equality on the common territory,
were necessary to the existence Of the
Union. The acts Of secession all have the
merit Of candid preliminary statement ;
they have not in the least partakcn of the
nature of conspiracy or exhibited the ex-
element of sudden tumult, but straight
upon the promise, directly following the
warning, and Systematically in accordance
with the suggestions contained in the pro-
test, previous to the Presidential election,
the Southern States have acted. They
did not pretend merely to present an ulti-
matum in the excitement Of the canvass,
but the matter was fairly introduced in
the Democratic National Convention; no
expectation, no objection to the Douglas
doctrine, no plan Of action in case Of de-
feat, no earnest and fraterDal means OF
warning, was withheld, but through the
Convention the whole Democratic party
and the people Of the whole Union were
clearly Informed Of the reasons of South.
ern protcstation, and plainly advised Of
the negative aud affirmative consequences.
There was no Sccrcsy whatever. The dis
Simulators were on the other side; they
ranged fiOm the head to the foot, from
front TO rear, from Douglas and Johnson
down to the smallest advocate who kept
his mouth open during the canvass. Doug
las disSimu!atcd TO make il appear that
there was Southern conspiracy against
the Union he now admits that he and his
party were against the Union, and that
Breckenridge and his platform were right.
lIcrschcl Y. johnson was secret diSun-
ionist, one who was not bold and manly
enough to stand upon the side where hon
est irankness was proclaiming the results,
OF the division caused in the party by
Northern and Western Obstinacy aud per-
sonal preference scattered in, as being
against the Administration and the South.
Mr.. johnson secretly withheld his dis.
union opinions, but when the States, which
had boldly promised secession, seccdc, he
signs n secession ordinance. Before the
election he WAS with Mr.. Alexander IT.
Stephens, diSScmblcd through the canvas.
and both were the admired Gcorgians
whom the Shasta CO"riCr praised but
now they are with Cobb and Toombs, the
condemned GeorgianS whom the Shasta
CO"riCr slandcrcd for fcarlcsSly assuming
the position Of Scccdcrs before the clcc.
ton. The sense and the exhibition oI
honor, the possession and the appearance
Of fearlcssncss, the prompting and the mo.
tive and the expression Of candor and de.
termination, must be attributed to the
deserving parties the deception, the mis-.
representation, the insinuating Yillfca
ton. the backward creeping, the inconSis
tent protcstatiOn, must be attributed IL
the deserving parties, and We arc proud
Of the business Of bcstowing that which
is due.
The Sectional Weed la the Garden OF
Liberty.
But thank heaven Scctonalism il but weed
in the garden If liberty, It il neither fruit nor
flower. tolHnibm Times.
Agricultural experience proves that
fruits and flowers possess vitality infc-
rior to weeds, and are much the more read.
lily to be uprootcd and destroyed; and
that from the care given to the cultivation
Of fruits and flowers, weeds derive the
greatest sustenancc. Most of the useful
plants will withcr under any harShness,
will drOOp in the sunshine and die in
frost but the weeds, being more natural
ly hardy, will expand in the summer heat
and disseminate and multiply impcrisha-
bic germs, which will take care Of them
selves and sleep till you stir them with
your cultivation of the things which you
have planted. The weed is an indeStruc-
tible product of nature; the cultivated
flower is creature of art and always per-
ishablc. II scctionaism is but weed
in the garden of liberty" it is but thing
which has more natural, n more persist
ent and more indcstructible growth than
any of the ncighboring fruits and flowers.
1t Is wecd-thc rank, unfragrant stra-
monium, which arrogantly spreads and
voraciously absorbs the life and opportu-
mites of better things 1t is rot well to
thank heaven for this great weed it were
good to regret that scctionalisIn is not the
prctticst flower-for then il could be crush.
ed and obliteratcd-or that it is not a tree
or fruit bearing herb-for then it could be
cut down and kept out of our garden of
liberty. The flowers and fruits which We
cultivate in that garden are beautiful and
healthful and sweet, but in tilling and