Daily national Democrat., 1861-02-21

aMhat Docs Il Mean g,

The Express, with an air Of injured inno-
cence, which is amusing, seems to wonder at
Gen. SCOTS issuing an order for reinforce
ments at San Francisco and the coneentra-
tion of Federal troops at the Bay. "What
are we coming TO" it says, "when the Fed
eral Government prepares to oyerawe and
intimidate the people Of a State, who have
offended in nothing, but who have steadily
pursued the path of duty and pleasure, ren
dering obedience to the law, maintaining the
Constitution inviolatc, and keeping unbroken
faith not only with the Federal Government,
but with each sister State, and with every
section of the Union ? When have we Of
fended"
If the General Government has made this
movement for the purpose of overawing any
body at all, it is likely that she means to
overawe those only who have been glibby
talking about the establishment of their IA
cifc Republic, soon as they shall hnd the
General Government in trouble and surroun-
ded by difficulties If Congressman Scott
and Burch write home long letters advoca-
ting Pacific Republic, in the event of GER
tain contingencies dependent upon secession
in the South, and California papers echo
their sentiments and hurrah for the same
thing; if gentlemen get up in our State Leg.
isature and proclaim their desire to see Cal
ifornia IN Independent Government, and they
too are supported and applauded by rarti-
san press-we ask wherein would be the fla
grant offense of the Government in looking
little to the future upon this coast? Is it
the patriotism of apologists for secession and
advocates of a Pacific Republic, that is so
grossly "insulted? ?" Is an expressed deter
mination to be disloyal to the Federal Gov
ernment at the very moment that she needs
loyalty and devotion, 50 tame declaration
as to merit no attention at headquarters p
For our part we do not believe that the
reinforcements are to be sent for any special
purpose of intimidating any class of people,
whatever; but, simply because Of the gener-
al agitation in the country, and the danger
Of leaving important points unguarded, when
may at any moment prevail, or foreign
power take advantage of the disturbed state
of the Nation to invade the rights of the
General Government But, certainly, those
parties who are scheming for Pacific Re
public, or, if not so, have declared their pur-
pose to cooperate in its attempted establish
ment, in case of separation of the Southern
States from the Confederacy, are not the per-
sons to feel so keenly, we should suppose
any such imputation upon the patriotism and
loyalty of the people of California as is com
planned of in this movement of the military
arm of the Government. They certainly cam
not reasonably be insulted at being taken at
their own word. They openly proclaim that
they ore in favor, in n certain looked for
event, of a Pacific Republic; and, if the
Government says to them, "Srs, it is under
stood chat you are for setting mp an indepen-
dent Government, and you can't be allowed
to do it,, what insult is there in that? Is it
such an unheard of thing, for Government
to exercise its authority over its own forts
and garrisons, and to be its own Judge as to
what military movements to make for the
general protection and defense? Has it come
to this, that any act of the Government dis
pleasing to any portion of the people is an
insult to them. but rebellion, incipient or
complete, on paper or in arms, is no insult 10
the Government What sort of new politi-
cal philosophy is this?