The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-02-23
General Sests TAs HaIsinsFs and the
state ARnaS.

General Sestt TAe RaIsineFs and the
state ARnAS.
L. Gen Scott has been q successful soldier
and assurodIy be possesses the best quaIifi-
cation Of . great stTatcgeic commander |;
he Is q perfect military taeticiaO, learned
student Of war, . well meaning patriot /;
but notwithstanding his age and long as
ISOLATION with the chief functionarics Of
the civil government, he is mott all adapt
cd to the domestic emergencies Of civil
government; he knows less Of the people
In their ordinary capacities and has .
greater readiness to believe that mere talk
and daily paper rumOr arc the real utter
anccs Of public opinion, than any other
man who has had part Of the advantage
Of growing up with aud learning every.
thing from the public service. His cOun-
eel with respect to the duty Of the Federal
government toward the seeding States,
has evidently not been followed; but IS
the chief Of the military department he
has been seconded in his desire to make
some unusual display in the Notifications
within and upon the coasts Of the States
whichHre not assuming any Of the degrees
Of secession. The Administration may
regard this IS wisely precautionary for the
protection Of public property, but with
General Scott it is 9 matter Of military
duty correlative to no srdinary desire for
popular applause, and mistaken view Of
the reasons why the people everywhere
admire him and are willing TO parade in
his praise. Nov, it isapParent that Gen
eral Scott has been agitated by the agita.
ton newspapers Of this State. The sub.
ject Of disuniOn has been more extensively
and Showily discussed, or written about,
debated, or talked Of, in California, than in
half Of the whole number Of other States
combined. We judge those States by
their public journals as we'll as we must
judge this by its public journals, though
in neither instance could we arrive at any
certainty with respect to the dcRnitive
state Of public opinion. General Scott
was In San Francisco few months ago (;
he was brilliantly herUized there he saw
great turn out Of "citizen soldier" "a.
cility there he was shown how the in
habitants reyolutionized the city govern.
ment and dehed the State and Federal au-
thOVities In 1866, and was told how "nine-
tenthsOf the people Of the State" approved
the spirit and acts Of tho metropolis ~
From an this q well ~ the entcrprising
statements and appearance Of the city pa.
pers, hsacquircd somewhat Ofa San Fran.
cisco Characteristic, that Of viewing the city
% embOdying aII Of the prepOnderating in.
6uences Of the State. This impression,
enlivened by recent reports, has induced
him to believe that there Is great actual
secession party in California, but that the
San Francisco "Rine. tenthS' colnbinat tons
which did their grandest to greet him per.
SOnally, will be still more willing to ex-
press their esteem for his character II he
af1Tms the nine.tenths" sentiment by
strengthening the fortiHcations on San
Fancisco Bay. Accordingly, he lately
sent dispatch TO the commander Of the
Pacific military division and that officer
has increased the garrisons. Certainly
there Is no "Overt" wrong in this military
proceeding, bot it exhibits additional evil
dence OF the unjust judgments formed Of
the character Of the people Of this State,
and additional evidence of the fact that
the greatest effect produced upon distant
communities BY our rumorizing, selfsuffi.
Gent and.DemOcratic newspaper fulmi.
majors, Is derOgatOry to the patriotism, the
refined and law abiding sense and the ma
terial interests Of this commonwealth.
The individual who says that any of our
citizens have designed 10 take possession
Of the government Notifications and the
State arms for disuniOn or secession pur.
poses, 10 not simply cOntemptibly scary /;
he u calumniatOr in whom there Is nei.
theT an honest nor brave impulse. lie is
cheating dealer in grOveling surmiscs,
an Inscriptions inventor Of base fictions,
and personally, professionally and pOliti-
cally he serves alike as the machine me-
dinm Oflying faction and ~ the fomenting
ingredient Of temporary and senseless agi.
tation. But % he IL lost entirely from
permanent influence at home, it is posi-.
bic that he may soon sink to proper dcs.
picableness abroad.
The ialsifyiHg agitatOrs have not only
deceived General Scott; they have created
alarms and encouraged the disunionists of
the other States; and they have frightened
some Of our own people, including few
susceptible members Of the Legislature,
with statements concerning projected sci.
cures Of the State arms." The credulous
Legislators saw ghastly necessity for 70.
curing . report Of the condition Of the
"StAte defenseS" The Governor respond
ed with frightful
List OF arms, accoutermOnts, etc., now in
ne stale AmOry 46 Minnie rifles. 70 old style
rlnes, 80 cldstyle muske,s, allin bad cOnditi6n
70 old style muskcts, 80 Aint muskets, SO car.
Danes, oil uneervlceable; double. barrel shot.
guna. unseTvieeabIs; 100 Roman swords new
accOaterments for ScVenty.6ve Minnie riHcs
new eceoHterments for one hundred and ten
Minnie !i!e muskets; l35 cartridge boxes so
belts. There ere some artillery harness and
senIs tn.t we're nsed BY the State sncamp-
Here is the naturally ridiculous sequel
Of the long tale Of seizures by the seccs-
sIOniStS, and the rcbeIliOus disposition Of
the Pacific republican traitors" Here
are the State arms-scarcely enough to
l.