The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-04-20


public censOrs. No wonder that they have
opened the walls Of their wrath and food.
ed it with vitupcraiiOn and abuse. II
they had not done this We would feel al.
most assured that it was not the right
thing.
And what is it to which they interposc
such serious objections? The Committee
set out with the assertion that seven
States have actually withdrawn from the
Federal Union. Is this a iactg The
question is not, should they have gone
ont, or had they the right to do so, hut
that they, the seecting States, think they
had such right, that the time had arrived
for them TO exercise it, and that in con.
fOrmity with such views they have cxcr.
cised it. Now il is the part of the wise
statesman not to thcorize, in times Of great
peril, asto what might have been or should
have been, but to view things as they are
and make the best OF them possible
There are two predOminating sentiments
in the country-One is for peace and one
Tor war. In fact, that is the all absorbing
issue now before the country. In this
momentous issue is involved, immediate
ly, the welfare Of thirty millions ofPcoplc.
With peace, though divided, we have
every thing to hope for-w ith war every
thing 10 dread. With the former, land
smiling with plenty, fiOurishing in all the
elements Of National greatness, with COM
merce and trade and industry diffusing
copious streams Of remuneration in all
directions with the latter, fair fields
laid waste, cities depopulated, factories
suspended, credit destroyed, with the
Demon Of desOlation and discord holding
a fearful rrXel throughout the land. And
to what end? Would the Union thereby
be restored Would the seeding States
be brought back to their allegiance? No
one acquainted with the springs Of human
action will believe it. How much better,
then, to let the seeding States peaceabIy
depart, withdraw the United States troops
from their midst, and permit each section
TO work out its own destiny in its own
way.
These are the views, as we understand
them, Of the California Democracy. Any
other course would necessarily lead to
war-war, not alone with the seven Sc
ceding States, but with the entire South.
Against coercion all the slave States have
taken stand. On this point, =" their bo-
SONS are as one" Let q Federal gun be
fired upon Southern city, and the camp
1res Of revolution would be kindled
throughout the slave States. Let an in.
vading army cross the Potomac, and it
would have 70 run the gauntlet Of thous-
and Thermopyl@s before it reached the
heart Of the disafFcctiOn. We are more
than gratified, therefore, that the Democ-
racy Of California have taken firm stand
in favor Of peace, and against civil war.
We are glad that all other issues are for
the. time being ignored. Here Brcckin
ridge and Douglas stand side by side. Let
all true men who cast their votes for
the respective tickets headed by their
names last fall, also stand side by side in
the same great cause. Let them meet
the Republicans and their mongreI aftili-
ators upon this issue. The Breckenridge
Committee have acted as became true
men and patriots. Throwing the mantle
Of oblivion over the past-burying deep
in fOFgctfulness the old enmities engen.
derCd by the schism Of last year, they in
rite alRliation with ell "wbo iBdoFse the
Crittenden or similar amendments to the
Constitution, and are opposed to coercion,
md any and ell attempts on the part Of
The Administration, to enforce, by military
Dr. naval power, the Federal laws within
The jurisdiction of any of the seeding
States" Alltrue Democrats in the Doug.
as ranks can stand on this platform, for
Douglas himself stands on it. 1t is greatly
o be regretted, therefore, that the Doug
As Committee did not meet cotempora-
'eously with the other Committee, and
DIN in their call for Conversion. The
masses Of the party expected and desired
t We know that there are discordant
materials in the Douglas ranks, and more
han likely in the Committee. This dis
ord, however, cannot be cured BY TEN.
'Or'zing, but the line should be boldly
nd clearly defined at once, and the two
dement's be permitted to seek their proper
The majority of the Douglas
les, so called, sympathize with the Breck.
nridge Democracy. In fact, they have
10 affinity elsewhere. They only claimed
differ from them at the last election on
he simple question Of regularity. Let
hat portion, then, Of the Douglas Com.
nittee which represents this element and
'dOrseS the nOn'cOerciOn doctrine, ratify,
'ithOut delay, the action of the Breckin.
idge Committee, and invite oil who think
nth them to participate in the primary
Iections to be held under that cali. This
the only practical mode Of proceeding
ow. Let no feeling Of pride, or punctil-
oasness interfere to prevent it. The
Srecksnridge Committee was called To-
'ether Of tho earnest solicitation Of promi-
'ent Democrats representing both wings !
" tne Democracy. Il was called together
Hp0n the assurance that the other Com
nittee would also be convened. In this
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