davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26
GOvermmemO.

Government.
Government, like the arts aud sciences and
every other thing established, invented or COO.
trOlled BY man, is subject to change and i'm.
PrOvemeni. NOgOvernment yet known among
men was 20 perfect ~ 70 be adapted 70 all the
wants Of sOciety; or % plain ~ not to be mis-.
interpreted by those whO are ambitious or de-
signing and wh0 wish tOget undue advantages
Of their fellow man. Recent events in the or.
ganizatiOn Of Congress and the present difficult
" in the organization Of the Legislature Of this
State, hare pointed out = very material and Sc.
rious defect 10 our system Of representative
government, which the early, hcnest founders
Richards" mSxims says" II you want =
thing done, send some one TO do il; but il you
want it done well, do it yourself" Govern.
meuts arc necessary evils, and are instituted
among men for their mutual protection, aud
not for the particular benefit or aggrandiIe.
meut Of any man or set Of men.
The people, in elecIiUg their representatives
select them from Among themselves; solely
from belief in their honesty and capacity 70
perform faithfully the duty assigned them, aud
not to benefit them personally, or 70 enrich or
make them popular at the expense Of the peo.
pie. DeaTiy-bOught experience proves that
the people will have to do q little more Of their
work themselves, by 50 amending their organ.
ic law or constitution, as to elect Speaker or
presiding officer for the House Of Congress aud
Assembly ct the SAME time they elect PTesi.
dent and Vice President for the United States
and Governor and Lieutenant Governor fur the
State. The Speaker should be elected for the
same term as the President or the Governor
Such election by the people would insure the
prompt organization Of Congress and the Leg
islAture Of the State. aud save to the people the
expense Of weeks and months Of useIess and
Ofteutimes disgracefal SqaabblinR for some pet
~ partisan advantage, or the advancement Of
some particular individual.
II is 10 be hoped that when the Legislature
gets organized, aud the Votes for members Of
The Legislature in the different counties are
counted, it will be found that majority Of
the vOtes cast fUr members Of the Legislature
were also cast for Constitutional Coarrntion.
fsO, It 10 an imperative duty Of the LegiSla-
ture to pass Law calling Convention. The
people will then have an opportunity to lOp Of
much Of the crude, cunbrOus, expensive MA
chinery in our form Of government. and make
such alterations aud Improvements IS expert.
euce has clearly shown 70 be absolutely neces-
sary. FRANKLIN.
HERHITAGE, Jan. ls, 1861.
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26
CsA.AoA Council Proeeealnss.

PLAcRlvILLR, Jan. %, 1861.
Board met pursuant 70 adjOOrnmenI.
Mayor Wade pTeSidinG.
Present Aldermen AIVIdSsOn, Bush, Monroe
and MeBeth.
Minutes Of last meeting read and approved.
The Finance Committee, 70 whom was referred
the following bile, ct the last meeting, reported
than anEnaaA Al Iii
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26

OfIs s-I0Pef cent per annum on u, $50, 900.
The eminent Engineer who made the
survey has shown in his report not only
that The road is entirely practicable. but
that the income from the same would rem
der profitable the Investment Of money
therein. Bot subsequent discoveries and
events show that the amount Of business
which would be done on the road, would
be much greater than could possibly have
been anticipated at the time said estimate
was made. When We consider the mod.
crate cost the favorable line, and the
probable income Of the road. together
with The great and immediate advantages
which would result to this city and eOun-
II from its construction, we are surprised
ct the comparative Indifference with
which our people have hitherto regarded
the matter.
IftAs effort To organize . Company,
now commenced, Is vigorously persisted
in, We have no doubt whatever that it will
prove successful, and that we shall be in
communication with Sacramento by rail
ct an early day. We may look with con-
fdence to the Cities Of Sacramento and
San Francisco for assistance, and as soon
as this City and County have been can
vasscd, and perhaps before, We should
take steps to enlist those cities in the en-
terprise. The advantages to them rs well
Is to ourselves Of an early completion Of
this work are too obvious to need ampli.
fication, and in our opinion = reasonable
amount Of work ct this time will secure
to us the road, and thus the trade Of
WsshOe, and the Pacific Railroad through
-
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26


UxTAIR-We have no right to complain
1T is mot our flneraI"-bnt still we
cannot help expressing our surprise at
the cavalier manner With which Speaker
BurneIl treated the Fl Dorado delegation
in the appointment OfcOmmittees. Among
the whole Of them he could find but one
Of them competent or worthy to be Chair
man Of committee. He must have low
estimate Of their ability, and think it
matter Of indifference whether they are
pleased or dissatisfied. Il was due to
Messrs. Foster and Coleman, who have
had some Legislative experience, having
represented this county before in the
Legislature, to give them prominent pO-
sitions; but they are placed at the foot Of
insignificant committees. OF course we
are satisfied IL they are. The members
from Sacramento Jared much better, they
seem to be pets Of the Speaker-each one,
except CrOckoF. having been appointed
Chairman Of . COMMITTEES. Why this e.
vOritism to Sacramento, -discourtesy to
Fl Dorado? Docs the Speaker design to
throw . slur on the intelligence Of the
members from Fl DoradOr It looks so.
Very properly the Speaker appointed Mr..
CONFESS Chairman Of the most important
committee-the committee on Federal
Relations. It isan honorable and respon.
Sible position at the present juncture Of
affairs, and COnness has the courage and
ability to gil It creditably, and will do 50
IL he can conquer his prejudicea.
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26
CATAWBA GRAPE.

* 000 choice Grape Roots, of the c..
IPDSNyNINI tawba Grave, add - 0o0 cut.
t'nes. Also, DolaWares. the beet table Crap
CURRANT ROOTS.
5000 White Crane Currunt:
1000 White Dutch do;
1000 Victoria Red do.
The airoVe are AV't elass VsEieiies-N ARA, ted
TAT ~ LADeI, and EDS sale St TrnA0aabis pgieeO
b! the UaaieTsiGR~A, at san JOsr. ~ An oVdeTs
promptly attended N. JAMES RIIODEA
Ret6e tO-A. l.. RHOD0S,
0ATGs.
eaa JoAs, jaaaary -, 1871. jsn1S-Im
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26

SIGNIFIcANr.-Georgc Thompson, says
the New Hampshire Patriot, the British
Abolitionist, who originated the Abolition
movement in this country twenty years
ago, has written letter to the notorious
iniidel Garrison, cOngratulating him on
the Abolition triumph achieved in the
election Of Lincoln. lie gives expression
to the ultimate purpose and aim Of Black
Republican AbolilioniSm in saying, "yOu
have to reach forth to the things that arc
before, pressing towards the object you
had in view when StArting=-thc utter ex,
termination Of slavery rt1re1oerer it mHy
exist" The election Of LincOln has great
ly elated the English AbOli;iOnistS, who
hate the very name Of the United States
and who have warred against our inStitu
ti6ns since the formation Of our govern.
ment Nothing would crafty them more
than to see the Union dissolved, the South
depOpulated and it, furnishing planta-
tons destroyed.
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26

WANT IT Recommendations arc in
circulation in our county asking the Le-
gislature to repeal the law relative to the
Sealer of Weights and Measures. The
petition says "that the requirements Of
section BID of said law, compelling the
sealing Of alI@weights, ETC., are burden
some and oppressive upon tbs honest
dealer, and are so easily evaded as to i'm
pose no check upon fraudulent dealing |;
that the fees allowed the County Sraler,
by law, are inordinate, and that no ad-
vantages commensurate with the expense
aud annoyance attending its execution
have resulted from said law" The petit
tons arc receiving the signatures Of n
large majority Of our citizens, who re-
gard the Law as oppressive and WnneceSsa-
Ty. We have been requested TO ask per-
sons in whose hands the petitions have
been placed to forward them to our rep
resentatives as SOOn as they obtain the
signatures Of the citizens Of their vicinity.
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26

The subjoined communication was written
for last weeks issue, PreviOGs 70 the election Ot
o Speaker. but We did not receive il until after
the Constitutional Convention was defeated
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26

Ma LrNcoLN's "CRIsIs. is an
BouMeed aushOFitstiFsly by the Black Re.
publican pilgrims who have visited
Springfield to pay their respects to and
solicit appointments from the President
elect that Lincoln will riGidly adhere to
the sentiments he enusciatsd upon the
stump and the Republican platform. Not
to preserve the Union will he make any
concessions He Is indebted to the Re-
pubIicans for his election, he was their
standard. bearer, he indOTses ell their doc
trines, cordially sympathises with them
in their insane amnesty towards the
South, and will oppose all compromises.
The South has nothing to expect from
him. The very existence Of the Govern.
ment is in danger, and all the horrors Of
civil war and anarchy are-threatened, in
consequence Of the unjust and uncOnsti-
tutional and OverbeaTing conduct Of the
Black Republican party; and yet we are
told by Republican lettcr-writers that
Lincoln will not abandon one Of the I'M
constitutional positions Of the Republican
party in order to arrest the threatened
danger to the Union. He is = Republi-
can Of the ultra bigOted school. In his
famous Springfield speech, he spoke Is
follows:
"In my opinion. Il [slsvery agisation] will
not cease, until cnIsss shAll have been reached
and passed. "A hOuse divided sgAiust iIself
cannot stand Ibelieve this Government cav.
not eNdSVs psr'ssnsstly NY SseCs ardAdEf fee.
4 do not expect the hOnse to tall-bWt 4 do er.
Oect II 10 ceass 10 he diVids1 1t viii become ell
one thing, or oil The other. Either the OpPO.
nents Of slavery will arrest the further spread
Of il, and place IL where the public mind shall
rest IN the belief that IL . N tic cOw'ee Wtti'
mate extiActiOA; Or its OppOoeuts tciH pHsh Y
forward, til IL AhGN beoOme dliks lIacfGi IN all
tie States, old IS well a. new-NOrth ~ well 20
South"
II the sentiments here promulgated are
to be acted upon BY Mr.. Lincoln in his
official position-and Republicans In the
confidence Of the President elect assure
US they will be adopted to their fullest
extent-all hope for the preservation Of
the Union may well be abandoned. He
and bis party will be held responsible for
the "irrepressible conflict" which must
eBsue between the North and South.
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26

At ienesh shs people Of Placerxills have
taken earnest bold Of an enterprise which,
N successfully carried out win greatly
promote the prosperity Of the county Of
n Dorado, and VIII establish this city as
= armament and lucrative place Of trade.
This enterprise is the construction Of .
railroad by which to connect PlaccrviIle
with Sacramento.
Less than year ago this city employ
id W. ]. Lewis, Civil Engineer, to make
a survey Of the proposed road. This sur
rev was completed last Nay. We pro-
Uoss to state some general results taken
from The report Of the Engineer:
D;..apee from PIsesrville to Folsom % $500
DssssSce ftum PIscsrviIIe to Monte CristO, SO
$500 miles;
rr - 'H P1IsSs.rvis to Sacramento. ViG Monte
A C,'s.c' ~ :" either line 50 S7-1OO fee. to
Nsximam sTsdo % feet to the mile, This, BY
sowe 1ee1 eueting, can be reduced 10 80 feet
10 tha mile i6F 4.0S miles.
nuy.rArvD FOFAL cOsT o. noAD 70 MONTE cRISrO.
For eoostructioa Of road. .......el, o50,S47 So
q nIdinQs and fixtures. ......." $4,000 IN
Locomotives and cars. 1OS,SW w
Right Of uay, Isnci1G, etc. ...... $1,000 20
Total. ,244,947 60
rsy,nAFss ToTAL COST " Road TO EOLsOn.
For eoss,Fsssipa u rad. ,02s,Os0 81
BuiIdip@ and bxtures. ......... $4,000 W
Locomotives and cars. 1O5,HOO %
Right Of wsy, fssesDg, etc....... 5000 ~
Total, ,217 $50 II
usrruAYs or ANNUAL REvENUE.
IN. 600 uassssgeFs, at % 25.......... .S1sS, 100
~ 40 s,as tSeoueh freight, Al o. 81. 1885, 900
COO 900 GeeG lnMiber at Is 90 per NJ. 10000
u. 8. Nail and Express matter ...... $4,000
Teal e4SOpVVV
CURRENT EXPENSES.
Motive mower. &GO,UO w
Repairs OG freight. baggage aud
nasasuRs1 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $1,000 %
Sll.riea. WAGES and incidental ex-
sSso Os 10000 90
freight experiment. ..:"...... $4,000 90
Rsna}ra Of tvaA end reserved fund
AIor TssswinE structure. ....... 5000 90
Salaries ofPrssldent SupeFintend-
euk TruasaFeT aad Law expenses, 10000 90
Total euFrs0t expenses, elOl 900 %
BaIance nett revenue, 1900. e2oS, 900 70
The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-26
A List Of Delinquent Taxes renain"
Tag unPaid, In the City 81 Placer
Vile. January 0Oth, le01S

ALvEReON MRS. C-IIOuse, barn and
Iots on the east side Of Sacramento street
paItly, and partly on the EASE aide u
isenham StTert-bounded on the north By
WIN Sealey, on the south BY y. Ray'S
pFopcFty-ha extending 20 Quarts Ave-
nue. aIsO, household furniture .......e ~
BRELAZ 4 BOENZLY-Stone building
and lot on the corner Of Bedford avenue
and Main street. known a. the Court
House also, wooden house In rear 81
Court House-the bit eAteEdtng fFO1
Main atTeet to the bank Of the CTeek... -
BOOB J. D.-wood huilding and lot on
west side Of Bedford avenue, OppOsits to
Frank Jeseph's property also, house -
hold property .........'''.''' ''''''''' !"
BIRD HENRY-HOuSe and lot west side
Of Cedar RaVins, south eide Of PaeiAe
hLEecL 80. -. ,
Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-04-04
Letter from Hou. EIIsha whittlosey.

o1NTELD, Ohio, April l, 1861.
EDIEoBs CLEvEIAED MORNING LEADER-
GsntlemsH in your issue Of the Both ult.,
under the head of gAn Important AppOinb-
meutn it is stated that was turned out
Of the ofics Of lst ConptroIler, Of the Tress-
ury BY the Buchanan Administration.
Be pleased to correct the mistake, as my
desire is, to do justice to all. Soon after
Hr. Buchanan was inaugurated President,
rendered to him my resignation of the Office
of Comptroller. AT his request 1 called up
on him. Congress had referred by a special
set to Ne 1st Comptroller the settlement of
the large claim of Carmick and Ramsey
against the United States. had examined
the papers that had been before Congress,
and so1ne. depOsitions subsequently, taken by
the claimants. and inasmuch as the testimony
was principally q PTis my opinion was,
that witnesses should be examined on the
part of the United States. The lst Comp
trollsr was requiied by the act of Congress
referred to, to adjust the damages Of the
claimants on account ofthe EbrogatiOn by the
Pest Master Gsnsral lAr. CampbelD Of their
contract 70 carry the mail On the Vera Cruz
Acspaleo. and San francisco route. As the
witnesses were remote it necessarily required
considerable time to take their dispositions.
The President, alter some kind remarks, in
regard to ou- first acquaintance in 1898, and
subssquenay-and having stated be approved
Of my public acts, asked me as to the
length Of time It would probably take me to
decide tie case Of Carmick and Ramsey
Having, preparatory to q reply to bis en-
guiry, related the condition OF the testimony,
snd the measure adopted 10 take dispositions
On the part Of the United States, 1 informed
bin that thought I could make decision By
the first Of May. After making remark
expressive Of bis feelings on my leaving the
Office, be said: every well, your resignation
may take effect at that time
he said nothing on shat occasion, nor al
aay other tine, that came 70 my knowledge
crsz.ing asusPieiOn that be had contemplate;
my removal.
Respectfully and sincerely yours .
t8TOI9 EtBHA WHITTLEsEY.
Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-04-04

A single number q one Of Onr exchanges
contains reports Of no less than fourteen
deeds Of violence and blood at the South, the
victims in a majority Of the cases. being
Northefnsrs prosecuted for opinions sake.
In one casa q young man WIS confined in
prison for three months, at New Orleans for
having expressed his opposition to the system
Of slavery. In another, a Michigan man
was hung near Yieksburg, by mob Of cut
throats, for being Republican. In another,
a free man Of color, who was worth consid-
cradle property, was arrested for having
struck a magistrate in self-deience. A mob
took him from the officer and gave him his
choice Of 500 lashes or being hung. he pre-
ferred death to the lashing, and was hung to
a tres until life was almost extinct and then
cat down. In another, Mr, Jacob Patten,
living in the southwestern part Of Mis-.
sOuri, whipped a female slave to DEATH he
was arrested, but released on $4,000 BAIL
And 50 we might go through the list oi
whippings stsbbings, sbOOtings and hang
iuTs, each one usefai comment upon the
system that tolerates and fosters such law
lsssness.
And yet We are asked by the leaders Of
the disunionists, both at the South and North
to meekly yield to all the demands of the
seeeders, and bow down before the car Of
6espodsm. No fears Of their overt actsl No
danger Of their beginning 8 bloody civil
wari No hand to be stretched out to stay
then from ''cosrcing" the whole North, and
indeed, the whole American people I! AL
this may be changed upon those who would
uphold the honor Of the American flag, and
would wipe away the stain which has blotted
il since The Star Of the West retreated from
Charleston hsrbor, but if an independent
press dares intimate that Southerner can be
guilty Of such deeds, the howl Of coercion
comes up from traitors at the South, and theil
miserable allies and sympathizers atthe North
And now the cry goes out for aPaaeeabl'
secession" Peaoeable secession There car
be no such thing. The Ui4.on was not made
to be dissolved IA a day, or at the viii Of {
refractory member Two nations between
the st. Lawrence and the Gulf could not ex
ist peaceably. Such indignities and outragel
as We have mentioned above may be passed
By through an intensity Of brOtherly feel
ing, and to prevent intestine war, but run {
boundary line down the Ohio river, or upOI
the southern side of Virginia, Tennessee apt
Arkansas, and such insults would not be sub
mitted to from foreign nation. Endless con
troversies would arise about fugitive slaves
the tariff, and international communication
"Peaceable secession" would involve long
years Of war, at the end of which two dis
traeted, worn out and depOpulated countries
would occupy he geographical position nov
held By the United States, 7r
Let US uphold our Government in main
tanning its supremacy over all our country
and let whatever power is necessary to Dc
this be delegated to the President by Con
gress. Then let US see what four years of firm
Republican rule viii do.
Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-04-04
ChnrrIn FnII. Itema.

CHAsRE FALLS, o., March q, 1861.
EDIroR LEADER Perhaps it may be in
teresting to some Of your numerous readers
to hear from this little town of Chagrin,
which, in spite Of the often heard cry of
''hard times" is bound to make things go
ahead. Considerable building is now under
way, and much more under contemplation
for the coming season. A new blacksmith
shop has been built this winter, and Messrs.
Church & Scott are putting up a fine brick
building on our principal street, designed for
blacksmith and carriage work, which will
be an ornament to the village, while their
well known industry and skill will ensure
them good run Of business. There is also
an extensive machine shop soon to be erected
here, for manufacturing small engines, the
oil business creating quite demand for them
in this vicinity. By the way, We are soon
to have oil diggings Of our own. Several
men have been prospecting in the vicinity of
what Is known as "White's Pond" and have
found unusual surface indications, and a
company is being formed for sinking well
in that locality Immediately. They intend
70 drill four hundred feet.
Considerable excitement has been occa-
stoned here for the last few weeks, by the
appearance of a few cases Of small pox and
varioloid. There have been seven or eight
cases and one death, but the doctors have
now got the advantage of it, and no further
trouble Is anticipated from that source. L.
Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-04-04
slnurhtersd tn the Hou,s Of il. FrIends.

The Grand Jury of Green county, Ga,
have issued a presentment requesting the
Legislatures ito enact a law by which any
citizen of that county who subscribes to the
New York Tribune, the N. Y Evening Post
the Cleveland Plain Dealer, or any other
publication of a like character, may be fined
and imprisoned" Such an ungrstetui people
deserve to be cut of from all intercourse
with civilized society. The Grand Jury
should rather have subscribed for fifty copies
of the Plain Dealer for gratuitous circulation
to those in the county who we're destitute
Of other means of procuring Northern sym
pathy with secession.
Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-04-04

The Republicans of Cleveland have had q
lesson impressed upon them that they viii do
well to heed. The smoke Of the battle has
e,eared away, and we can see that dissensions
il our own ranks gave the advantage to the
enemy. This must not again aid our enc
mics. Let this be the last Democratic vic
tory IL Cleveland. We have butt to unitedly
pat our shoulders to the wheel, and Republi-
cauism will again be triumphant Internal
disafectiop never yet helped any party. It
killed the Democratic party through the
country and must be mos earnestly guarded
against in the Republican party. United
We stand, divided We fall"
Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-04-04

A French officer in China thus describes,
in letter dated at Tien-tsin, his mode of life
in that country :-"At six o clock comrade
comes to dine with me. What afeastwe navel
On roasted pheasant stuffed with truthes, and
mince-meat made with the flesh of a hen
pheasant This is q new idea, and no bad one
either. The trufaes it is true was present.
Have told you Of the resources Of this coun-
try in fish, and poulryT Ny company Of
voltigeurs having resolved tn give thems Ives
treat, bought twenty-eight hares for eleven
francs; quaiis cost six centimes each, Ia little
more than a sou and pullets from five to six
ssus each. Never was an army better fed,
lodged, or paid than ours isl For four sous q
day our men can lire on poultry and pigs,
feetl look with wonder and delight on the
Pantagrnelie repasts made every day by our
soldiers. AS to military danger there is now
none whatever, as the Chinese adore usl Our
piastres, with which they see We are amply
provided, are guaranty that they will keep
Us from returning to France as long as pos
sibie. Tien-tsin, too, Is well fortified; and as
our force amounts to 5000 French and I, 900
English, we sre wen able to defend ourselves" /"