The Placer herald., 1861-05-25
SACRAMENTO. Nav 10th. 1851.

JOHN DOUGHERTY.
SACRAMENTO, May 10th, 1861,
Hon. JOIN DouGnERTY and A. HAYWARD. Esq
Gentlemen: Your esteemed letter, of yesterday,
has just been handed me, and take pleasure in
| thus promptly c0mpl ying with the desire therein
expressed | do this the more heartily. being
fully impressed with the sincerity of the motives
that uctuac you both in addressing me upon
the subject of my recent letter to the Union meet
ing held in San Francisco, on the lth instant,
and which has given rise to newspaper attacks.
! inpeaching my loyalty TO the Federal Govern.
ment and this, too in a portion of the influential
and highly respectable journals who have hiherr
to been disposed to treat my public acts with
| fairness. candor and kindness.
did not intend tat anything cma mating from
me should breathe nught but patriotism and de-
votion to the country and its Government.
have no sympathy with secession or those who
brought ii about. as | have always believed thai
all evils or grievances growing out of onr system
and diversity of interests peculiar TO each section
of the Union could find their remedy within that
Union itself and under the broad Wgis of the
Constitution.
AS the nature of your request does not involve
the necessity of going into an argument on the.
subject of your communication. will not volun-
teer ii now and will content myself hy giving M
emphatic and frank declaration o! what con-
ceivc to he the duty of the State and the obi GA
tions resting on me as her Chict Ma gisiratc.
As Chief Magistrate of the State of California
II State of the United States of North Amer Ca
hold myself bound TO bcap her true and faithful
allegiance, as | have sworn to doto the Con-
sttution of the United States und the Consttu-
tion of my own State; and this obligation. at
every sacrifice, and undor all circumstances. will
be faithfully discharged without any evasion or
mental reservation whatever This obligation
includes obedience to the laws and authority of
the Federal Government. Whether that authority
be cxertcdby those to whom am politically op-
posed or not. whether those laws be such
meet my peculiar views ii makes TO me no differ
encc so long us they have the sanctity of law and
cmanate from constitutional auhc rity. And that
| may he understood, the call of the present Chief
Magistrate will meet MS prompt II response ns II,
Mr.. Douglas, whose cause | espouscd when his.
prospects Of success were darkest. occupied the
White House But as one of the free citizens of
a Republic. which acknowledges the people as
the original source Of all political authority,
claim the right of expressing my opinions as to
the policy of any and every law Of the Federal
Government This right has never been denied:
and shall insist upon its exercise upon all occa-
sions, as far as am individually concerned. |
have never in all my life stopped TO inquire
whether was on the popular side or not, or how
my opinions mi ght be received. would rot, nor
never will |, try to seek advancement by pracis-
ing dcccption nor will | be the recipient of pub
lie favor it have to suppress an honest senti-
ment i'm order to obtain it,
| have examined the letter to which you refer,
and ! can find nothing therein contained which
is at all liable TO the construction given it by
many of my elow.cilizens. The sentence hav-
ing reference to coercion has been construed to
mean anything to suit partisan notions il is
generic in character and its use is capable Qt
misconstructon. As force is inscparnble from
government-thc one cannot exist without the
| other, and, indeed, force is he first attribute of
authority. AS this word is now poPularly receiv7
ed, and the sense which desired it should con
vey in my lett, +, it is understood to mean The in
vason of the South by an army having in view
the subugaton of fifteen sovereign States, and
holding them as conquered provinces the ncit-
| ing of scrvilc instruction with its train of hor-
rors-the oblitcrntion of State lines, and the con
| fiscatiOn of individual prOpcrty-al Of which and
| their prospects are advised and gOatcd over by
leading statesmen and journals IN the confidence
of tho who hold the reigns of power This is.
the policy to which cannot subscribe and am
frank to confess | would stand on no platform
that had plank of this material in its compost
ton, let it cmanate from what party in might.
acknowledge and commend the Government.
and shall sustain it to the extent OF my ability in
defending and maintaining notwithstanding the
National Capital. preserving property, defending
its forts and arsenals and collecting its revenues;
but in an attempt to annhatc half the Union,
you will, trust, in all sincerity. allow me the
privilege to disscn: from amy such policy, as
cannot but look upon it as insane, and its accom-
pshment an impOssibilitY.
do not intend to offer this by way of an apo
logy, but as IN act of justice to myself as an
American citizen, and the desire have to remove.
any false Impressions that may have been created
BY the misrepresentation of my views upon the.
minds of the people of the State. whose
confidence and respect | have labored to
deserve, and whose good opinions. ! trust, have.
not rs yet forfeited
Trusting that this explanation of my views.
will be found frank and explicit recognition of
my oblig cation to the State and the General Gov
ernment, and that you can rely with confidence
upon my disposition to maintain the integrity
Of California in this respect, by any sacrifice
necessary to preserve the honor of the nation.
have the honor, gentlemen, to remain, very
truly, your friend. JOHN G.. DOWNEY.
We lately met grammarian, who had
Just made tour through the mines, conjug;=.
ting, or rather cogitatng thus: positive,
~.