The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-03-23
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Ths whsle UaaoS a. eho Whoae Rure
Pase - 00Soas1Oas
Contrary v che PFsdsSsS0s, ed 70 the
secret bcp1 Doubtless, - ne FaunOriS~s
nd the tIsdoars e the sOuth State AID
equal rigb6 PsOpIe, Mr.. President Lincoln
Iwas peacefully iOsuguratsd on The fOuEGh
Of March. There was no "attempt to
take the capital" no assassination, no
excitement different from that which at.
tsnded the Inauguration Of every Presi-
deaG NJ LincOln's address vas not .
truly comprehensive production; II did
HOt exactly state either the coalition Of
the public sentiment Il the country or
The position Of the new President; it ex.
pressed . narrow and uncertain view Of
the causes Of dissolution and the means
of maintaining the Union peaceably and
yet fOrcibly against the fact Of absolute
secession. II that address had been de-
livered BY another person, Il would have
been characteristic Of Mr.. Lincoln to OBJ
serve: swell, that is rather an indefinite
sort Of thing"
The President absurdly attempts to
base the withdrawal Of the Southern
States upon the apprehension that his 10.
dvidual accession to the Presidency
would endAnger the personal security and
the property Of the slave State people.
Taking this error As great prevalent
truth, be says that he has no purpose d.
Vectly or indirectly TO interfere with the
institution Of slavery in the States where
it exists, and he reiterates an expression
Of the Republican party platform TO press
upoa public attention the evidence that
the property, peace and security Of no
section are to be in anywise endangered
by bis Administration. These declara-
tiOnS embrace the most extensive impli.
cation Of ignorance and weakness ever d.
rected against the American people, and
the suppOsition that that declaration is
the main assurance needed to satisfy pop
ulsr prejudice, evinccs the most incompe-
tent apprehension Of political realities
that has ever been exhibited BY 4 public
man 10 America. II seems to be Mr..
Lincolns desire to rid himself Of eli con.
nection with that which has given. sutfi-
cient offence to produce disunion, and in
doing 90 he makes such charge Of ignO-
rance against the dissatisfied IS to estab-
fish In that charge . reasonable cause Of
vast sectional desire to be separated from
government which has passed to the
hands Of man who conceives that the
people know nothing of the nature Of the
relationship subsisting between the pco-
pie and the Constitution. Mr.. Lincoln's
idea is that the secession Of the Southern
States Is altogether owing to q misappre-
hension Of tho powers Of Federal Ad-
ministratiOn and Of his individual pur-
poses % the head Of that Administration
In bis view the whole difficulty has been
suggested BY the violations Of the Fugitive
Slave Law in the Northern States, and
that the attempts Of the Federal Govern
@ent 10 sustain It have created IN anti
slavery party which required only the e.
ovation Of Abraham Lincoln to the Prcsi-
dsncy 10 Independently Of the Restraints
Of the laws, Of the Constitution, of Con-
gress and Of usage, deprive the South Of
al rights. Mr.. Lincoln is not the only
one, not the only statesman, who has
miscOnceived the cause Of Southern COM
plaint and action. That cause Is not from
fear Of q Republican Presidential Admin.
istraGOn, not from q want Of correct
knowledge Of the Presidents powers, not
from NOSthsvn State legislative and Judi
cial opposition to the return Of runaway
negroes not from an expectation that the
gsnesal government might attempt to
sbClish sluvery, bot il is in the evidences
that Northern, or free State. public SEN
timsnt-religiOus, educational, social and
pOlidcal-has morally destroyed the fra
ternal equality derived from the Constitu-
tiSn BY eli Of the States, and that this
abusive public sentiment amounts to . e.
natical and degrading interference with
the principle Of equality upon which the
States were united, and is viclative Of the
spirit Of the Constitution under the pre-.
taxi Of obeying the letter Of the terms OF
The compact Here Is the whole cause Of
the dif8cuity. The Southern people, op-
pressed BY the obvious determination Of
the North 70 hold them as the inferior
parties to the guarantees Of the Constitu-
ton, have peaesably chosen to enjoy that
Constitution relieved from the construc.
tious Of fsnaticaI preponderating and re-
mote section. Here is the whole purpose
Of secession.