The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-12-13
THE MOUNTAIN DEMOCRAT.
The Great Crisis.

4 writer in the New York journal of
Commerce sketches the comparative con-
dition Of the country as follows;
Under our wise constitution, framed by
George Washington and his patriotic as
sociatee, We have advanced in national
prosperity aud happiness beyond any
parallel in ancient or modern times.
From about three millions in 1916, we
have augmented To perhaps about thirty
three millions in 1862. Immense cities
have sprung up far aud wide, as by mag
ic; prosperous manufacturing companies
have been established, the mechanical
arts have nourished, agriculture has reap
ed its reward, capitalists have found good
investments, laboring men have been
worthy Of their hire our St,ips have
throngcd every port, and Their salts whl-
tened every sea, along our own coast and
on the shores Of Europe, in the East and
West Indies, in California, and on the
Pacific Ocean, away down to Australia,
and all around the globc--frcighted with
our valuable staples and the produce Of
our manufacturers and ingenious artisans
eve ywhere, and returning with wealth
10 enrich and make glad the hearts OF
our intelligent and en;crprising indus
trial classes. Such have been the benign
elects Of our g|CqOtiy - :, - :. ----,-->
teed by the constitution. This status,
the constitution as lis, has been approx
ed by Webster, Clay, Clayton and Cass,
and all our most wise and conservative
statesmen.
BE it distinctly understood, that all
this national prosperity and happiness,
las been accomplished, by the blessing
Of God, while existing in full operation
with the slave institution Of the South, Sas
recognized by the patriot heroes Of the
Revolution, rs guaranteed by the able
trainers Of the constitution, and sanction
I'd bv our wisest statesmen ever since.
The slaves Of the South have been we'll
led, we'll clad, and well cared for in sick
ness and in health, and ha, py in their
industrial notwithstanding cotton, rice,
sugar and tobacco, for the tables aud com.
fort, and Tor the manufacturers Of the
North, AMI ET all EArope. The result
has been an influx OF wealth aud pros
pcrty to all classes, Of the North, the
Middle States and the West.
Now. tie question is. shall we co found
this " hole status: Shall the dust and
ashes OF a volcano raralyZt US: Snail
we transform four millions Of black slaves
into free men! We can change their
condition, but not their color. Shall we
transfer them, ct once, to idlenesS in the |
North? If they are sold to us, for fair
price, where shall the money come from :
Are our tax payers to meet the expense /
lf the South should give them to US for |
nothing, would they not prove an intOl- /
cradle burden and nuisance? As the !
President lately said to committee from
Chicago, asking him 10 liberate all the .
xlavrs-what shall we do with them =
Sure enough, what could We do with
them? The President also told this
same committee that General Butler
wrote him "a few days since that he was .
issuing more raiions TO the slaves. who
had rushed to him, than to all the troops
under his command" The President
then added" they eat, AMI that is all.
Indeed, they will eat. and if they come to
the North, they will eat Us out Of house
and home, aud that will be all, except
that Northern tax payers will have To-
foot the blll. IL fact, they are much
better of and mare u>eiuIly employed
wlere they ave. and more happy than
they would he at the North, hat leg deep
in snow ia the winter aud half starved
This is the most momchtou> and As
founding question that has ever been pre-
s,ntcd to any people. and it i to he net
fairly an1 spusr' ~ lay the North in the
ncxt frw months, aul the sooner the bet
ter. II proposes All entire change in the
whole condition Of tbs once happy re-
public. We at the Moth are for car
wing on the war, 10 the entire re.e>tab-
iishmrnt OF the Union as it was, aud the
enforcement Of H.. constitution as 1t il.
Without this contamination. in vain have
We tnilc'l, in vain have We bled and III
vain have we poured out our treasure a.
watrT Let us discuss this great anrf
paramount question freely. as men and
patriots. Let US bury partisan trad'-
lions Let US forget private predictions
and magnanimou>ly sacrifice personal
preferences on the altar Of harmony and
the Union. by such devotion to patriot
ism, if we fail, VIC shall have discharged
conscientious duty. and if we succeed We
shall save the republic.
TIE Union AS 1T WAS.