The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-03-15
Fer he Mountain Democ
PILOT HILL.

siOn, I purpose to prepare a series Of arti-
eles-partlY original, but mostly selected
suggested upon the unnatuTal war that
is now devastating our country, for pub
LEGATION in your truly conservative and
Democratic paper. The first number Of
the series will be furnished you in time
for your next issue.
Itmay become a subject of inquiry
"who is Pilot Hill, and what have been
bis antecedents?" To an inquiry so rea-
sOnable, and at this time Of political pro-
scription so necessary, in order to avoid
being called upon by DR.. Rabe, as U. S.
Marshal and cited to appear before some
military tribunal to respond to charge OF
treason, for not iNNasSiNy tSS nsts % VNR
present Administrations whilst, in thus
answering, l shall fully establish my 10y
atty to the Constitution, as our fathers
beQueathed it to US. will therefore say
to you, and thrCWg& s IS IL The readers Of
the DEMOCRAT, that | was, in early life,
.ks2e1t Ghs ".As, ;se@SAyEA.iVe Of arts"-a
printer. In June, 1906, commenced my
apprenticeship at the cOmpositOr's case.
You must be aware, MessrS. Editors,
that . person, bred printer, having &C.
cess to the publications of the day-of all
shades Of political bias-and one too, who'
in early life, endeavored to school his
mind to q correct principle of political
economy, must be all ignoramus indeed
il he were ignorant Of the true working
of our political system of Constitutional
government; and base indeed to his
country's best good, were he to prove
recreant to those principles. Ever willing
and Of choice desiring to occupy private
position with the great mass Of my fell
low citizens, the. sovereigns of this great,
and hitherto united and happy Republic,
it has ever been happiness enough for me
to live under Democratic Administrations,
and glory enough to satisfy my ambition
to triumph in a campaign where one was
to be elected; knowing that in such tri-
umph the best interests Of the Union
would be advanced by the faithful OBJ
servance Of the Constitution, which is the
chief anchor of our National existence.
Could you think it possible, Messrs.
Editors. that should be branded as a
disunionist and my political motives ma
ligned, simply because | have advocated
a peaceful settlement of our present I'M
happy National difficulties? Yet this is
so. have lived under the Adminstra
ton of every President since the forma-
ton Of the government; have witnessed
the addition of every star added to the
constellation of States since the original
thirteen; have expressed the hope that
this Union Of States would be preserved,
expand until the Arctic region would be
our boundary on the North, the Isthmus
of Panama that of the South. the Allan
tic ocean Gncluding the Island of Cuba
our Eastern boundary, and the broad Pa
cifFc bound us on the West. This hope
might and would have been, in due course
Of time, our happy destiny, under the rule
Of Constitutional Democracy, and star
added to star on our glorious national ban.
ner-each State revolving in its appropri.
ate sphere around the great central orbit
Of COns!i!S.;onAl Republic, dispensing
peace and happiness to its countless mil
lions, unfolding the capabilities and adap.
tation Of the soil and climate to the va
rious productions of the earth under An
glo Saxon CULTURE and enterprise for the
want Of which, it never has nor ever will
be fully developed till thus occupied
know of no better criterion to judge
Of ones settled opinions and political &C.
ton than to have recurrence to former
precedents. l have given my sufFrages
thrice for Andrew jackson, when candi-
date for the Presidency. The first time,
there being GVe candidates in the field,
neither one was elected by the Electoral
College, consequently the three candidates
having the highest number of votes came
before the House of Representatives for
IN election. jackson, Adams and Clay
constituted the trio. Gen. Jackson had
the largest number of the popular vote
Mr.. Clay and his friends held the balance
Of power. He could, with the ease of the
motion of his hand have secured the cleo.
ton of Gen. jackson, but instead of doing
so, he virtually elected Mr.. Adams-was
appointed by him Secretary of State
thereby forever closing his chances for
reaching the Presidency with the aid of
Democratic votes.
To illustrate my former position will
transcribe from an editorial from bound
volume Of newspaper | was publishing
in 1832-thirty years since. 1t was
penned during the Notification excite
ment. follow the original, capitals and
italics:
"NuLIifcatiOn.-But few years ago,
and the term NuIliJfer' would not have
been understood as applicable to any
class Of politicians having an existence
amoRgst Hs;-but we have fearful fore
bodings that ere long the term will be
fully understood by all in this republic.
There appears to be gathering, in our
southern hemisphere, cloud, which por.
tends storm, which threatens the disso-
luton of the Uuion, and of destroying the
fair fabric, reared by the valOr and patri-
otism of our fathers and cemented by
their blood-of blasting all our faireSt
prospects as republic, and destroying
the hopes of the friends of civil and re-
ligiOus liberty in every quarter of the
Globe. We have an allusiOn to the meas