The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-11-15

GEonGErowx. Nov. 10Th 1879

Iueht III uenouncln6 an act so evidently
revolutionary and insulting to the author.
ity Of the General Government and de-
manded that prompt and rigorous chas-
tisement should fall upon the fiery little
member of the national family that had SO
boldly and cruelty stung the Federal hon.
or. There was an almost unanimous re-
Spouse from the loyal States. Loud and
deep were the excavations heaped upon
the authors Of the rebellous act, which
insulted the flag and defed the power of
the Commonwealth. Men and means
came promptly at the demand of the Ex-
ecntive. The indignant masses, sywpa
thetically agonized by the wounds of
bleeding Sumter, arose as if by instinct to
avenge the indignity and redress the
grievances of an offended Government.
But "a graver criSisis upon US now-yea,
at our very doors land shall the patri.
OTIS pen be silent and his tongue mute {?
Messrs. Editors, l am no alarmist-nor
am ! y ,'s'r'1SN,ONlsC OF an enthusiast-yet
none caO 06Sercs 'EicIt0vt- apfnesAafia0
and alarm the giadua! but positive ag-
gressions of the present Administration
upon the liberties of the people. Can the
public mind be startled by the inquiry :
Are We free people? The assumption
and exercise Of an unwarrantcd power BY
the Administration may scarcely shock
the public now. Such and so frequent
have been the usurpations of the party
in power, that the great danger to be fear
cd is, that from their very frequency the
minds OF the people, familiarizcd with
them, may gradually become insensible to
their enornity, and finally relapse into
fatal apathy. Are we the descendants of
Revolutionary ancestors, and can We look
on without concern and see Liberty
stabbed in the house Of her friends" p
Can We behold unmoved the Executive
usurp the powers Of the Judiciary? Can
we witness without alarm and Indignation
the Constitution, the ark of our safety,
trodden under the heel of Federal usurpa-
tion-the Courts, the safeguards of our
liberties, abrogated-our rights Of person
and property subject to the caprice of pri.
vatc enemies aud INSCRIPTIONS political
ciallatans, and the whole power of the
Government merged in the will Of single
man who is more than controlled by 70.
natical advisers? If So let us boast no
more our freedom and of sovereignty,
but, drawing black lines across our stat
ute books, acknowledge ourselves the sub.
jects Of deSpotism. The smooth sophis-
try and artful appeals OF venal press may
catch the credulous rabble, or awe the
timid with threats Of prospective punish.
mcnt, arraying before their terrified i'm
aginationS visions of cells and bastics -
such, unable to discriminate between an
administration and a Government, may
he made TO bow the knee to Baal /; but to
those who know their rights, and know
IaS dare maintain" the hirelinS subscrvi-
cncy Of such Il press is contemplate, and
its efforts to miSlrad or intimidate, all
outrage upon their sovereignty and an
insult to their intelligence.
lave we still free Government and a
Constitution respected and enforced, when
citizens are dragged from family and fire.
side and imprisoned without trial or proof
Of guilt? Can citizens be punished be-
fore conviction and the Constitution re-
main unviolated? Can the freedom Of
the press be crushed without direct blow
at the peoples liberties? Can the act Of
>upprcSsing Democratic paper by deny
ing it the mails promote the interests Of a
Government whose highest boast has ever
been the freedom Of speech and Of opin-
ion? Our form of Government, our free
institutions, and our laws are but a mock.
ery-an empty farce, if not allowed their
legitimate functions in trying and deci.
ding cases within their jurisdiction. The
outrageous policy Of the Administration
to muzzle the Democratic press of the
country implies wrong or weakness,
and if persisted in will result in the utter
loss Of respect and confidence both at
home and abroad. A free press is the
tongue of Liberty, and he who would par
aIyze it is an enemy Of the people. Let
this be remembered. Let US remember,
too, our identity with the Government
that we are Representative Democracy
a Government Of tie people. Keeping in
view our sovereignty, let US look well to
the capacity and integrity Of those we
have chosen to make, to interpret and to
execute our laws. Amid the fierce pas
sions of the hour, while the red demon of
war is desolating our once happy land,
and the tears of the widow and the orphan
mingle as they fall with the blood of the
.,,t.3t :9.I the brave elcdz IL battle, let p.
not forget our duty to ourselves a@d- pos
terity. Let us guard well every avenue
to despetic rule, and be not deceived by
the specious plea of necessity or any other
treacherous guise in which the first ap-
proaches to arbitrary power are made.
The invasion of the rights of one citizen
is the invasion of the rights of all. Pre-
serve the freedom of the press, that the
popular will may have expression, then
will our form of Government and our lib-
critics survive the commissions that shake
our country to its foundations. Let it be
crushed and in the hands of the Higher