The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-12-27
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The Duties Of q Citizen.

In these days Of widespread anaticoI
deluSion, oS POLITICAL prescription and
persecution, an occasional recurrence to
long established principles of morality
and the defined obligations of citizens.
may not be altogether ont Of place. The
citizen rs sights which cannot be denied
him under any juss pretence, but he owes
obligations to his country, to Saeirty and
to himself, which he is not at liberty to
law aside or disregard. 4 citizen may
freely give his sympathy, his love, his
treasure and all his worldly good to
emancipate his fellow man who may be in
political or spiritual bondage or dark
ness. This is a right which charity ac-
cords to him. and human laws t!u not de-
ny him, but along with the exercise of
this right inseparably goes the obligation
to obey. preserve inviolate, and protect
by all his means, the laws Of his country
and Of his God Under no Circumstance.
es, under no plea Of state necessity"
under no "prcssure,' is he ju>tiiiab'e in
violating the "supreme law Of the land. "
lie is no loyal citizen, no good or honest
man, who does SO. Every obligation of
duty and honor admonishes him to re-
spect the compacts Of the Constitution.
The man who, under any prttcnSc,
whether dictated by supposed sense of
humanity, or of Christian feeling, or duty
towards God, r to satisfy the pressure OF
his party, offers violence to the laws of
his country, violates his own sacred obi
cations. to his Government, violates his
sacred duties towards society, and eStab-
fishes precedent under which other men
may violate law TO his injury and wrong.
We have rights guaranteed to US by the
Constitution those rights, without any
cause whatever, Gen. Wright has unwar-
rantabiy denied us, in fragrant violation
Of his oath Of obedience to the COnstitI.
ton. Can man be loyal to his Govern
nent who disregards its laws? BY what
right, 10y what authority does General
Wright act as Military Governor Of Cali.
furnia, and set the laws of q State, oI
which he is not citizen, at defiance =
Leland Stanford was legally elected Gov
crnor of California he has acted in that
capacity with prudence and honor aud tc
the satisfaction of the people Of the State
he is loyal to the Government; his au
thority has hecn recognized and respected
by all our citizens, and yet, from sOmt
lancied imbccilty or disloyalty, military
officer arrogantly deprives him Of his au
thority and ASSUMES the GovcrnorShip o
a.loyal and free State! Why Governor
Stanford has Submitted to this gross in
suit, this contempt for his position anc
authority, we are at loss to imagine. =
, lie is certainly aware that martial law has
f not been declared in this State, and thai
; the military owes obedience to the civil
authority. Let him assert his authority
and the people will maintain it.
The man who 1epriveSps of our right,
and privileges, under the pre'enSc thai
we are opposing the Government, anc
who claims exemption from punishment
on the ground that he was but aiding anG
defending the National Administration
cannot, with any consistency, call on Tho
laws Of his country to defend him against
similar treatment at the hands Of Other
persons laboring under like dclusion
We are governed by the Constitution aul
laws; we owe them obedience, and it is
folly 70 say that military officer may
constfAe them as he plcases. When he
takes uTVnhinscIf the privilege of decid.
ing whet1iE a law >just or expedient, OF
not, and rel ulates his obedience to such
law as his Judgment of its justice or ex.
pedje"cy Shall incline, from that moment
he ceases to be loyal citizen, and places
himself in opposition to the Government.
No citizen, under any pretext. can
claim to be recognized as an honest, faith.
full, loyal American, who offers any vic.
lence or interpOses any obstacle to the
proper add efficient execution of the law,
of his country. II he do offer such vic.
lencc he is traitor and will be regarded
as q dishonest and miserable enemy OF
his cOuntry's liberties; of the rights Of
bis fellow conntrymen, and as a traitor to
his race,