The Placer herald., 1863-08-08
THE PRESENT CONTEST IN CALIFOR.
NIA.-.WHAT 1T MEANS.

see not, and having ears hear not-those
things which most nearly concern our tenn
poral welfare" We must awake to the macni-
tude Of the contest now waging in our
midst.
| Two years Of Abolition rule has left its
impress upon the country in severe but salu-
tary lessons. We of California, being far
removed from the field Of carnage and de-
sruction, are less sensible Of its magnitude
than our relatives on the Atlantic shore
We know however that the same fanaticism
and malignant bate animates the supporters
of Lincoln here, that does in the East. This,
with strange infatu alton, the opposition is
determinatly seeking.
The result Of the Presidential election Of
1860 was scarcely declared before the threat
was made by Republican paper Of San Fran
cisco, that all men of Southern birth should
be forced to leave the State. This threat
they have en- ndeavored to more than fulfil
they have systematically endeavored to force
every man Of declared democratic principles
into expatria'ion. BY openly charging all
Democrats as being in sympathy with seces-
sion, and the persistent reiteration Of alse,
hoods, they have attempted to lessen their
standing among their fellow citizens, and to
bring down upon their devoted heads the
prosecutions Of mob spirit
| Iutolerant of all difference Of opinion.
they have encouraged and applauded the
destruction of printing offices and material,
clamored for the arbitrary arrest of their
fellow citizens, whose great sin was in the
exercise of that freedom of speech we and
our ancestors have enjoyed for seventy years
Those having charge Of the Post Office
Department on this coast, have arbitrarily
suppressed newspapers, and dictated to our
people what they should or should not read
| Legislative powers have been used but as an
additional engine of insult and oppression.
We do not speak here, of the corruption
and imbecility of that body at its last session
that is notorious and admitted on all
hands.
To enforce these political dogmas, they
framed them into test oaths, which must be
aken as prerequisite to the acquisition Of
property, to the prosecution or defense of vest
ed rights in our courts, or the pursuit Of avo-
cations declared by our highest tribunals, to
be neither offices nor places of public
trust, but the Legitimate pursuits of life.-
Finally, they have made their party tests, a
standard OF patriotism, impeaching the hon.
esty and good faith of all who will not subj
scribe to it, and seduiously endeavored to
educate the public mind TO indorse their
work. ibis, if they prove successful in, is but
the beginning Of the work. Let us look the
truth in the face. 1t is the desire and nten
ton of these bigots to destroy all demo
cratic sentiment, that they may establish
their own ideas OF government on the ruins
of it.
Give them all the branches Of the State
Government for years, and they will effect this
object. With partizans of this mob law faith
in the different departments, no bounds will
fet.er u cir arbitrary will
Last winter the Senate bv the nero brute
power of numbers arbitrarily excluded Mr..
Quint from his seat and deprived an entire
district of their representation. If thew can
deprive people of their representation in
the law, making power without authority OF
the law, they can deprive the same people
Of property 'nd personal freedom by the same
power. With men who declare for martial
law IN Preference to the civil, there is no se-
crrity. The test oath is but beginning Of
exactions. They now declare you shall only
=, acquire property on conditions they will yet
decree the forfeiture of what you have vesl
: ted right to. They now declare you shall
Il only appear in courts on conditions they
will vet declare you shall not prosecute or de,
fend your rights there at all. They now de-
= clare you shall only pursue certain avocation,
: of life on condtions-they will vet exact
= more humbng conditions for the exercise of
8 such rights or perhaps exclude You aItogeth-
: er. With vulgar impudence they now del
nounce, through the press and from the stump
all Democrats as traitors to the country
y they will then act upon these declarations as
proven truths, and harrass and destroy you
g out Oft land
u Without organization or any nucleus o
. strength around which to rally Tor mutual
Il support in the hour of peril, these tyrants o
# a day. will surrounds you, and und color
u of The powers of the State, crush you in de
), TAIL or drive you to acts of desperation where
e they may have a pretence for wholesale
!; slaughter With not one single act or dec
laration of treason from any Democrat in the
: State, they yet declare in the highest party
counsels all their opponents to be traitors
Will they not act upon this theory once they
feel themselves firmly seat ed in power Thei
leaders declare there is no private proper
ty and no private liberty" not at the com
e mand of Mr.. Lincoln, and their party is pIedg
l ed to act upon this theory in California.
We speak earnest words, and in the depths
n Of our heart we believe them. We woulo
j. present the results of defeat, not to inilam,
Il passions, but to excite our friends to zeaou
J. combined action. We would show to every
> citizen the necessity Of the case, that he ma,
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