The weekly union record., 1864-05-07
Show Your Colors.

Y nder tne ABOVE caption, Inc American
Flag contains an able and lengthy article, the
treater portion Of which We quote, as being
appropriate in reply TO the remarks of Messrs.
ohn S. Berry and L. c. Granger, made be-
ore the 4" Constitutional Democratic Butte
County Convention" held in this place, on
Saturday last. We ask attention TO the Flag
.rticle-it is good hit at those protesting
oyalty and preaching treason:
For three years the strife of arms and of ar
gument has been raging. For three years have
he Constitutional Democracy" been crying
for peace, aud deploriDg the horrors Of this
cruel war" Yet they never have suggested
the details Of any plan By ,caioh the tcar could
be terminated or peace restored. 1t is a re-
narkable aud significant fact that while they
have found fault with everything that he's
been done, they have never undertaken to sug-
yest anything wiser or better; and thi. day,
hey stand before the country without a pro-
kramme or creed, except negative one that
involves this simple rule-unmeasured denun-
fiaton of every act Of the Government, unwa-
Eerng opposition to every Item of its declared
policy.
ln order that the field of controversy may
be narrowed to an intellgible issue, and that
we may not be called upon to fight with shad-
pws or abstractions-in order that the people
may understand between what principles aud
measures they must choose. we call upon the
Peace Democrats of California to define their
position so that plain men can understand it?
Heretofore, they have shrunk from this 1t is
because they cannot do it, or because they
dare not? Do they deliberately aim to pur-
chase by perjury and false pretenses the priv
munities, protesting loyalty and preaching
treason? Have they deliberately adopted the
code of morals of the professional spy, and
made up their minds to swallow oaths of allie
glance to the government whose overthrow
they yearn and pray for, and whose every
check aud disaster they greet with iconcealed
exulta.ion?
But 10 truth, the cowardly hypocrisy of the
Unconstitutional Democracy" in this State,
stands confessed in the sight of God and man.
They do not and dare not honestly avow their
sentiments. though they lack the cunning effec
tually to conceal them. While they meekly
swallowed test oaths which would choke an
honest and manly secessionist, they do not
hesitate in the next breath to blazon their own
Iinfamy by expressions of sympathy which only
ban idiot ould misunderstood. Ridgely Great.
house. the thrice perjured traitor, is their rep.
|resentative man.. We doubt if the steamer
that bore him, cowed aud manaced from our
Shores left more honorable socessionist be-
hind.
For, long age, when the Eastern breezes
brought to our ears "tbe clash OF resoundng
|arms, all that was bold, manly, and truly
|chivalrous among California seeessionists &C.
|cepted the signal as summons TO perllous du-
|iy. Our brethren are already in the feld,'
was their language. why stand zee here idle?n
We cannot but experience some sentiment of
respect for men, however misguided. who at
test the sincerity Of their convictions by the
pledge of their fortunes and their lives. But
for the vile recreants coatent to make their
existence living lie rather than sacrifice their
comfort or their interests-traitors at heart.
yet careful TO express Just so much of their
treason as the temper of the times permits
with safety-men who will sloop to equvocate
and shuttle and ialter with words iu a dou bic
sense to keep themselves within the letter of
the law-who calculate deliberately how far
they can go without the fear of Acatraz-for
such as these the English tongue affords no
epithet sufficiently ignomenious to express their
ineflable infamy.
The Constitutional Democracy denounce the
war-but they have never yet told US bow itis
10 be ended. They cry aloud for peace. but
will not state the terms upon which it is to be
obtained. We now ask for their programme
if they have the honesty and manDess 10 state
it. On what conditions do they think that
peace can be concluded? Are they authori-
zed by their owner Davis, to state any W hat
should the government offer what would
the Confederates accept? We invite, We chal-
lenge them to come out from the obscure skull
king-p their vague generaiities, their re
fuges of lies, and give US something distinct
and tangible. Or If they cannot or dare not
do this, let them stand convicted in the eyes OF
all honest men as wretches too cowardly
TO declare their real convictions or TO avow
their true purposes. as skulkng traitors cherish
ing in secret. doctrines which they are them
selves conscious are too hateful TO be revealed
20 the gaze Of an intelligent and loyal COM
munity VIII they define their programme and
show their true colors? We have not sui
fcIert fsiIh ia their manness 10 hope 1t.
Butte "DExccRAcr. The Sacramento
Union, after quoting the resolutions oil The
Butte Democracy" in Convention, SATURDAY
makes the following comment 1t is generally
supposed by loyal men that the aim and otlect
Of the Democratic party are to assist he rebels
in destroying the Union. As to the freedom
OF speech and Of the press which they claim,
they have had too much Of it, considering that
it has been exercised 10 behalf of treason and
traitors. IF General jackson were President
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