The Shasta courier., 1865-09-02
STAND BY THE OLD FLAG.

STAND BY THE OLD FLAG.
To-day is cur last appearance before the
election shall have taken place. and perhaps
it is proper, and may be useful for US to com
ment briefly on the Importance of the great
issue to be Determined on next Wednesday
On that day the whole people will declare for
retaining the fruits gained by the sacrifice OF
half million Of loyal lives, and thousands
Of millions Of treasure. or for surrenderln@
all to the enemies who have fought so long
in the open field and in the political arena. =
If we would save the laurels won, and profit
by the victory gained, we must show uni
ted front at the polls, and in such numbers
as to teach the lesson unmistakably that
those who would disrupt loyal organizations
do, and for all time will, occupy the same
position in the minds of the good, as do the
open enemies of cur country. Let every
good man 90 to the polls and there deposit
his written or printed opinion of bolters by
voting them into insignifcance To vote for
bolter is q declaration, stronger than words
could make it, that there is no principle to
bind loyal men together in support of those
who represent the Government,-for that is
what all their organs claim-each for itself
declaring it is mere scramble for Office
Good men will give the lie to such insults.
and redeem themselves from the aspe' sion
cast upon them by such assertions. The
good and unselfsh-those who do not scram-
bic for ofiice-can see. do see, the great i'm
portance Of keeping up the holy organization
known as the Union Party. They see that
it is upon that organization the Government
relies for loyal representatives in the councils
Of the State and nation, upon it alone does
the nation rely for moral and material sup
port ip putting itself squarely on its feet
Is there any one so blind or egotistical as to
suppose that democrat. or better. who
gains political position, if at all, by demo-
cratic votes, is the sort Of material to be
placed in positions of honor. trust or emolu.
ment2 We think not Are there anv SO
blind as to believe that the man who has
acted in bad faith to party organized for
good, is Il suitable man 10 trust with the ad.
ministration of the peoples affairs. no mat
ter how insignificant the capacity in which
he offers to act? We think not. For every
place to which men are to be elected to serve
the people, there is a good sound Union man
nominated, and if elected, is responsible to
the Union party for his acts. The people are
to choose between such and irresponsible
demagogues. who, having failed before Con
ventions through either want of character
or other cause, in getting nomination, fall
off, bolt, and declare the system Of nom
nations humbug and the peoples trusted
delegates corrupt. and unworthy the conf
dence reposed in them. To vote for a bolter
is to declare such assertions true. Good
men are not going to do it. Good men.
Union men, are not going to make any such
record; rather will they put aside all per.
sonal feeling for candidates and say We
have but one duty to perform, that duty is
plain; we must go to the polls--all of us
and there vindicate the great cause for which
we have been for four years fighting and
are still struggling; the cause for which we
talked aud voted by consistently voting the
Union ticket" No tie of personal friend
ship or Of lood should have influence to
sway the upright man from the conscientious
and reasonable discharge of this greatest
privilege and most imperative duty We
are not voting for men. We are bv our bal
lots declaring our pripciples-or want of
them-and by or ballots the declaration is
made, signed, sealed and delivered. past re.
call. We say to all, ssvote for principle. for
the great living never. r.dying principle that
governs the Union organization. and you
will sleep the sweeter for having overcome
the temptation of serving friends who would
have had you vote lie, by depositing a
ballot against your reason as we'll as your
best impulses. Shake off boiling tempters,
beliese them not; but make up your minds
to the right and do it. Your bolting friend
may grumble. but at that moment you have
raised yourself in his estimation. increased
his respect and retained your own.