The Shasta courier., 1867-08-10
Gen. Didwell's Reply.
G. n. SwEzY.

| CHICO, July 9th, 1867.
G. N. SwEzY. ESQ.
| My Dear Sir:-Yours of the 22d inst, is
received. In consequence of receiving So
many letters pro and contra, am forced to
abandon my original purpose to simply
answer each letter in its turn and write
nothing for publication. for il will consume
all my time. / therefore propose now,
through this occasion, to speak to one and
| all. 70 those who congratulated ME on
my reported nomination for Governor. have
promptly but courteousiv, said that | could
not possibly accept the honor To those
| who urge me to decline the nomination in
question and dictate the terms in which
shall come out in favor Of the regular ticket,
| must kindly say that have not been oifi
cially advised of such nomination. have ac-
copied none. do not under the circumstances
propose to accept any, prefer to employ my
own language in making this formal declin
sion, and that | have not abandoned. but
still adhere unswervingly to the Union
party.
Some ask me to We an expression of sen.
tlment, IT consistent with my views, favor
able to united effort in behalf of the
Union State ticket. | answer, it certainly
is consistent with my views, and | proceed to
do so Having been a candidate before one
Convention, | desire to say to those friends
who adhered to me during the struggle for
the nomination, and who labored earnestly
for and were favorable to my nomination,
and to all others. that feel profoundly CRATE
ful to them, but that | cannot consent to
| enter the field again and attempt t. make
| the race for Governor. To do SO would be
| tantamount to giving direct aid to the So
| called Democratic party, the success Of which
at this Jun ture of affairs would he calam.
| ily both to the State ana Nation, and ought
not to be thought of by any loyal man. As
far as | am concerned | am trying 10 lay
aside all personal feelings and considerations
In fact | have done so as far rs human ma
ture is capable of under similar circurl
stances. l profess not to he perfect. And
| now ask, what can be done to restore har-
mony to the Uniun party of this State? In
| the pending contest we want hot only tn win
the battle for freedom and equal suffrage,
but we want TO make the victory overwhelm-
ing. Being out of the race. am no longer
n stumbling block in the way, and think
can view the scene from the standpoint of a
tax payer and private citizen. calmly i'm
partially. There is one question upon which
all must agree Our public u!dens are
great and must not be increased There is
minds of the people that the head of the
State ticket. having been identified with a
measure vastly increasing the publ C debt or
liabilities, and consequently, the taxes of the
people, would have the right to consider, if
elected, that his course in respect to the said
measure had been sanctioned, and that he
would feel at full liberty to approve that or
any similar measure for the benefit of spec
ulators. "as clearly in obedience to the de-
mand of public opinion :" also that the tide
lands belonging to the State, some Of which
are already valuable, and which if safely
guarded and properly managed can scarcely
fail o be more than ample to pay the entire
State debt, (fnr who can doubt that citv is
destined to rise from the waters of the Bay
of San Francisco, perhaps stretching from
Goat Island tn the Alameda shore. of mo- e
than Nentian opulence and splendor?) will
he recklessly squandered for the benefit cf
| spectators.
Now. there shou'd be cure for every i'll
The only remedy that suggests itself to my
mind is this Let the people everywhere ex
act of the State ticket and candidates for the
Legislature. pledges Of the most binding
character upon these vital questions. Let
candidates pledge themselves TO the people
that no measure adding to the liabilities of
the State or the taxes Of the people. or
squandering the public property. shall be
passed or appro: ed-and satisfactory pledge,
having been given, let US vnte the entire
Union ticket without scratching letter.
syllable or name. No candidate can refuse
to accede to these reasonable demands. No
person In this time of peace can propose to
favor oppressive measures and expect the
people TO sustain him by their votes. A now
J ucket carnoe Be scbstitused at this !ate hour