Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-06-15
Party Principles.

'ioii OF the people IN regard to the line OF
policy pursued by the administrative portion
of the Government in relation TO cur foreign
and domestic affairs. Whatever Impotence
may have been attached to the questions
which divided the people previous to the
C,ection of Abraham Lincoln, III 1860 they
sank into utar insigniicance in comparison
with the rromentous issue which that event
and the subsequent breaking out of the rc-
bellion presented TO the Amc1icGn people.
For nearly sixty years previous to the sue
cess Of the Republican party. with scarcely
an interruption, the affairs If the nation had
been under the control Of the Democrats.
During that period with the exceptions of
the wars with England and Mexico, both of
which were popular with the masses. no
questions Of more vital Importance than
those Of Intclnal improvements ard high
Or low tariff. were brought before the con-
sideIation of tie people by the contending
political organizations. To be sure tie agi-
tation of the slavery question and the deter
mined resistance to the extension Of that
blightiug curse into the Territories Of the
United States, made by the North in the
National councils, were regarded By the
South as an attempt TO infringe upon their
constitutional rights. and they iot only
claimed the night TO carry the peculiar insti-
tuition into all the Territories under the ju-
risdiction Of the General Government, but
demanded its protection in 50 doing. Tie
bloody scenes enacted in Kansas during the
carher period Of its history were but the pre-
cursors of the irrepressible conflict between
freedom and slavery. the mutterings Of which
had been heard, and its coming foreseer. and
predicted by our wisest statesmen. The i'm
pending crisis, however, had been SO long
averted by the compromises and provsos
made by Northern doughfaces, that the pco-
pie were lulled into fatal security, and when
at last the storm burst in all its fury upon
their heads, they were totally unprepared to
meet it. The national arsenals had been
robbed to furnish arms for the traitors, the
army had been scattered in small detachments
along the Atlantic and Pacific seaboarfs, and
the navy was cruising in foreign waters, rem
dering the Government powerless in its own
defense. Traitors faunted their reasonable
emblem almost in the face of the authorities
at Washington, and the booming of the can
non which poured storm of shot and she'll
upon Sumter and its heroic garrison, was
feared by many 10 We the death kneIl of our
free Institutions. But they had mistaken the
patriotism of the people. Simultaneously
with the fall Of Sumter, the loyal masses If
the North forgetting all past differences and
prejudices aetuated and impelied by the de-
termination to preserve intact the legacy be-
queathed to US by our fathers, ranged them
selves beneath the standard of their country,
eager to do battle in the cause Of freedom
against slavery. 1t was vast, spontaneous
uprising of mighty people in defense of the
great principle that all men are born free
and equal, and forever to settle the question
that man Is capable of self government. Ap-
pealing from the peaceful solution of these
questions at TIE ballot-box to the bloody ar
bitrament Of the sword upon the field OF
battle, the South, after maintaining the con-
fict for four years, was forced to submit, lay
down their arms and sue for pence. Upon
tie breaking out of the rebellion, Union men
formed themselves into an organization
pledged to the maintenance Of the Govern
ment, and based upon the solid foundation
OF liberty and equal rights to all. To that
organization the nation owes its existence
to-day. The first great object, the putting
down Of an armed rebellion, has been at
tanned; but have all the ends for which the
Union party was formed been effected: Are
all men free and equal? Have the principles
embodied in its platform, their devotion to
which hundreds of thousands have sealed
with their blood, been accepted by the South:
Do the seeded States exhibit a desire to re-
turn to their allegiance upon the terms i'm
posed by Congress: Not by any means. The
battle has been fought and won, but the
fruits Of the victory have not yet been reap
ed. In the face and eyes of these facts, while
a man who is at heart as traitorous as JEFF.
Davis occupies the Presidential chair, sup
ported by party so numerous that slight
detection Ill the Union ranks would enable
him to carry out his reasonable schemes,
there are some people who have heretofore
acted with the Union party who are either
so ignorant of the facts, or wilfully blind to
/ the truth, as to assert that the necessity for
maintaining the organization no longer ex-
lists. These disorganizcrs, although compos-
ed of those who have been the loudcst-
mouthed in their professions of loyalty, were
never aotuated by higher motive than
/ desire for oGice. Failing TO achieve their
/ object, they endeavor to defeat the party OF
which they profess to be members. \ per-
son who suffers lis name TO 90 before Con-
vention for nomination, and because he
does not receive it refuses 10 support the
| ticket. is contemptible. 1t is poor excuse
/ tor Union man to give for bolting his tick
ct. that the Convention was put up" be-
forehand. The proper time for preventing
anything of that kind being done, was at the
primary. GEumblinE at the action of Com
rention, after its adjournment, will certainly
effect no good. The contest this Fall is 20
ing to be close. In this county, especially.
unless Union men stand firmly by their prin-
ciples and vote the ticket from top to bottom
defeat will inevitably ensue. The great Sc
cret Of party success is unity. Without it
victory is impossible. 1t was that, and that