The Placer herald., 1868-11-21
THE BEE AND AXTELL.

Gone to bis Post Of Duty" in which, If what
the Bee says could be believed, Mr.. Ax,sl
would, In some respects, appear 10 very
unfavorabe light before bis party, and es.
pecialiy bis immediate constituents.
From the general tone of the. article in
question, ons would suppose that Mr.. Axtell,
after thanking George Rowland for furnish.
ing him with bard and dirty labor when be
first landed in the State in 1851, had spent
mos. Of bis time in confessing 10, and en-
Tightening the editors Of the Bee as to his
future political conduct, and proposed off
cal action, when he reaches "his post Of duty,
How else could the Bee speak SO positive Of
Axtell's change Of policy aud future actonsl
Hear the Bee:
IN bis (Axtell's) opinion the question Of
reconstruction is no longer an issue The
people have settled it at the balo:.box, and
whether the policy is right or wrong their
will must be obeyed, He would have chosen
another poIicy--would have retained the
freedmen as wards Of the nation. and protect
ed them by the power Of The Government in
all their rights but the majority having In
Republican Government right to rule, their
will must bs the law of the land. The ques.
ton of reconstruction being settled, the
main, and 10 fact, only question now before
Congress is the financial one. How shall
the obligations of the nation be met, and tax
| alton reduced"
" The question Of reconstruction is no
! longer an issue. The people have settled i.
at the ballot box, ana whether right or wrong
their will must be obeyed." Did Mr. Axtell
say this, or did the Bee misunderstood him
We are simple eouugh to believe that the
people of Mr.. Axtels district settled the
question, so far as his future action is con
cerned, and settled it against Congress, and
that they are the only people that he repre-
sents, and is bound to obey upon this ques
ton of reconstruction, when be takes bis
seat in Congress. We have not the sligbtes.
doubt in the world but that Mr.. Axtell and our
selves fully agree as 10 how his constituents set
tied this reconstruction question, and that be
has no other constituents, and 10 disposition,
will, or desire to represent any but the will
of The people of the First District, upon this
and all other questions settled by bis election,
the Bee article to the contrary notwiths!and.
ing. But, the Bee continuing to quote Mr..
Axtell, proceeds: "But The majority having
in a Republican Government right to rule,
their will mus. be the law Of the laud."-
Did Mr.. Axtell utter these words, or has the
Bee misquoted or misunderstood him aganl
These would be fearful words for Con-
gressmau, now under solemn oath to sup
port the Constitution Of the United States,
and soon 10 repeat the same oath again, to
utter Congressman do not swear to obey
the will Of the people, but the Constitution
and when they violate the mandate of that
sacred instrument they commit perjury, no
matter on which side the will of the people
may be- This is one Of the first and most
sacred principles Of our form OF Government,
and will not be violated by Mr.. Axtell
through perjury, and we will not believe that
be gave expression to any such sentiment, to
the Bee editor, or anyone else. True. the
will Of the people can change the Constitui
ton in the constitutional mode, aud require
Congressmen to swear TO support the will Of
the people instead of the Constitution, but it
has not yet been done. Hon. S. B. Axtsl is
not one Of the higher law fanatics, and we
feel called upon to defend him against the
assertions of the Bee, the very day he left the
State to take his seat in Congress. The Bee
proceeds to make Mr.. Axtell say, "The main,
and in fact, only question now before Con
gress is the financial ons." How shall the
obligations of the nation be met and taxation
reducsd9' Here again the. Bee is making
Mr.. Axtel express doubt about the best mode
Of meeting the financial question, when be
could not possibly have done SO in view Of
the declared will of the Democracy Of The
whole nation, through their representative
in the National Convention. The consti,u-
ents of Mr.. Axtel determined the financial
question as he wished they should. and if he
bad desired to talk to the Bee editor on the
question he would have said thus: On the
the financial question we hold that we should
pay the public debt of the United States as
rapidly as practicable, all money drawn from
the people by taxation, except so much as is
requisite for the necessities Of the Govern
ment, economically administered, should be
honestly applied to such payment, and when
,ha ohl;Oationc ~ tho (Hovarnmant 1O MT
expressly state on their face, or the law under
which they were issued does not provide that
they shall be paid in coin thaty the ought in
right and justice to be paid in the lawful
money Of ths United States.
This is what Mr.. Axtell believes, and what
bis constituents believe, and what he will
carry out when be reaches his post Of duty.
We hold that the Bee has either been