Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-12
rHg coEvENrIoN oF pIoyEERs,

We are very glad to welcome TO Sacra-
mento the Convention of Pioneers which !
has assembled here to consider the most
appropriate method OF perpetuating the
memory Of General Suffer. The work IN
which these gentlemen are engaged Is one
which becomes them well, and it shows
that the spirit Of loyalty to the traditions
Of the past-that spirit upon which all
genuine patriotism is based-is still strong
among the real founders of the State.
Among the delegates to this Convention
are some who can remember Suffers Fort
when it was the principal rendezvous of the
interior of California. The changes which
have taken place since that time-so near
in point of time, yet so remote when the
growth of this community is considered
must make it somewhat hard for them to
realize the bygone era wildly. But 1t Is
to the credit and honor of the Pioneers
that they should have determined upon
active proceedings for the establishment OF
such a memorial, and there can beno ques-
ton that they have chosen the right point
at which to celebrate the commencement
of the Anglo.Saxon era in California. 1t
was at New Helvetia that that era had
its beginning. It was at Suffers Fort
that the nucleus of the present State
of California was formed. 1t was here
that the Americans planted their feet with
the characteristic tenacity OF the nation.
Here then the opening of the new age
must be memorialized, and the only i'm
portant consideration is as to the method
to be adopted. There are of course many
and obvious ideas on this head. Some of
the Pioneers are for simple monument
others prefer some kind of memorial
chapel still Others think that the best
plan would be to restore the old Fort, and
maintain it forever in as close a sem
blance as possible to what it was when
General Sutter lived there in pat-iarchal
state and isolation. We confess to some
preference for this latter idea. a monu-
ment is usually lacking in suggestiveness,
and so Is a memorial chapel. If either CT
these plans are chosen, the architects
who never have any imagination-will
bring forward copies of score of monu-
ments and memorial chapels from all parts
OF the world, aud in the end the solecism
viii probably be perpetrated of commemo-
rating our premier pioneer by an edifce
modelled after one originally designed
to honor some European sovereign or
statesman or man of letters If, how
ever, it should be decided to restore
the old Fort, it would constitute
most suggestive and appropriate
memento, not alone of General Suffer,
but of the era he inaugurated. This Fort
would then become a place of pilgrimage
for all who desired to look upon the birth
place of California and the American
dominion on the Pacific, and everything
about it would recall the pioneer times,
and add to the charms of the spot. We
do not want Greek or Italian or Gothic
architecture to remind us of these bygone
days. Give us rather the homely, rude,
but substantial old Fort, with all its
ugiiDess and all its lack of civilization.
There we have Suffer and his Times, and
we cannot have them in any other way.
We believe that on consideration this plan
viii appear the most appropriate, and it
has the special advantage OF not requiring
any very considerable outlay of money.
a moderate fund would suffice to restore
the Fort and to keep it in preservation, and
we are satisfied that the people of Sacra-
mento would cheerfully assist in an under
taking so calculated to enhance the attrac-
lions of their city, as well as so congenial
to the memory of the old settler it is de-
signed to honor.