Year: 1861

in the political transactions OF the United
States upon the supposi.ion that the sectional
difficulty will be settled by civil means,
must conclude that there should be re en-.
largement Of the Democratic party, and
tina. no other single element can maintain
antagonism with the Republican party. 1t
must be clear before all, excep. the fanaticaI,
that since the Presidential election the old
Democratic element has been gaining while
its factions have been losing, and that oppo
sition to this element can be sustained only
by the Republican organization which will
obtain its main forces from success in the
last Presidential election. 1t is plain that
the Republican Administration will attempt
to be National rather than sectional, and
that the effect upon the Republican organi-
cation cannot be such as must make it here
after the strong party Of the country; it
will decline after the new Administration
shall have settled into a regular course of
policy, and all Of its difficulties, notwith-
standing whatever attempts at impartial
nationslism it may make, will be alone suf
fcient to establish the Democratic idea Of
the NOR | inadequacy of the doctrines of
the Republican party to the necessities of a
confederated government connected with
great geographical differences and institu-
tions which in the one extreme challenges
the educational adherence of a large por
tion of the community, and in the other
receives the sanction of custom, latitude
and paramount interest. A party who as
pire to national administration must he
equal to the requirements of u station
which obtains all of its respectability and
power from the consent of the prepondera
ting mass of the people through the ex
pressed will of the majority and the fore


bearing acquiescence of those whose prof
erred measures are deferred by the successes
of opposing parties. 1t is now to be la
mentally seen that the Republican party
have been the first to overcome forbearing
acquiescence, the first to turn the attention
of body of States to the practical assump-
tion of what they naturally deem reserved
right, one which, rising from the obscure
quietude engendered by the sway of Ma.
tionsl Democracy, appears in the first tri
umph of the Republican party to be the
most necessary and the most tangible and
the most sacred.


fractional spirit in the Democratic party
has enabled the Union dividing and the
equality endangerng party to ascend to a
height from which no tokens but those of
dissatisfaction and disaster are coming down
to the disturbed and embittercd sections. If
fractions of the Democratic party have as
sisted materially in producing unfortunate
circumstances, the more conservative and
thoughtful and patriotic elements of the par
ty should seek to firmly reunte in search of
the generous, wise and effectua remedies,
the existence of which has been proved in
our political system by operations of a
grandly and irresistibly organized Demo
cratic party in times which continually tes-
titled the growth and glory of the National
Union. We are certain that the needed
remedies do not require entire and radical
changes to bring them to successful appica.
tion; we are certain that concession to the
disefected section must be promised by the
Democratic element of the North in con
formity to the terms presented by the dis
affected section previous to the last presi
dental election; we are certain that the
Union cannot be restored by the conflicting
operations Of divided element in opposi,
tion to the Republican party; we are GER
tain that no plan of restoration presented
by the democracy against which the South
protested before the election, will reunite
the South in favor of the Union; we are
certain that thousands of the free State
Democrats who assumed regularity OF nom.
ination in the National Democratic Conven-
ton as the point of dispute, ardently de-
sire to return to former good Democratic
fellowship; we are certain that while con
cesson is necessary to the restoration of the
Democratic party; and we are certain that
unless there is an early and definite proceed
ing toward Democratic restoration in Cali
fornia, the Republicans will gain enough
from their Federal success and our dissen-
sions, to become the dominant party of the
State We see that the restoration of the
Union without "coercion" is the chief de-
sire of all of the best clsases Of Democrats.
We propose to unite upon that desire, and
while knowing that the Republicans have
been the cause, acknowledge the consitu.
tionaity of their success in the Presidential
election and, justly placing the burden of
error upon the sectional party in power. re-
establish Democratic supremacy for the be.
eft of of our State and the permanent es.
tablsbment of the old Union of free and
independent States.


Therefore we approve the platform sug-
gested in our paper last week: First, that
the Republican party occupy position an.
tagonistic to and destructive of equality of
rights. Second, that we cherish attach
ment to to the Federal Union and contem-
plate with sorrow the sectional troubles of
the country; that the true attitude of the
people of California in view OF these troub'
les, is that Of fraternaI kindness; that the
Federal Constitution should be so amended
as to specifically secure every portion Of the