Year: 1861

through our town, en- route for his home, or


Wednesday last. We had but few minutes
conversation with him in reference to the state
OF affairs on the other side Of the continent


but he referred US TO his letter, addressed tc
the Chairman of the Union Democratic State


Central Committe at San Francisco for what
he kne~ OF our situation, politically, and what
the people of the State might expect should
the Mcdonnell secession ticket prevail. We
give some extracts from the letter:


The constitutional right of State to Sc
cede from the Union is ignored and treated as
a paradoxlcal absurdiiy" BY the almost unap-
imous voice of the people of the loyaI States.
whist very large proportion of the people
of the seeded States view the proposition in
a no more favorable light What the leaders
in the South characterize as secession" is
regarded throughout the Northern States as
treason of the most rank, dangerous and un-
justifiable character, which it is incumbent
upon the Government to suppress by all con-
stitutional means within its power The self
constituted authorities of the Southern States
having resorted to arms. not only in resistance
to the laws of the General Government, bnt
for the avowed purpose of coercing the loyal
citizens within their own borders to become
participants in the overthrow of the Govern
ment, no alternative was left to the Admins
tration but to meet force with force, or to
disgracefully surrender the Capitol and
the Government to band of armed conspira-
tors, actuaed by the same motives which
prompted Benedict Arnold to consummate the
I u,li iab bool l.
most monopoly Of the accursed term of trai
tor.


am only speaking what I knoc, when
say that an effort is being made by the Nc
Connell party to revolutionize the State. Git
liens of California who are of Southern birth
are about equally divided in numbers on the
question of Union and Disunion. The Disun-
ionists, for the most part, are the most desper-
ate men in the State. and are banding together
in secret societies. They want TO make Cali
forna what Missouri is at this moment have
some interests at stake, and it is time that we,
who have everything to lose and nothing to
gain by revolution, should bestir ourselves
| think that am warranted in
the assertion that at least three-fourths of the
troops who have so periodically responded to
the call of the President, are persons who,





elevation to power Under all the
circumstances, 1t seems to be the fixed deter
minaton of the loyal citizens to conquer a
peace, and compel the leaders in the secession
movement to submit to the " coercion which
we all experience in rendering just obedience
to the Constitution and the laws. The i'm
preston obtains, and is warranted by the rep
resentations of the people of many of the Sc.
! .lol tLot tt,a MI ~
ernment affords them protection from the reign
of terror which prevails in their midst they
will return to their fidelity TO the Union.


In other States, as, for example, Missouri,
where the Union sentiment was so overwhem-
ing as to prevent the consummation of the act
of secession, dsloyal State officers have been
able to inaugurate civil war, to drench the
State with fratricidal blood and to invite and
procure the preser ce of Invading armies from Sc
ceded States, with the hope of conquering and
driving out loyal citizens. and taking the State
out bv force of arms This terrible warning
should not be lost upon California. Elect to
your State Offices any other than men of known
and approved loyalty to the Union, and you
invoke upon your own heads all the horrors
which are now spreading desolatioD and car
mage throughout Missouri. If you desire to
IL.
ed plunderers. your growing commerce paral-
wed, your industry destroyed your mines aban-
doned, and your fruitful fields made desolate
and worse than ALL your homes laid 10 asher,
and your wives and daughters become the
spoil of british men, then elect to fill your
State Offices the men who openly and brazeny
avow their sympathy with rebellion and trea-
sou. This picture Of possible consequences of
a secession triumph in California is not over
drawn for proof of which | need simply refer
you to accounts which reach you almost every
day from unhappy Missouri, betrayed by Sc
ceSsIon Executive into a condition of carnage
and rapine 10 which alone of the seeded States
Virginia furnishes parallel.


In selecting Governor for your State, there
fore, | trust that you will be successful in Sc
curing the choice Of a staunch Union man.
and one whose character and experience will
enable him to guide you safely through any
dangers that may beset you from within and
without.


In the loyal Eastern States, with refernce TO
the present war, party organizations are totally
obliterated, and the only political distinctions
now known are between those who are for the
preservation Of the Union and those who are
for its destruction. The former leaders of the
two great opposing parties in the North have
ceased their political strife, and have united as
one man for the defense of their common coun-
try. Cass, Dickinson, Dix, Butler, and host
of others, with their brave followers, forget
that they were Democrats, in partizan sense.
Lincoln, Scott, Seward and even Greeley,
seem to have forgotten that they have been
Republicans All parties and creeds seem to
have joined heart and hand to put down trea-
son and rebellion. and support and maintain
our glorious Government If need be to pre-
serve California loyal to the Union, and avert
the possibility of danger from the designs of
traitors. the Union loving men Of California
should unite upon some terms, and present
solid phalanx against the schemes of the wick.
ed consprators who are plotting against your
peace. Mutual concessions might be made for
both parties. of principles, which, unless we
secure our Government can never be brought
in issue. Much depends upon the loyal citi-
zens of California, and much is expected from
them by their loyal brethren in the Atlantic
States 1t is expected of them that they will
preserve the fidelity of the Pacific States and
Territories to the Union, at every hazard and
under all circumstances.


While, therefore, it is not my province nor
my purpose to disparage the claims of any
gentleman who solicits the suffrages of the vo-
tiers of California for the Gubernatorial office
and honors, | may be permitted to say, that in
my opinion, Hon. John Conness the Union
Democratic candidate for Governor. is in every