Year: 1862




referring TO the able and sensible letter Of Gen.


Cotton. Chairman of the Democratic State
Central Committee. addressed TO Senator Van
DYKE. Chairman of the Fusion Caucus recently


held in San Francisco. While we would not


deny to those Democrats who attended and


participated in the proceedings OF that caucus,


the most unbounded patriotism, it appears to


Us that they have overlooked the firm Union


and loyal ground heretofore occupied by the


Democracy of California. That our readers


may have an opportunity OF knowing how the


Democratic party stood last year upon the vi


tai question now agitating the country, we re-
publish the Democratic platform of last year


1t is the position occupied by the Democratic
party now. and upon it, they will make the
next canvass. Indeed, it has ever been the
position of the National Democratic party.
and we trust that it ever will be. We ask the
people to examine it, before giving in their ad-
hesion to new organizations. formed. perhaps,
by aspiring men, who have been thrown to the
surface by the political convulsions of the past
four years


We venture the assertion that. no party,
new or old, can produce better Union plat
form. Devotion to the Constitution and the


Union is breathed in every word of it, 1t is a


monitor and counsellor to any administration


1t is exactly what the people who love the


Union and the fundamental law thereof de-
mand. 1t is not calculated for day, nor for
any particular administration but for all time
and all administrations 1t is favorable to any
administration that is in favor of preserving
the Union and the Constitution intact 1t on
ly asks what q sovereign people ought 10 insist
upon all the time, a regard of the Constitution
and the preservation of the Union. 1t may be
regarded as extremely dangerous for the pa
triotism of free people to extend beyond this


Administrations are but the creatures Of
day. The formation of administration parties
would involve a re organization every four
years, or the Endorsement of an administration.
no matter what course such administration
might see proper to pursue. 1t is not believed
that the intelligent people of America will
pursue such q suicidal course. They have
their own rights and liberties to guard and
preserve, against encroachments of power. as
well as against rebellion and treason The
formation of strictly administration party.
disqualifies such party for any service except
indorsing the acts of the administration be
those acts what they may. Let US not con-
template the changes that an administration
might attempt with powerful political party
to back it up, whose sole and distinguishing
feature was support of the Administration
1t is lure inviting free people to place their
rights and liberties in the keeping of an admin
lstration, that may or may not regard them
Mr.. Buchanan's did not. Mr.. Lncoln's may.
The patriotic aud conservative Democracy will
support any administration that shall constitu-
tionally administer the Government. II is not
right for any party to go farther. To do
so is to trif1e with the free institutions be.
qneathed to US by the patriots of 10 A free
and intelligent people should demand a strict
observance of the constitutional law alike from
the administration and the citizen Can
strictly administration party do so? Would
not their very name show that they were for
the administration over and above all else? 1t
Is the most vulgar of sophisms to expect
people to abandon Union and constitutional
grounds to become the mere supporters Of the
When have the Democracy
of California refused to support Mr.. Lincoln's
in its endeavors 10 suppress
the rebellion, restore the supremacy of the
Constitution and maintain the integrity of the
Union? When have they resolved against
furnishing the Administration all the men ard
money required Of them to put down this re-
bellion? Have they not regarded it as duty
that every man owed to his country to assist
in putting down the rebellion? Who seeks to
make it a parizan policy but those who would
form an administration party in the present
difficulties, with the hope of obtaining place
and power When the angel of death was
already lowering over his pillow, the patriot
and statesman Stephen \. Douglas told his
that" There are only two sides
to this question. Every man must be for or
against it, The Democracy of California
were for suppressing the rebellion, and will be
so long as there is a rebel in the land. 1t was
no partizan policy that made them assume that
position. 1t was the position they had always
occupied-that of the supremacy OF the Con-
stitution and the integrity of the Union.
Again almost the last words Of Douglas were
- 1t was not party question, nor a question
involving any partizan policy" Is it needing
his advice to form party especially upon the
question now ? The Democracy have always
the Constitutional Government of
The country In the present instance they have
done so with an unanimity unparalleled. and
will continue to do so. Those who cannot vote
with them In this can form administration mar