Year: 1861

The San Francisco Call says


"When Governor Downey sent his Seces-
sion or anti coercion letter to the Committee
OF the Mass Union meeting in this city his
friends, hy telegraph, implored him to recon-
slider it, assuring him that it would damn him
eternally."


In the letter to which the Call alludes the
Governor used the following language:


Il did not then believe. nor do now,
that any aggressive war should he waged up
on any section of the Confederacy nor do
believe that the Union can be preserved by
coercion policy


That language turned the political friend
ship of thousa nds for John G. Downey into
gall. Those thousands are the Unconditional
Union Democrats Of the State, who had be
ieved up to that time that he was as true as
themselves, and who earnestly desired his
re election to the Governorshp. When the
storm commenced bowling about the head Of
his Exeellency, he wrote another letter to
explain the anti coercion letter. In this sec
ond letter he tried to escape the consequences
of the first, by giving new and unheard-of
ucilliitlbH vi bbC WOih COcEClou oO uuloi
tunately used by him. lie said:


"As this word is now popularity received
and the sense which [ desired it should con-
vey in my letter, il is understood to mean the
invasion Of the South by an army hnvi G in
view the suhjugation of fifteen sovereign
States, and holding them as conquered pro-
vinces-the melting of servile insurrection
with its train of borrors-the oblteration Of
State lines. and the contiscation of indiviual
property-all Of which, and their prospects,
are advised and gloated over 10y leading
statesmen and journals in the confidence Of
those who hold the reins of power This is
the policy to which cannot subscribe, and
am frank to confess that would stand on no
platform that had plank of this material in
its composition, let it emanate from what
party it might"


This is the man who asks Union men for
the Governorship. With one breath he says
he is for the Government, and with the next
he seeks 10 poison the public mind with the
stale SANDER against the Government, that its
constituted authorities are seeking to incite
servile instructions.


He does not make the charge directly, but
say 'lnls ls the pollcy 10 Whlcn ne cannot
enbscribe. Was he asked to subscribe to any
such diabolcal scheme? Does he perform
his duties as a citizen who in times of pub
lie danger, labors to prejudice the popular
mind against the duly elected authorities of
the Government? Would there he n quar-
ter of million of a men in arms now against
rebellion if the Governors of all the other
free States had greeted the Presidents proc
lamaion with letters to the people, expires
sive of fears TINT the troops were to be used,
not for Legitimate purposes, but for the libe-
ration of four millions of negro slaves upon
the whites of the South? Gov. Downey re-
quires altogether too much time and paper to
make himself understood. He is not une-
quivocaliy Union man. When he says he is
for the Union he Immediately makes an ex
planation or apology to those who choke
with rage ut sight Of the American flag The
Union men of this county with whom we
have met. do not trust him. Any delegates
from Yuba county who would vote for him
would grossly misrepresent those who send
| them.