Year: 1862

Change" is written upon everything around


us, in unmistakable characters, yet many there


are so blind as not to see the inscription. Within


the past year immense changes have been going


on in the political world, and more are certain to


take place yet there are mummiied representa-


tives of decayed ideas who fail to comprehend the


spirit and character of the men and times amidst


which they seem to live. Among these we may


mention those fossilized relics of an antiquated


political period who preside over the Marysvile


Express, the Stockton Republican and Argus and
other papers in California, and are still cropping
amid the dust and ashes of consumed political


ideas, and mumbng over the threadbare tradi-
tions of a defunct organization. As the carnage
and struggles of battle change the entire phys
cal aspect of the field upon which it occurs, so
does the thunder and smoke of the contest work
a complete change in the moral and political as
pect of the country. With the happening of new
events there must come new ideas; new positions
of peril require new attitudes of defense; amid
storms and tempests, stronger arm and steadier
nerve is needed at the helm, than when the ship
is waited along by gentle breezes over the placid
surface of an unrufled ocean. These propositions
are so selfevident that to mention them would
appear superduous were ii not for the fact that,
in connection with our national affairs there is
still large class of minds which fail to compre-
hend their truths class of minds fitted only to
mingle in the lower order of political intrigue in
times of profound quiet, and accustomed only to
believe that all possible ideas of political wisdom
are concentrated IN one or two partisan designa-
tions. The men of such minds are those antigua
ted specimens of the past political folies of the
nation who are continually crying out for the or
ganzation or reorganization of the democratic or
factions. Either these men do not re-
aise the fact that the nation is now struggling in
the throes of the most desperate civil war the
world ever witnessed, or if they do realize the
fact they fail to comprehend its significance


To our old political organizations and our old
systems of partisan politics is the country wholly
indebted for the rebellion which is now wasting
its life-blood. How can we expect relief by talk
ing to our breasts either of the scorpions which
have inflicted the painful wounds The breaking
out of the rebellion demonstrated the absolute
necessity for radical change in the primary parts
Of our political system. The wars, ard struggles,
and trials, following the rebellion, will produce
hose changes, are producing them daily The
lowls and pasquinades Of all the political num-
nies and fossils in the country cannot for mo-
nent retard those changes. The work will and
must goon, spite of human folly, and it therefore
'ehooves us to keep pace with events, to have an
ye on the future, and to so mold inevitable, par
ial and specific changes that they shall not be-
ome general and obsolete


Democracy and republicanism kindled the
orches of rebellion, and in doing so they lighted
heir own funeral pyres; none but fools will al
ow themselves to be consumed in the flames
nd there are some of these who with the blind
uperstition of Hindoo widow, are determined
o end their political existence and mingle their
shes with those of their musty traditions. The
reat mass Of the people, however, are equal to
be crisis, and with rare intelligence are prepared
0 grapple with occurring events, and will be !
eady to control the New Nation to issue from
he war; and herein lies the future security of our
epublican nstitutons-S. F. Journal