Year: 1861

Union Democrats of California.


T. T. DAVENPORT, Esq., Chairman Democratic


County Committee, Nevada County:


DEAR SIR-Contrary to my expectations
recently expressed TO you and other friends
in Nevada comfy. | regret exceedingly that
private matters will utterly prevent my com
plying with your invitation to address the
people of your county during the canvass in
favor of the State and local tickets of the
Democratic party. Allow me to substitute in
this form, some general remarks respecting
the momentous questions now upon u.s.


For the first time in her short history, Cali
fornia is called on at this election to deter
mine her relations to the United States. She
is now to declare whether in this formidable
civil war, she is sincerely for the Union which
has made her what she is and to whose gen.
erous care che owes at this moment so much :;
or whether under some poor pretext or other,
she is on the side of those States which are
in arms to destroy it. Whether in this strug-
gle of life or death to the country she is a
loyal or disloyal State.


This is the issue. and there is no other
Upon her decision now, depends her future
cal or woe Her destiny is in her own
hands


IL is IL very serious duu ClSuT issue. where
there is no middle ground. We must be
either for the country or against it. Men
may delude themselves or others Still, in
this contest, as in all the contests of the good
and evil forces of the world, the eternal
truth remains: He that is not with me is
against me-


AS all know, to whom my opinions had
any interest, | was for peace while peace was
IL f,,1l nd
antees to the States of the South, while they
allowed them to be offered. Now, instead
of peace, there is war, forced upon the coun-
try in such way that she could not have
declined it without abdcating her place
among the nations, giving up the Union of
the States which remained loyal, and incur
ring the lasting contempt of the hostile
States themselves.


That a time will yet come when peace is
once more possible, | am assured. That it
may come soon, is my most fervent hope. 1t
will find me as willing as ever for the sacred
duty of reconciliation.


In the meantime, and so long as it is force
against force, l take my stand, without ran
cor, but without hesitation, with my own
Government aud country against those who
at the head of armies threaten destruction to
both. There is no other place for patriots


This without doubt is the position of this
State. She is for the Union and against its
enemies at home and abroad. Now, for the
first time, determined we'll concentrated ef-
fort is made 10 misrepresent her ia this re-
spect. She owes it to herself and to the other
States to declare herself in manner not to
be mistaken, here or elsewhere.


In common with all true friends OF Cali
fornia have seen with paiu and surprise the
movements of the new party, ia favor of the
State ticket headed by John r. Mcdonnell,
ESQ. for Governor | am aware there are
upon that ticket and among its supporters,
some who claim to be friends of the Union,
and who prove their friendship 10y giving up
the cause of the Union without blow by
making haste to declare that the Union can
not be saved. and that the attempt to save it
is almost crime; by assaiing most intem-
perately the Government of the Union and
every thing it has done, whether right or
wrong, to maintain it, while they have not
one word of censure for those who are armed
to destroy it by clamoring for peace, in
slant peace with the hostile States, at any
rate and any price. Alas for the Union, if
it has to rely on friends like these The best
good faith only gives them power for greater
mischief Her open enemies the country can
face, and the false friends that would betray
her with a kiss she can discover. She has
no defense against the mistaken friends, who,
in the name of Peace" hold their hands in
the death grapple, while the enemy staUs her
to the heart


The cry of "peace" in time of war has its
attractions. Itappeals both to the good and
the selfish feelings; to our hearts and our
pockets None understand this better than
Nc. Mcconnell and the adroit and practsed
political leaders who surround him. But in
their mouthe the cry is "a delusion and a
snare" They are for peace" because, say
they. "the Union canrot be preserved by
war" Ask them on what terms they propose
peace. and their answer, if they give one,
will be, "the recognition of the Southern
Confederacy." AS if that does not certainly
and permanently dismember and destroy the
Union. They are against war because, pro-
badly (as they say) it will not preserve the
Union and they are for the immediate re-
cognition of the Southern Confederacy,"
which most assuredly destroys it. The love
of the Union which inspires such a conclusion
at the very threshold of the struggle, is not
very evident.


They are for peace. with triumphant and
advancing foe almost at the gates of Wash
ngton, and upon his own terms. They clamor
for the country to strike her flag with dsas-
ter fresh upon its folds.


Is this the time for suok demand in the
mouth of patriot--of any real friend of the
Union? Before the country has made half an
effort worthy of great people, or of the
greatest cause that ever kinded the hearts of
any people? After national reverse, when
such a cry unnerves the arm of the Govern
ment and lends new Indictment to its enc
mies2


Letnot the people be deceived. Peace and
the recognition of the "Southern Confede-
racy" means to day not only the loss of no
nor, but every other calamity which can be-
fall the American people. 1t is the perman-
ent destruction of the Union; the strongest
incentive to secession to the States which re-
main; the dsmemberment Of the country
the death of all American nationality; the
loss of more than half of our sea coast; the
establishment of a foreign power at our doors,
in the heart of the continent, menacing us
along fifteen hundred miles of frontier and
holding the mouths of the Mississippi; the
disappearance of the United States from
among tke great Powers af the earth; the
Imprisonment of our twenty millions of white
people in narrow selvedge of territory
struggling from Maine to Kansas, shut in with
the Snow and ice. between two jealous and
perhaps hostile neighbors on the North and
South. 1t means for lis and our posterty a
standing army and navy for all time; in
sufferable taxation; the modification or sub
version of our free institutions to suit this
order of things After all this, there will he
peace between u.s. If there is none now. how
can there be any then? If in the Union,
and under the bonds of the Constitution, VT
must fight, how shall we be at peace when
| we are two ipGenendent and necessarily Jar