Year: 1860

The aeerLuies Of the campaign are now
over, and it is a happy thing that it is so.
A period has arrived when public journals
may appeal to the Judgments of men, with
some expectation that reason viii prevail
1t is fair to presume, (as it really ought to be
at all times, but unfortunately is not) that
what paper non says, regarding the pros
poets of the country and the duty of citizens,
is the deliberate expression Of well estab-
lished, firm and honest opinion. We are.
therefore. the more surprised to find that
there are papers in this State-few, though
they be-which announce the prospect of
speedy secession of certain of the Southern
States, with no word of condemnation for
those who are to inaugurate this dark and
damnable business


One journal, of the Breckinridge stripe
speaks of Secession as Right to which the
South is entitled. Another considers the
election of Lincoln an covert act" against the
constitutional rights of the Sonth," and
thinks the Southern States will secede before
waiting for Nncon's Inauguration. (TaliDg
il for granted that Lincoln is elected.


A few years ago, a journal which would
thus leniently speak of Disunion would not
have been considered fit to go into the fami-
lies of American citizens. Fathers and
mothers would not have suffered the seeds of
treason and rebellion to be thus sown into the
minds of their children. A paper to be read
at the family table in the morning, or around
the family hearthstone at night, in those not
very ancient days of our republics history,
would have had to incucate fidelity to the
Union of the States, as the first great duty of
the young and the old, the rich and the poor,
or it could not have lived a day But, now.
we find not only public journals which will
either advocate or excuse and paliate Dis
union sentiments but citizens, claiming to be
true and honorable men, who will spread be-
fore the young minds of their children the
pages which contain this poison and this
death.


Has it indeed come to this? Are we to
have such sentiments promulgated and con-
tended for Has it actually become neces-
sary, in this State Of California, TO take up
the gauntlet of defiance against the Union,
aud argue, absolutely argue, the necessity of
its preservation2 1t would seem SO. Since
we must, We have no hesitancy in saying
that, for our part, zee are for the Union,
against all its foes, whether rebels at home or
invaders from abroad.


The issue has come, and it must be met
We are to see whether this Union is q rope
of sand, or a band of iron.


Our position is this, and we are prepared
to maintain it;


There is no such thing as a Right ofSeces-
sion, so far as the retiring of a State from the
Union is concerned. The Constitution gives
no State the power of determining its own
constitutional rights. because, if it did, there
would be endless pickering and confusion,
but it refers all constitutional questions to
the Supreme Court of the United States
We recognize, in extreme cases, the Right Of
Revolution. a successful Revolution gives
those who succeed an immunity from the
consequences which may or may not be just
! ly due them. But an unsuccessful Revolu-
ton leaves those who attempt it to the fate Of
rebels.


There are cases in which we might embark
in Revolution, and Revolution, too, in
favor of the South, but we would never un-
dertake to disguise it under the name of "A
constitutional Right" There is no such
thing as a Constitutional Right to break up
the Union.