Year: 1861

even during the revolutionary war were
questions of so much Importance before Con-
gress and the country. Representative
ought not, therefore, to be elected hastily,
and if not inconsiderately, perhaps at least
not by majority of the people. Hasty ac-
tion was unwise and premature, and it would
be better that our Representatives should
not appear at all in the extra session than
that they should thus lie chosen contrary to
the wishes and opinions Of the people, and
perhaps to misrepresent them. The urgency
of the business to come before Congress was
not sufficient excuse for precipitating the
election, but they should give the people
time to express their sentiments, and to de-
eide deliberately and inteligently. He
would stand by this Government, not only
as a citizen here, but if it became necessary
he would stand by it under any and ALL the
most extreme Gil cumstances, for without this
Government we should be deplorabe and
unhappy people; but at the same time he
would have the Legislature act intelhgently,
and not call upon the people to so into an
election prematurely.


Mr. Conness said he was glad the country
was to have soldier in its hour of peril, in
his stalwart friend from Sierra He would
be happy when the time arrived, to meet



in the countrys cause. Yet he did not know
that that feeling should induce him to declare
what are the sentiments of the people in re-
gard to this election. He thought the great
masses of the people of the State as compe-
tent to vote for Congressman as the gentleman
from Sierra.


Mr. Dougherty asked how the gentleman
drew such a conclusion from his remarks?
1t was unwarranted.


MIR. Conness said the gentleman had talked
in his usual general way about imposing upon
the people, and forcing this issue upon them.
The whole burden of his argument if it was
one, was that the people were not ready for the
election. lie said that the people were ready
and anxious to give expression to their opin
ions now. 1t was the sober, sedate but posi-
tive opinion of the country seeking for eX-
preston.


Mr.. Dougherty said the gentleman certain
ly misunderstood him; he did not by any
means say the people were not prepared. His
position was that the people in remote parts
of the State could not receive the news of
the election in ample time.


Mr.. Conpess replied that the gentleman
from Sierra said great deal while he was
up, aad probably did not know all he did say.
If the gentlemun was more specific, he would
not have to feel the burden of criticism He
repeated that the proposed amendment would
simply be the indication of the preference of
the House. He saw no necessity for all this
cry about outrage and forcing issues. He
had no desire to outrage the people or crowd
issues upon them, and deep.y deplored the
issue which others had forced upon them. 1t
was their duty to provide for an early cleo
ton, but he had no doubt that some were OPP
posed not only to this measure, but to any
election at all of members of the National
Congress.


Mr.. Dougherty asked if the gentleman put
him in that category


Mr.. Conness replied that he said a great
deal when the gentleman from Sierra never
entered his mind, and that was the case then
He had no idea that the gentleman was
more than a unit in the population of Cali
fornia. He ha, no doubt that he was gem
erous, true-heared citizen of the Union, and
would not question bis patriotism and fealty,
or that of any gentleman holding seat on
floor.


Mr.. Lnspeyre said he desired to say few
words upon the subject then, lest, when the
hill came mp for third reading, the gag-law
Of the previous question should be applied,
and he would he cut of from saying any
thing. The proposition was to call for an
election Of members of Congress without con-
sulting the will or wishes of the people. The
people had been looking for an Adjournment
Of the Legislature long before this time, and
to their surprise they now found a proposal
for calling an immediate election. Probably
one-third or one-haf of the people of the
State would be disfranchised by that trick,
10y that fraud. An attempt to disfranchise
100000 people was nothing but fraud. TO
attempt to place in the hands of the people
of San Francisco and Sacramento, and few
other populous towns, the election of Con-
gressmen to represent California for two years
was an outrage on the people that they would
not tolerate. Gentlemen said they must call
on the people to sustain the laws, to put
down traitors. 1t was the Sacramento Union
that low, vile, contemplate, thieving sheet
that had been attempting, ever since the
news arrived Of the taking of Fort Sumter,
to fomcnt civil strife in our midst, by calling
for the formation of Union clubs, Jacobin
clubs, which were ROW being formed through
out the State. He said that the conductors,
the editors, of such low, vile, contemplate
sheets as that, whenever civil strife was
stirred up, which they were attempting to
do, might look out-they might lool; out sir.
lie said that thirty thousand people of this
State were now protesting against the pas
sage of this bill if their voices were allowed
to be heard. California was to be represent
ed 10y Black Republicans, to keep up the war
on the people of the South. And now the
people from the South were called upon to
pledge themselves to uphold and sustain the
Black Republican Administration in carrying
on an unjust and unholly crusade against
fifteen States of the Union. California was
populated by men from all sections, North
aud South, East and West, who were living
side by side, and had made this State their
home for years, and now they were called
upon to unite in this crusade Look at the
proposition, and see whetheri it was moustrous
or not. Who had ever known for them to
have the returns handed in within ten or
twenty days, so as to know definitely who
was elected? Who had ever known a procla-
nation of the Governor to be issued and an
election to be called within twenty or thirty
days? The counties most distant from the
Capital, Klamath, Siskiyou, Los Angeles, and
Santa Barbara. were to be defrauded out of
their elective franchise by scheming politi-
clans who were attempting to force this thing
upon the people. lie said that was gotten
up for no other purpose than to give San
Francisco and the largely populated counties
around here an opportunity OF carrying the
election. Ae said those Union clubs and con-
claves had been instigated by the Sacramento
Union and other kindred sheets, who were
attempting, and would kindle civil war in
their midst worse than the war now raging
in the East He protested on behalf of the
people of his county. He protested in be-
half of the people Of extreme Northern and
Southern counties of this State, against an
election TO deDrive the DeOple of their elect v