Year: 1861

! snbiect before, and we would not return to
it now but for the industry OF the few in
! circulating their destructive doctrines. 1t
is scarcely possible that any considerable
part of the population of the State can be
deceived by the specious arguments of the
disorganizers, but It is well to warn the
unwary of the dangerous tendency of them.
| The Pacific Republic advocates put forth
the general assertion that in view of the
prospect OF dissolution of the Union as q
matter Of policy it would be better for the
State OF California to set up fer herself
Some go SO far as to assert that separation
from the Union would increase our popula-
tion largely and enrich the State. 1t is al
! legged that our isolation is q sufficient safe
guard against molestation, and that in the
event of civil war, if Independent, We
would have to support none CT the burthens
of that war. Another argument urged by
Southern men, is that in case of conflict
between the North and the South they could
not be made to contribute to the subjuga-
ton of their own friends and relatives.


The assertion that there is valuable OBJ
ject for the people of California to declare
for independence is wholly without proof
| to sustain it. Far from escaping the costs
and ravages of war we would by asserting
our independence only invite both. Cali
fornia is too valuable to the American peo-
pie to be surrendered without struggle.
The government purchased her at an iw-
n ense eost of blood and treasure, and will
neysr relineuish the claim. If we adhere
tn the Union, California will at most be
only required to furnish her small quota in
in putting down treason and insurrection,
and maintaining the integrity of the Union
But if We attempt to separate ourselves
from the government We must singly and
alone maintain contest with twenty mil
lions of people and naval power scarcely
second to any in the world. What could
we do against an army made up of men Of
the same blood, with the same feelings and
aspirations as ourselves? Those men of
southern birth, the minority of the popula-
ton of California, who so much deprecate
the idea of being made to contribute to put
ting down their secession friends-do they
not recognize the greater sacrifice the ma
jority of Northern birth must make to take
up arms against their friends and brothers.
end against the Union too, they so deeply
love and venerate The Union men of
California, who form the bulk of the popu-
lation, are not going to rend all the ties OF
consanguinity and patriotism at the dicta-
ton of a mutinous and treacherous few.


If a war shall come between the govern
ment and the disorganizers it cannot be
called sectional war. The North will not
fight the South, nor the West the East II
will be contest in which love of the Con-
stitutlon and the Union and devotion to the
American government will be enlisted on
one side against rebels and traitors on the
other. The Union men will enter the con-
test with the same object that they would
to put down a whisky insurrection in Penn
sylvsnia.


How separation from the Union would
tend to enrich the State or increase her
population is not clear. That taxes would
be largely increased cannot by any sane
man be doubted. And the example cited
by the Governor in his message of the pow
crlc.s nature of the German States COM
pared with the British Empire is conclu-
siye reason why we should adhere to the
Union instead Of clinging to the drifting
segment of the Republic. The idea that
population from the Eastern States will
pour in upon US, which will be obliged to
enemies to the friends and brothers they
have just parted from in the old home, is
simply absurd. If the Pacific Republic ad-
vocates hope to obtain population from for
eign countries to fight against the Union
we apprehend their hopes are destined to a
whitening blight


For years the Pacific Railroad has been
pronounced the great necessity of the State.
The President himself has declared, and his
party has reechoed the sentiment, that the
rich mines of California were tempting to
the cnpidity of foreign nations. In a mill
tary point of view, then, it was urged a
railroad to the Pacific was indispensable for
the protection of the coast. Dissolve the
Union and does the great necessity cease?
II not, when will the railroad be built? 1t
is true, we have the high authority Of
Scott, "the member from California and
representative of Alabama," that id. the
event of dissolution the North and the
South would each build a railroad to the
Pacific. But the astutc statesman forgot
that he had but just predicted rum to the
North by the secession Of the Southern
States. He failed to tell us by what pro-
cess an utterly ruined North is to build
railroad costing hundred millions of doll
lars, and what great motive would move
the South to act contrary to all her prece-
dents, in favor of railroad to the Pacific


We have Just now arrived at the moment
when party is coming in power which is
honestly interested in the railroad we have
been ten years struggling for. If the coun-
try is not too expensively plunged in war to
extirpate traitors and treason from the land
| ue nav hone TO rae railroad nushinp ont