Year: 1861




Whenever the present Union is hopelessly
broken up we will favor the establishment Of a
be known for several years to come. The with
drawal of the Cotton States can by no means
be considered as hopelsssly breaking up the
Union, for the reason that such withdrawal Is
more likely to prove temporary than permanent
In our opinion, whenever this Union is hope
lessly broken up, civil war will be raging
throughout the States east of the Rocky Noun
tains, between a New England, North and
North western, and q Southern Republic. The
Californian who would then be opposed to the
establishment of Pacific Republic, and sever
ance from all connection with any of the East
ern bcligerent Republics, we would look upon
as noncompos mentis In the name of all that
is sensible, what benefit could California derive
from a connection with either the North or the
South when engaged in civil war? None
Hence, if our countrymen east 60 to cutting and
shooting each other in quarrel over the me-
gro. .let California, who cannot feel any sympa-
thy with either side in the unnatural, wicked
and insane 6ght-act upon the principle of
Hands off," But so long as there is hope for
the preservation of the Union, or for the resto-
ration of the Union even after partial seces-
sion may occur, let California stick to what
there is ofihe present Republic. These are our
views, and they will be found to be the same as
those of a vast majority of the people of this
State, notwithstanding Senator Latham has SO
suddenly changed his views, aad proclaimed the
monstrous proposition that, rhateuer may occur,
even though civil war may rage through the
eastern States for years, California will stu
pidly maintain connection that will retard her
progress destroy her prosperity, impoverish her
people and make her notorious and infamous in
the eyes of the world for the most damnable
imbecility ever exhibited by men having Anglo
Saxon, Gallic and Celtic blood in their veins.


In this connection we may remark that We
have read letter written by John C. Burch,
dated on the 22d of November, and just pub
lished, in which he expresses the opinion that
the Union is tottering to its fall, and that the
people of this State will soon have an .opportu-
nifty forced upon them to establish separate
Government upon the Pacific" He also asserts
that there was then, on the 22d of November,
before he heard of the election in this State,
- an urgent necessity for action on our part in
one direction or another, no matter with what
reluctance, nor however much such necessary
action may initiate with our patriotism"


Ofcourse deny the proposition that there
is any sort of urgent necessity now existing for
action on our part In either direction. Mr..
Burch's effort at lstter-writing has produced
many disrespectful efforts of sarcasm. The fact
is, the style of the letter is not Addisonian at
all. Neither has it much of the Webstorian ring.
Indeed we admit that our junior Congressman
wields heavy and uncouth pen, and puts words
into sentences with a surprising lack of smooth
ness. But what of that? He has made him.
self understood, and that We presume was all he
was striving after. We admit that he should
not just before the assembling of Congress, have
written such letter, but his writing it was not
half SO bad as the indscretion of his friend in
publishing it. We also admit that Mr.. Burch
should never attempt to write a !" sensation"
letter. for the that for lack of ideality he
never rise to an altitude equal to such an
effort. Lippard, for instance, or Gov. McGoffin,
ofKentucky, could beat him like IN, and
give him two in the game at that sort of thing.
So could Pickett.


The funny thing about this matter, however,
is the fact that when the letter was written, on
the 22d of November, Senator Latham, believing
the reports of DR.. Gwin that this State was GER
tain to 60 for Breckenridge, approved it. So
Burch himself says. Onthe 10th December, how
ever, only eighteen days thereafter, Senator La
than declared in the U. S. Senate that under no
circumstances would California ever favor the
establishment of Pacific Republic. So it would
seem that Latham didn't hesitate long in ''throw-
ing Off his friend Burch.


Another funny thing is the suddenness of the
change in the mind of Mt. Latham. Only a few
months ago he distributed in this State at least
fifty thousand copies Of his speech favoring the
establishment Of Pacific Republic, and assert
ing that majority of the people of this State
entertained similar views Since then the peo-
pie of this State have given no sort of expression
Of opinion upon the question:, and yet Mr.. La
than now asserts quite peremptorily that the
majority of the people of this State are "irre-
pressibly" opposed to the idea of Pacific Re-
public. How did our talented young Senator
learn of this great change in the sentiments Of
his constituents Who can answer this ques-
ton?


Nor So.-Madam Rumor wags sanderous
tongue. Judging by the inquiries made of us,