Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/195



ESTABLISHMENT OF PACIFIC COAST REPUBLIC 187

of its members. You need no information as to the number of ex-Senators, ex-Congressmen, ex-Governors, and ex- Judges who swarm in our midst, panting for one more good old- fashioned political chase. The President, Senate, Representa- tives, and Cabinet Ministry are all to be chosen by direct vote of the people. The naturalization laws are to be fixed on a severe basis. The act of independence is to be simultaneous with a well-planned and decisive seizure of the United States Reserves, with whatever of movables or livestock they may contain. The Sandwich Islands are to be guaranteed their independence and the United States are to be appealed to in a tone of friendly good-bye. Here you perceive an opening for all the prominent politicians, a field for the military and naval aspirants, a call for powder mills, and ordnance foundries. You may also guess how readily such a severance will be graciously received by England, France and Spain.

"I leave the subject with you without comment. Visionary as it may seem, it is not a fancy sketch; fail it may, but it is now a purpose of deep interest with the parties concerned. The first public movement will be either a society or a convention for the purpose of forming a new party to be called the Pacific Railroad Party, to draw off a majority of citizens from all old party alliances. Through this medium the Washington government is to be proscribed, and proved to be practically inadequate to our necessities. It is to be shown that we send our gold away, and receive no government protection in re- turn, and that as we now virtually govern ourselves we might as well have the credit of it abroad. The conspirators will be startled when they see this letter in your columns, and will begin to heave the lead to find out their soundings."

If such a plan as this outlined by the unknown correspondent existed, and if it had been formulated for the reasons sug- gested by the Oregonian, the failure of that paper's predictions as to the presidential election of 1856, and the election of Buchanan was probably more responsible for the failure of the leaders to consummate the plan for a Pacific Coast Re-