Pacific, and that its political action will exercise a powerful, if not controling, influence upon its neighbors at the North, imperatevly demand that no precution should be neglected to insure its fidelity. We need only appeal to the examples furnished by Missouri, and even Virginia, to show that the effors of a comparatively small number of audacious and unscrupulous men are sufficient to precipitate an unwilling population into disunion, or at least to inaugurate civil war. If, unfortunately, from the causes we have mentioned, the secession minority in this State should obtain control, you will at once perceive with what power for mischief it would be armed, and how imminent is our danger. To retain a State in its allegiance is a thousandfold more easy than to overcome disloyalty affecting to act under State authority.

Nothing will more certainly check treasonable attempts than a conviction of their hopelessness. To deprive us of the military support of the Government at this time is to hold out a direct encouragement to traitors. We beg most earnestly to remins you that in our case an "ounce of preventive is worth a pound of cure"

Very respectfully yours,

Robt. C. Regers, Macondary & Co., JNO Sime & Co., J. B. Thomas, W. W. Stow, Horace P. James, Geo. F. Bragg & Co., Flint, Peabody & Co., Wm. B. Johnston, D. O. MIlls, H. M. Newhall & Co., Henry Schmildell, Murphy, Grant & Co., Wm. T. Coleman & Co., De Witt Kittle & Co., Richard M. Jessup, Graves, William & Buckley, Donohoe, Ralston & Co., H. M. Nuzlee, Geo. C. Shreve & Co., Peter Danague, Kellog, Hewston & Co., Moses Ellis & Co., R. D. W. Davis & Co., L. B. Benchley & Co., Wm. A. Dana, Jones, Dixon & Co., J. Y. Halleck & Co., Forbes & Babcock, A. T. Lawton, Geo. J. Brooks & Co., JNO B. Newton & Co., Chas. W. Brooks & Co., James Patrick & Co., Locke & Montague, Janson, Bond & Co., Jennings & Brewster, Treadwell & Co., William Alvord & Co., Shattuck &l & Jones, J. B. Weir & Co., B. C. Hand & Co., O. H. Giffin & Bro., Dodge & Shaw, Tubbs & Co., J. Whitney, Jr., C. Adolphe Low & Co., Haynes & Lawton, J. D. Farrell, C. E. Hitchcock, Geo. Howes & Co., Sam. Merrit, Jacobs Underhill & Co., Morgan, Stone & Co., J. W. Brittan, T. H. & J. S. Bacon, R. B. Swain & Co., Fargo & Co., Nathaniel Page, Steven, Baker & Co., R. E. Brewster & Co., Tay, Broods & Backus, Wm. Norris, E. H. Parker.

HEADQUATERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,

San Francisco, August 28, 1861.

Captain WILLIAM H. GARDNER,

Commanding Navy-Yard, Mare Island, Cal.:

CAPTAIN: I have received your letter of yesterday. * You are altogether mistaken in supposing that I wish to distance to you in anything. I have an impression that you asked me in one of your letters some time since to give you any information, and from what I considered a reliable source, that there were several secessionists in Government employ at the navy-yard, and I certainly through it was very

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* Not found.

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