The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-10-15
Freedom orCaIifornia.


paper, relating the unfinished action of Congress
in relation to the requirement and future occupa-
Of California. The proposition to prevent The
existence Of slavery, west Of the mountains, w
an act Of Congress as was the case in the North
western Territory, was uniformly rupperted. BY
the democratic delegations Of the north and west
and as unanimously opposed by the South
The action Of Congress on this subject may
have been premature, though there is no doubt
that California is new In our possession, and will
remain SO. Tho proclamation OF Gem. S,oat
declares that $ hsnceforward California will be a
portion of the United States and its peaceable in
habitanis will enjey the same rights and privi-
leges as tho citizens Of any other portion Of that
natisn, with all the rights and privileges they now
enjoy; together with the privilege Of choosing
their own magistrates, and officers for the ad-
ministrotion of justice among themselves, and
the same protectisn will be extended 10 them as
to any other State Of the Union; they will also
enjoy permanent government, under VIII lch,
life, property, and the censtitutlo nal right and
lawful security to worship the Creator in way
mos! consistent with each one's sense Of duty,
will be secure"
This 10 the first territeiy which has been c.
quired to the United States by conquest. Its
requirement andpreservatien must be by the valor
and money Of the whole Union, and it should re.
main open to the settlement and enterprise 0 our
whole people, which cannot be the case iflhs inst
tutien Of slavery phould be transpanted there,
WheH we annexed Texas it was already slave terri
tory. Itwasso without anyact Of sur government
and would have remained so if annexation had not
ia ken place. Annexation neither enlarged or mar.
rowed its bounds. Not so with California. Ttisnsw
fee and is due to our national honor that thatfree-
dom should be preserved. war Of conquest for
oppressive institutional war with the spirit Of our
institutions, would degr ade us in our own esteem
and furnish scorful commentary to the despot,
ef Europe upon the tendencies Of Democratic
rule, and could net tail to react against the fur
ther extension Of eur tcrritsry over the Northern
continent.
| We speak but for ourselves, nevertheless ",
believe that the united sentiment of our people
is, that they rejoice at the signs Of the ful6llmen
of eur mighty destiny as nation, but while they
glsry in the rising greatness Of their country
they have no desire to couple that greatness with
the extension Of slave breeding and the slave
Market and very many of them would rather see
California remain forever in the possession Of dis
tracted Mexico, than that the bitter curse o.
Southern . domestic institutions" should be car
| ried to the shores Of the Pacific.
Interference wlth.existing Ssutherninstituton,
ishestils to the spirit Of the compact BY which
this confederaey was formed, and will not be at
tempted by any right-minded citizen; but thi
question has no connection with such interfer.
cRee Ii is whether the treasure and blood til,
natisn shall be wasted to build up the political
power Of a section Of our country, and extend
an institution which is bar to the exercise o.
the Democratic energy, to eur national prospori-
ty, and radically hostile to the spirit Of our inst
tutisns. The course Of the south on the Oregon
question exhibited narrow selfshness, sec
tonal craftsmanship and disregard Of the inter
ests Of other portions Of the Union which de
prves them of any especial claims to eensidera
ton from the West, and certainly calls for a,
sacrifice Of principle on their behalf, nor any ef
fort for the extension of their power.