New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-08-13
The California Expedition.

command OF Jonathan D Stevenson Is about 70
embark FOR It's far distant destination on every sac
hear propounded the. as yet. unsatisfactory an
swered ;ntcrrocativc: What is the co"G -tde
nnr,ose nc tbi, most extraordinary mission Al
tbonph !, has been organized by the special ao-
,to,;t,, .,s at the expense ofthc Government yet
,hn. t.r tho oublic have had definite Official an
.,,,,.or,.nt tberc!roin as to its real design. Nay
r,t.r On conversation .yith several of those who
have enrolled themselves in the regiment was
.nrprised to discover that even they were as much
in the dark concerning the object of the expedition
as others arc. The company destined Tor Caiiior-
nia numbers one thousand men in all exclusive
Of small number Of females and although the
material Of which it is composed Is comparatively
respectable close observation, and frequent IN
tercoursc Herewith OF late, convince me that the
rnoiety OF these persons men rite for all kinds
tf adventure men who are grown weary Of the
tomeness cf civilized society Of desperate fortunes
blasted prospects and, here rrerlcvabiy shattered
regulations men who eagerly grasp at tins oppor
tunity 70 redeem their lost prospects IN life nearly
with the same impulse drowning men seize strSws-
Therefore they probably forever abandon ther hoies
their kindred teir ell for The dim indistnct und"'heo
visions Of future prosperity and not fortune i'fh
fam. n, leas,-secmingy without murner or resFe'5
and dueu anr patra the sentiment warmly spcd ny
all Nav these dreams be iully realized
What the intentions Of the Government are III tins
matter as have said we know not farther thah what
may be dcdrced from the rather equivocai letter % sec
rc,sry Marcy 10 Col Stevenson at all cvents u mas
,,donbtcdv been resolved 10 keep cvcrytn bppef
tainInr ,hcreuu,o profound secret lteYeh appearing
that the publication Of the epistle eiaeu 70 "a7 ,o
.frctoncd by the Secretary. nor approved OF oy INC
mowers ~ Washington. AZ have GOOD reason 10 ~
lev, But in .hc absence OF official Information c!hu|c
10 the objects the California Expedition arc columns
ionad ~, cxccu,. we may have to series OF
pro5abilhics which viii, think do much to unveh 'he
mystery. o., 40 49,,
E;y.i then We know tina, tho United states are nov
Engaged in with hlcSico,-tae sepefliy aSNnoW'
edged onqer of California ard we know, also ulHt 'ic
acquisition of that valuable territory oil late years nus
become fyoritc project o; those unscrupuious Poe
c;nn. in whose hands the national Government GnoF
.unatelv has been vested Polk s Co therefore, oesn
ing this favorable opportunity TO wrest from Tue u
,ractcd Mexican concderacy another OF her lar prov
may have conceived the plan o. 'n- hSpealo,
order 10 erthcr their design AL oil course VIII All
eye ~ the next Presidential election ,
.Sceordlg: We're California 20 be voluntarily. esne"
Ia ,he limited states by iofcbiy taken from Me<ico'
The pcttv political uspirRnts Who compose the lehe'
scc Iunin AT the Capital undoubtedly would enora'o'
Ia assume all the glory OF such,-@ WIN tfe mas
nj tho pcope IT, beyond doubt would be so c''is'aci
cd-a magnificent territorial acquisition me To'sn,
of Loco Focosm, in that event "oulo iahe .,V ,' ~,
from tho ~, Lawrence to Cape Corrcn'es ring win 'n'
Charles of the Administration and the popular ear III VI
dnary times too prone ales to be Ted Stf"S--so Ocl
TOO 10 it, own prciudCc-by tho syrcu song OF hout!
'n.n,orrncy would inscnsiby, be lurcd on 10 sHic
non other and more gross innovations upon the rights o
unofendng nations, by the reelection oil james N 'oA
10 the Presidency
T5,rdlu I'VE mr., all aware that the extension OF our
already too widely extended territorial domui over H
of the North American Continent has long been iaNor
ito and very popular idea with so-cacd Democracy
and ,hcr caacs SO much so indeed that the most EN-
inent among them 40 not hesitate TO ailrin, win ticr
cool characteristic caron,cry That the work oil pro
Ill ,sl.,p tNN la
crinpinr sayish Congress declared that war existed
with our Southern victim, Mexico Peace is not 10 Dc
thought of until the soldiers OF tho Norm rcVcl III IN.
.'Uns of the MontczumHs until the Srocdy stars and
Etripes in triumph the adananule walls Oh San
Juan dUIoa President Polk therefore, as the repre-
sentative of the progress party wages war upon an
entirely new and, American warfare, at least move!
scalc our citizens COLOMBO aud take possesslono
the lands OF the enemy and Mexico that darcs stand up
even in the midst OF Internal commissions ana occIs
as IL were Al, every pore is thus gradually TO be blot
ted from existence Her citizens, henceiorth would
appear arc 10 he driven from their homes 10y the North
ern hive OF Republican plundcrcrs after the sane man
ner of Polish Acknowledgement, tina, was 20 successfully
practced by the Imperial Thief OF Russia hundred
wears ago Their soil sir hearth stones and ereR the
haosed srGres Of their kindred noT IN The city Of
Nc YORK. 6eiaS po0Red om SO many acres 10 erery sol
der bu the inericdn Government And all that the Oh
scure upstairs that rule the desuncs OF our country
NAV proons their uupous rule, Cease We then 10
wonder at the motives thst proihpeo the '"lohla IN
petition -
contc,pintcs plRcn. her honpRw upon California: tina;
for many wears past she has been tanpcrnc with the
Government, OF Mexico and intriguing With ils citizens
in that department. for the uncondihonai ceSson there
Of in order our England hating Democrats Will have
II farther TO form line OF English communication aion
our Pacific coast connecting in the progress oil me sn'
events with her possessions North OF the i9th degree
latitude This is all mere imagination. OF course-hu
suspicious like these are constantly sounded IN the put
he ear and the harpics OF the Democracy reecho N
cry Of English intrigue until The people become 2,
living delusion. Nevertheless our movements IN ma
quarter of the world anncNng Texas. and our bel
Lccse conduct the Oregon Question may very nstuf
.ly have aroused the suspicious OF the British Govern
ent and therefore il not all improbable that the feet
of that nation frequently seen upon the Western
Coast ,qdy have something 10 do with what really Seems
will become, long, between England and our owl
equally ambitious country disputed territory-uuioF
tunase Mexico reht possessor no, daring 20 set NJ
claim Hence another motive for dlspactlinS al eN
petition OF American citizens TO California
These premises, think fully explain the purpose o
this curious Expedition. And now few words rs Il
prospects OF success The time that viii clspse or,
they arrive at California WILL Il is calculated De abou
hve months. Starting from New.Nork about the 2Otl
mat they will accordingly reach their destination IN Ii,
middle OF January midwinIcr. ~ Rio Janeiro Al
armed escort OF United States Vessels 10 accompa,
the Expedition The end o, lis journey Once there
the America, as lie To be unfurlvd and Ses SvaS NJ al
ha-aris-acuiust N!llainous MeNicNns ratacious L.,
dams" and plundegiIS Britons,' il need bc. 50 Co
Stevenson and his men VIII have ample opportunity
rest their industry and courage. settlement viii the
be commenced oshoGses built, vessels for navi.atnl
the interior streams bc constructed snd a. every ma
takcs with him his tools and implements OF trade Their
will be no lack oi the material necessary 10 the form.
ZION OF prosperous colony. Much. however Will d,
pend upon the steps the Mexican Government VII pgi
~ 3. soon az shall receive notice OF th, noyrur,
rs hrst impulse VIII probably DC the resolution to ,.
n,on an oycrpowerins military force 10 toe ,hrcaieue
territory and there await The arrival Of the Expedition
Nm, mis- depends great dead upon the stability OF Il,
f;ovrrnment at home which should is present dstra
mons continue long viii he but fee6iy prepared war
o4 any blow from the PACING quarter BE this
@ cannot be doubted hatthcst solereIniyysuts "!
have many harl.hips 20 endure many trials 10 owe
come In the meantime. Learn hey have been give
IN understand that shortly after their landing at ca
Sora; &c, MIL be made with Mexico and tha; The
are to take i, 10. granted that that Povtnee VI: De
served to the United States IS one OF me sl1s o.
peace and in this way, every rS;i IN me HNitlS
ito come into the legal and ishttul possession OF n
hundred acres OF land Government WIZ ..ieh !,
speedily organized and the Republic OF CSli!e,h'A
thence be entitled to enjoy the protection OF me !.
Government These sre the dreams the promises, =
expectations OF this adventurous pioneer osna OF As
1 leans who 20 forth TO lead The way TO conquc'
will follow IN their wake. many