Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-04-15
CONGRESSIONAL,
CALIFORNIA CLAIMS.

The having under consideration the Dill 10 povue
ior the payment Of the California cams-
Mr. BENTON rose and addressed the Senate as follows
Mr. President: These claims grow out Of the conquest of
California, and supported by Of depoons taken
by the Military Committee of the Senate and printed by its
order. These dispositions constitute document Of eighty
pages and full of matera valuable TO the public history
of the county, well 10 the private rights OF the claim
ants. The Senate the application Of the committee, have
ordered twenty thousand copies Of this document 10 be
printed fact which sufficiently announces its public and
national importance for no extras much less twenty tnou
sand printed OF merely private papers II requires
public interest be concerned before such thing be
done and that is emneny the in the present instance
These dispositions public history and can I'M
derstand the history Of the United States connected with
the conquest Of California without understanding them.
The conquest of California commenced and its first
finished before the existence oil the Mexican war was
that country and this fact standing out ncontesta
bly, among the Of the times and presenting pesump
tive case of aggression against the United States very nau
rally attracted the attention o the committee, and command
ed their most searching and thorough examination The
suit is before the Senate in the deposons referred to- and
may be examined in detail by every Senator For myself
propose only make brief connected story from their am
pie contents ebut in the first place an injurious pesump
ton and exhibit afterwards in lucid order the summary OF
the which gave rise TO these California Claims ana
show that they ought 10 be paid.
In the month Of May, 1885, Mr.. Fremont, then brevet
captain Of engineers sat out on his third expedition OF geo.
graphical and scientific exploration IN the Great var
had then broken between the United States and Mex
but affairs critical between them, and Mr.. Fremont
determined by act oil his to increase the difficulties
give any Of complaint TO the Mexican Govern
rnent His line of observation would lead him TO the Pacific
ocean through Mexican provncethrough the desert parts
first and the settled parts afterwards of the Alta California
Approaching the settled parts of the province at the COM
Of winter he left his equipment of sixty and
o hundred horses the frontier and proceeded alone to
Monterey make known to the Governor the object of his
coming and his desire pass the winter for the reeshment
of his and horses in the unnhabed parts of the valley
of the San Joaquin The permission granted but
bad, ha fhafM had In
California pursue science but to excite the American
settlers revolt against the Mexican Government. Upon
this pretex troops raised and marched to- attack him.
Having notice of their approach he took position the
mountain hosted the flag of the United States and deter
mined with his sixty brave to defend themselves to the
last extremity Waiting there four days, and not being at
tackled he quit his position descended from the mountaia
and out for Oregon that he might give no further pretex
for complaint by remaining in California.
The United States consul at Monterey Mr. o. Lakin gave
official information Of these events to the Secretary OF State,
(Mr Buchanap, and from these will read what is neces-
sary to verify the statement which have made
"Cap j. c. Fremont of the United States army, arrived
this United States consular house in Monterey the 9th
of Januray 1896 Being anxions to join his party fifty
the second place rendezvous without the settlement
they having missed the first place by mistake he but
days. which time, with myself he visited the command
general preecto, acalde aud Colonel Aarado inform
ing them that he surveying the nearest route from the
United States to the Pacific This information, and
that his not United States soldiers also, by
SELF officially given the Preecto Having obtained funds
and supplies from myself he returned to his camp being
well known Monterey that he to return when he col
ected his Some fifteen twenty days after this Capt
Fremont with his party encamped vacant rancho belong
ing to Capt Fisher about ninety miles from to recruit
his animals From there he proceeded towards Santa
Cruz making journeys On the Sd of March he
camped the rancho of Mr.. E. p. Hartwe where he
ceived letters from the general preeco ordering him
of the country, and obey the order without pretext
whatever immediate would be taken to compel
him to do This not corresponding with assurances recev
ed at Monterey il answered. and he orders TO
hoist the United STATES flag The lert morning. The only pro-
techon his TO look TO- From the 9TH to the 10th
logs Encamped a high hill, which commanded view
OF the surrounding country they could with the use
OF spyases the general and his troops numbering about
two hundred their camp, the mission Of St Johns
preparing their On the 9th instant sent duplicate
letters; one by an Amerean who lost his papers, and the
other by Californian, TO Capt Fremont, informing him of
the movements of the Caornans The California courier
returned the consulate in abos nine hours bringing
letter from Capt Fremont, having travelled in that time
sixty miles. He reported being well treated by Capt Ere
mont and his aud that thousand Of his cOunymel
1pOud BE- sufficient compel him eaue The country al
though his par Uas 50 small Letter. eth March, iSi6
Capt Fremont we'll received in this place. and to the
last day heard of him. by the natives Individually who sold
men thirty forty miles from here dispatches received
by the comRandant Gen. Jose Castro, native OF Monterey,
from Mexico, ordering him to drive Capt Fremont out OF
this department which order with hundred and seventy
ortwo hundred present. and hundred daily
expected he pretended Capt Fremont left his
few hours after he received the undergned letter of
the 9th of March, mot from fright of Gen. Castro he had
been preparing the week before II supposed he
has gone Barbara by the
undersigned February with funds and pr his
"1he undersigned has not supposed, during the whole af
fair, that Gen. Castro wished after Capt Fremont and
very confident that with all California he would have
attacked him. had he been Of destroying the whole
party hive times their number could have taken their place
before the expected battle Capt Fremont received verbal
picaon from English and Americans Join his party and
could have mustered many the natives He
ul not to do Although he discharged FIVE Of his
men, ne took no others IN their place L, pr s. lS46
This is the official history Of the first difficulty with the
Californian authorities, and presents the conduct Of Mr. Fre
mont in the most unexceponabe point Of view hang bis
command upon the frontier going alone TO Monterey ask
ing and obtaining permission winter unnhabed val
ley only raising the flag Of the United States when in dan
ger OF being attacked leaving the country soon as the
danger and refusing receive any Of the Amer
can settlers into his service even supply the place Of dis
charged men, that there might be for msconstruc
uon Of hs conduct br for false accusations against the settlers
The hosting Of the United States flag this occasion is
the only act which requires word Of explanation Of ust
hcaton was complained Of act Of aggression IL was
no such thing but an act Of soproecon and Of edeence
Il was appeal TO their country, and proper appeal for
American officer TO make when in danger Of being unusy
attacked Mr. Fremont, in his reply tho Consurs
municaon, In brief note written in pencil and in view Of
the enemy gave the for the which justified it. and
exalted into act Of devotion and herosm was in these
words
this moment received your letters and without waiting
TO read them acknowledge the receipt which the courier
qures Immediately. am making myself strong possible
IN the intention that unusty attacked will fight TO
extremity and refuse quarter trusting country ayenge
our death No has reached camp and from the heights
able to with the glass mastering St Johns
and preparing thank you your kindness and good
wishes and would write length my intentions did