The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-09-01
CONGRESSIONAL.
SUBSTANCE OF MR. BENTON'S SPEECH.
IcoNTMUEDl

q Mayor General
SUBSTANCE OF MR. BENTON'S SPEECH
[coNTMuEDl
Now opens the second of this drama and from this
time forth Stockton disappears and Fremont remains in
scene.
ing suspended from all command by Stockton, Kearny
with his sixty Dragons loot left Los Angeles, his
return San Diego, the captulaton of Couenga making
IL perfectly safe for him travel with his remnant OF
guard He left the capital without notice to Col Ere
mont and without leaving any order for him. and with
out letting be known where he was going This APP
pears at page 81 of the printed trial, thus:
Question. AT what time did yos leave Los Angeles
the gay and the time OF the day
Answer left Los Angeles the 18th of January,
lsi7; presume about 10 O'Clock in the morning
Question. Did you leave any orders for Lieutenant
Colonel Fremont take leave of him. give notice
him oil your gong away, or OF where you going
These questions and answers establish great point in
'he OF which the Senate shall hereafter learn
thing at present, 60 with the order of events
kearny went of, without taking leave of him. without
giving him notice, without leaving word order behind
whereabouts" He went to San Diego and thence de
spatched his assistant aduant general to the United
States When heard of, he at Monterey, four hun
dred miles distant. Commodore Stockton returned to
his ships Fremont entered upon the Office of governor,
according to his appointment to that place in the August
preceding to have taken effect in the October preceding
bearing the intelligence Washington when turned
back by Keamy. The information reached Washington
In Noyember-was made known to Congress approving
yin the Presidents annual message and in the War and
Navy reports and the appointment approved IN the gen.
eral appreciation of all Stocktons acts communicated to
him in reply to his dispatches The President, in his
"Our squadron in the Pacific, with the operation of
gallant officer of the army and small hastily col
of the CALIFORNIA;. and the American flag has been
raised every important point The old civil government
conqueor TO secure his conquest and to provide for the
maintenance of civil order and the rights OF the inhabitants
military and naval commanders by the es,abis hmeni
Of Temporary in of the conquered prov
10 the free institutions OF our country In the provinces
of New Mexico and Of the Caornas little, if any, further
resistance is apprehended from the the
pornry which have thus from necessity
lished."
The Secretary of War, in his report, said:
Commodore Stockton took possession OF the whole
Fremont governor under law of nations assume the
functions of that office when he should the squad
ron."
The Secretary OF the Navy said:
efficient aid rendered by Lieut. Col, Fremont and
tho volunteers under his command Ia his bands, Com
military government when he shall leave California in the
further execution of his orders"
Col Fremont then governor of California, under
Stockton, virtually made August, 1s46; the commits
sion formally delivered the 10th of January, ls47
and that appointment valid until disapproyed BY the Pes
dent One great object of Casons mission was to learn
his approval disapproval. 1t was not disapproved
Tn the contrary was approved FIRST, by the manner
in which was communicated to Congress; next,
OF the acts OF Stockton, approved in the Col
Fremont was then governor OF California; and what is
material to be known, there other governor, and
other American civil authority in the country the
time, nor until alter the first of March
Left alone in his government, living in La Cudad de
los Angeles the capital and residence of the governors
general of the CALIFORNIA;, Fremont administered the
government and ruled the country gaining the good will
OF all the inhabitants. with the order, peace regularity
and public satisfaction of odestablished authority
<n1I kofo A.
fence" p. 422, thus:
After the capi,uation of Couenga, the country imme
datey subsidized into profound tranquility and security
life, person, and property, became complete any
part United States Travelling or at home single OF
ana oodW pe"ed ana NO % the sap
pressed nsurrecton, of resentment for what pass
the capital the governors general Los Angeles.
without guards or military protection the battalion having
been sent OIL nine miles to the mission of San Gabriel
lived in the midst of the people in their ancient capital
capital of any of our States"
And was also more particularly told in private letter
to myself dated the Sd of February, lS47 of which the
President had the reading received; of which
letter this is an extract
that IT was great national measure to mite California
us as sister State. by voluntary of the popu
lar will, had in all my marches through the country and
in all my intercourse with the people, acted invariably in
strict accordance with this impression to which was
troops under steady and discipline per
sueo" Of ppey life Ths result has csv so%n
the wisdom OF the course have pursued.
Throughout the Californian population, there is only
feeing OF satisfaction and gratitude SELF The
the country mott forward and able in the revolution against
'HIcd listed SECURE, derm listed seguro,' Give safe ses
sae) we ourselves will watch the tranquility the
country and nothing happen which shall be known
to yon Estdn preparados los hos del pals para socner
lsfed I he children of the country prepared
tain you'"
And more feelingly, in the same letter, thus:
81 was named Governor, and Immediately proclaimed
peace and order restored the country and like the
tiers of some small lake which sudden had
passed. subsidized instantly into perfect tranquility from
Pedro Cario arrived yesterday evening from Santa Bar
bara and told that he heard group OF BOYS in the
street singing to their guitar
Vivian los Estados Unido.
viva ell Corone Fremont
&. Quien nos ha ascgurado las vdas."
50 Long live the United States,
And long live Colonel Fremont,
Who has secured TO lives"
Not very fine poetry, but worth than most OF the
fine poetry which usually made honor of conquerors
But what was than ALL the letter of the ex-gov
eInor general Of the CALIFORNIA; Don Pic Pco-the head
OF the honorable family, and worthy to be so-written
from his retirement in Sonora, and offering to in
person, ii necessary to assist Colonel Fremont in pre-
serving peace and order and discaimng all of his
name to the contrary have the letter here in the
original Spanish This is it. state the contents, with
out reading Fremont should keep forever the high
testimony OF his exalted conduct in California
The effect of the capulation OF Couenga and the tran.
gull and happy state of the people under it, was Justly
stated in the Defence" before the court martisl-of
course without any effect upon the majority of that tri
buna but true in itself and proper be here reproduced
to show the felicity of the country before il was again
disturbed as will be presently shown read from rage