The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-12-09


ion 10y which the Missouri compromise WINS
effected, mud slnll propose 10 extend the re-
siriction over The whole Territory, south ns
well as north ofpnrallel of lhir,y-siX degrees
thirty minutes, Il will cease 10 he conpro-
mise, and must be regarded us All original
question.
If Congress, instead of observing the
course of uon-intcrierence, leaving the ndop-
ton of their own domestic institutions 10 the
people who lnny inhnbit these Territories; or
It, instead of extending the Missouri Compro-
mise line to the Pacific, shall prefer 10 sub
nit the legal and constitutional questions
which rnny nrise to the decision of the judc-
n tribunals, as was proposed in n hill which .
passed. the Scnnte AT your last session, all nd !
inStment muy he effected in this mode. II |
the whole subject be referred to tho judiciary /
all parts Of the Union should cheeriuly nc
uuiesce in the final decision of the tribunal
created 10y the constitution for the settlement
of all questions which may arise under the
constitution, treaties aud laws of the United
Stntrs.
Congress is earnestly invoked, for the sake
of the Union, its harmony, and our continued
prosperity MS nation, to adjust AZ its presen;
session this the only dangerous question
which lies in our pnih-~if not in some one Of
the modes suggested, in some other which
may he satisfactory.
ulur governments over the acquired terrific
ries, n iOiuI commission of officers of the mr.
my and navy has been ordered 10 proceed to
the coast Of California and Oregon, for tue
purpose of making reconnoissances and re-
port us to the proper cites for the erection of
Notifications or other defensive works oil
land, and ofsuituble situations for naval Sta
tons. The Information which may he eX-
pected from scientific and skillful cxaninn-
r.l.. ,l,NIa E, NTR 81 l,fa
elnineury useful TO Congress, when they
come TO consider the propriety ofmnking APP
preparations for these great national objects.
Proper dcences on land will he necessary
for The security and protection ofour posses.
sions; and the establishment Of navy yards,
and dock for the repair and construction
Of vessels, will lie important Mike TO our ma
w and commercial marine. Without such
establishments, every vessel, whether of the
navy or of tho merchant service, requiring
repair, must, at great expense, come round
Cape Horn TO one oEour Atlantic yards for
that purpose. With such establishments,
vessels, il is believed, mny he built or repair
ed MS chenply in California as upon the Al
luuIc coast. They would give employment
to many ofour euIerprising shipbuilders mud
mechanics, aud greatly facilitate and enlarge
our commcIcc in the Pacific.
As it is nscertained That mines ofgoldsilv.
err, copper and quicksilver exist in New Mex
leo aud California, and that nearly all The
lands where they are found belong 10 the L.
nitcd States. i! is deemed important TO Tie
public interests tlnt provision should he made
for geological and meteorological cXamina-
ton ofthese regions. Measures should be
adopted to preserve the mineral hands, espec
inlly such MS contain the precious metiis for
the use oflhe United States; or ifbrought in
10 market, to separate them from The farming
. 4. .l.I...
us To secure II large return Of money to the
treasury, aud nj The same time lead TO the de-
velopement Of their wealth by individual
, proprieiors and purchasers. To do this, il
! will be necessary 10 provide for an inmcdi
ate survey aud location of the lots. If Con-
gress should deem il proper 10 dispose of the
mineral lands, they Should he sold in small
quantities, md at fixed minimum price.
} | recommend that surveyor generals Ollie
es lie authorized TO he established in New
Mexico and California, and provision made
for surveying and bringing The public ands
} into market Mt the euriiest practicable period.
In disposing of these lands, recommend
: that the right Of presumption lie secured aud
, liberal grants made TO the early cngrants
who have settled or may settle upon them.
; Ii will lie important to extend our revenue
; laws over these Territories, and especially
over California, nj an early period. There
California; and until ports of entry shall he
established and collectors appointed, no rev.
enue ran he received.
III these aud other necessary and proper
/, measures be adopted for the development Of
ihe wealth and resources w-Mexico and
California, and regular Territorial govern
nents he established over them such will
probably be the rapid enlargement of our
commerce aud navigation and such the adj
, dion to the nalional wealth. ihat the present
generation may live TO witness the controlling
commercial mud monetary power of the
world transferred from London and OH ~
European emuorilIms to the City of New
York.
The appreensions which were entertained
by some ofouI statesmen, in the earlier pc
RODS Of the Government, that our sys lem wcs
incapable cooperating with sufficient cnercy
and success over largely extended territorial
limits, aud that If this were attempted i,
would fall TO pieces by its own weakness,
have been dissipated by our experience. BY
, The division ofpower between the States aud
federal government the lntt,r is found TO OPP
crate with as much energy in the extremes as
III the center. Ii is as efficient in the renot-
est Of the thirty States which now compose
the Union MS it was IN the thirteen States
which formed the constitution, Indeed it
may well be doubted whether, -four present
population had been confined within the
liibits Of the original thirteen Sin,es, the tell
denotes to- centrslization and consolidation
would}hot have been such us lluye encronch-
ed Nponitlle essential reserved rights ofIhe
SS.n'es' aud thus to have made the federal
: gpseFuinehta widely different one, pracri
' cally, from what it is in theory, and was in
blended 10 he by its fi1mers. So far from en-
: lter;niHing apprehensiOns of the safety of our