Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-12-14

those who shall withstand the strong temptations
and remain faithful should be rewarded.
This abundance of gold, and the all-engross.
ing pursuit of it. have already caused in Cali
fornia an unprecedented rise in the prices of the
necessarles OF life.
Here he recommends the establishment of a
branch mint in California, the effect of which
will be to raise gold there 10 its par value, and to
increase the quantity Of coin for circulation and
the purposes Of commerce.
The powers Of Europe, far removed from the
West coast of America by the Atlantic ocean,
which iDteryenes, and by tedious and danger
Gus navigation around the southern cape of the
continent OF America, can never successfully
compete with the United States in the rich and
extensive commerce which is opened to us at SO
much less cost by the acquisition of Florida.
The vast Importance and commercial, adyanta-
ges of California have heretofore remained I'M
developed by the government of the country of
which it constituted part. Now that this fine
province is part of our country, all the States of
the Union, some more Immediately and directly
than others, are deeply interested in the speedy
development Of its wealth and resources. No
section of our country is more interested or will
be more benefited, than the commercial, navl-
eating and manufacturing interests Of the East
ern States. Our planting and farming interests
in every part OF the Union will be greatly bene-
fitted by it. As our commerce and navigation
are enlarged and extended, our exports of agri-
cultural products and manufactures will be in
creased; and in the new markets thus opened
they cannot fail to command remunerating and
profitable prices
The acquisition of California and New Next
CO, the settlement of the Oregon boundary, and
the annexation Of Texas, extending to the Rio
Grande, are results which, combined, are of
greater consequence, and will add more to the
strength and wealth of the nation, than any
which have preceded them since the adoption of
the constitution.
But to effect these great results, not only Cal
ifornla, but New Mexico, must be brought I'M
der the control OF regularly organized govern
ments. The existing condition of California,
and that part of New Mexico lying West of
the Rio Grande, and without the limits of Tex
as, imperiously demand that Congress should, at
its present session, organize territorial govern
ments over them.
Upon the exchange Qualifications of the trea-
ty of peace with Mexico on the thrtieth of May
last, the temporary governments which had been
established over New Mexico and California,
by our Military and Naval commanders, by vlr-
tue OF the rights of war. ceased to derive any
obligatory force from that source of authority
and having been coded to the United States all
government and control over them under the
authority OF Mexico had ceased TO exist. I'm
pressed with the necessity of establishing terri
torial governments over them, ! recommended
the subject to the favorable consideration of
Congress in my message communicating the rat
lied treaty of peace on the sixth of July last,
and invoked their action at that session. Con-
gress adjourned without making any provision
for their government The inhabitants, by the
transfer of their country, had become entitled
to the benefits of Our laws and constitution, and
yet were left without any organized government
since that time, the very limited power possess
ed by the Executive has been exercised to pre-
serve and protect them from the inevitable con.
sequences of state of anarchy.
The only government which remained was
that established by the military authority during
the war Regarding this to be de ./iicio gov.
ernment, and that by the presumed consent of
the lnh1bltants it might be continued Temperate
ly, they were advised to conform aud submit TO
it for the short intervening period before Con-
gress would again assemble and could egislale
on the subject. The views entertained by the
Executive on this point are contained in COM
munication of the Secretary of State, dated The
seventh of October last, which was forward
ed for publication to California and New
Mexico, copy of which is herewith transmit
ted.
The small military force of the regular army,
which was serving within the limits of the &C
quired territory at the close of the war, was re-
tanned in them and additional forces have been
ordered there for the protection of the inhabi-
tants, and to preserve and secure the rights and
interests of the United States
No revenue has been or could be collected at
the ports in California, because Congress failed
to authorize the establishment of Custom hous-
es, or the appointment! OF officers for that pur-
pose.
c. C It, t..,~ 4
Letter addressed to the collectors of the customs
on the seventh day of October last, copy of
which is herewith transmitted, exercised all the
power with which he was vested by law.
In pursuance of the act Of the fourteenth of
August last, extending the benefits of the post
Office laws to the people of California, the Post
master General has appointed two agents, who
have proceeded-the one TO California and the
other to Oregon, with authority to make the
necessary arrangements for carrying its provis-
ions into effect.
The monthly line of mail steamers from Pana.
ma to Astoria has been required TO "stop and
deliver and take mails at San Diego Monterey
and San Francisco" These mail steamers, con.
nected by the sthmus of Panama with the line
of mail steamers on the Atlantic between New
York and Chagres will establish regular mail
communication with California.
1t is cur solemn duty to provide, with the
least practicable delay, for New Mexico and Cal
ifoTnia, regularly authorized territorial govern
menls. The causes of the failure to do this at
the last session Of Congress are well known and
deeply to be regretted. With the opening pros
poets of increased prosperity and national great
ness which the acquisition of these rica and
extensive territorial possessions afford, how IRA.
tional it would be to forego or to reject these
advantages, by the agitation of domestic ques-
ton which is so coeva with the existence of our
government ITSELF as to endanger by internal
strifes, geographical divisions, and heated con-
tests for political power, or for any other cause,
the harmony of the glorious Union of our con-
federated States; that Union which binds us to-
celher as one people, and which for sixty years
has been our shield and protection against every
danger. In the eyes of the world and OF poster
ity, how trivial and insignificant will be all our
internal divisions and struggles compared with
the preservation of this Union of the States in
all It's vgor and with all its countless blessings!
No patriot would foment and excite geographic
cal and sectional divisions. No lover of his
country would deliberately calculate the value.
of the Union.
Future generations would look with amaze
menl upon the folly of such a course. Other ma
tons at the present day would look upon it with
establishment; and such of them as desire to
maintain and perpetuate thrones and monarchlal
or aristocraical principles, will view 1t with ex-
ultaton and delight, because in it they will see