Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-04-29
9GEoRGE BANCROFT.

"GEOhGE BANCROFT.
"Com'g U. S. naval forces in the Pacific Ocean
This is the letter Of recall Commodore Sloa recalling
Aim for inactivity for delay in commencing hosIites for
bis unfortunate anxiety do wrong II is full proof not
only Of authority TO act but Of blame for not acting Com
modore Stockton succeeded Commodore Sloa lie acted,
and Ffemont with him and the Of these claims, the
whole, except the insignificant accrung during the
first thirty days under the flag OF independence under
the command Of Commodore Stockton, and douby
horzed both by his position commander the California
station, by the reiterated the naval commanders and
by the express appreciation OF his conduct he returned
home
The operations without authority limit themselves then,
about thirty days of time at the commencement aud viii not
require forty thousand dollars pay them and for that
the United States received than the amount the time
IN horses cattle cannon and muskets taken from the enemy
and delivered TO the United States or used in her
Eighteen brass cannon, two hundred and fifty stand of
kets iout or five hundred CATTLE and nearly double many
horses taken under the independent flag went to the United
States These materials of the United States,
and were worth full fifty thousand dollars in money The
United States received them in materials Of war than
is asked to pay for these unauthorized operations She
ceved horses, CATTLE cannon, aud muskes than the
value and ready 10 put proviso 10 the bill limiting
the amount be paid for these operations less than
the value of the articles actually received But this would be
but poor way Of settling the account The United States
received all the fruits of the revolutionary she
ceved all the benefits of the and these benefits
were Of kind not to be weighed measured against
She received all the northern half Of California conquered
mel Inc and this
received by her has remained tranquil her hands
SINCE II broke up the nfds for transferring the country
the protection Of Great Britain and stopped the grants and
sales Of the public domain British Subjects and arrested the
proceedings the Macnamaa grant Of three thousand
leagues before the grant complete and all the original
papers Of which have been brought the United States 1t
induced Commodore Soat change his mind after he had
been five days Monterrey and decided him to take
OF the place. thus anticipating the arrival OF the British adm
raj by few days. and converting his arrival into benefit in
stead Of HARM For when he did arrive, finding the place in
possession of the United States he that his mission
at an end, and went off suddenly and mysecusy he
came abandoning California to its masters, and putting
end to all hope of British protection Finally saved
the American settlers from destruction, gave body Of organ
lied and victorious land forces the United States with
the navy, and presented to the of the British Admiral
that camp of mounted emcn which had such discouagD
effect upon his mind and such encouraging upon the
minds of the naval forces.
These the benefits received by the United States from
the under the independent flag They above
price, and beyond dispute The historical deposions taken
by the committee prove every thing and the despatch of Com
modoe Soat the Secretary of the Navy, of July 81 1916,
comedies with the testimony in showing the happy
effects all this had upon the British Admas visit converting
it into benefit instc ad of a mischief He says
On the 10th the British Admiral Sir George SEYMOUR
arrived in the Collngwood 80 An officer Immediately
tender him the usual courtees and the facilities of the
port He subsequently furnished with iopgaant-
masts and other for his ship and sailed the Esd for
the Sandwich Islands.
in California, The inhabitants fully beie1sd he agOud take
Part rsih fe and thar 1Ooud be obliged to abandon
conquest; baa wten they the friendly intercourse s6sfst
ing bef1recn as, and found thar he couldn tefere their
beaH they abandoned al hope euer seeing The Herc5ag
flying in C0hfornia again."
Thus the British admiral disappointed the expectations of
the British party in California. He came, they expected,
but when he he did nothing. He did interfere in
their behalf he behaved friendly He went off in few
days, carrying with him the emary Macnamara, and his
departure the Inhabitants lost all hope Of seeing the Mex
lean flag again flying in California. Thus California
saved from passing, like the Mosquito coast and many
other places, under British protection. California saved
And how came il TO be saved Because Mr. Fremont, his
Typographical corps and the settlers had overturned the Mex
authority before he arivedhad exnguished the British
partyhad induced Commodore Soat take possession Of
Monterey, and he himself with his battaon had come down
the coast 10 second the operations Of the navy This saved
California All the dispositions attribute these results 10 Mr..
Fremonfs movement and his coming down Monterey
join the naval forces the crownng Of his whole
duct II was decisive upon the minds Of both British and
Americans It showed land force, already victorious
the Mexican authorities ready to act with the navy camp
OF mounted emen suddenly appearing, and if by magic,
impressive sight both TO British and Americans. II
discouraged much encouraged the other and assured
the conquest Of all the remaining part Of California Lieut.
Minor Of the navy then in Commodore Sloat squadron, has
well testified to all this. He says
The undersigned duty shore when Captain Free
mont arrived with his force Monterey from the north
The undersigned believes the appearance of this body
men, and the wellknown its commander
only made strong impression upon the British Admiral and
officers but equally impressive and more happy
those othe American navy then Monterey For himself the
undersigned say that after he had Captain Fremonts
command all his doubts regarding the conquest Of California
rcmovedn
Such Is the testimony borne by Lieut. Minor TO the dcci
sive effect WHICH the appearance of Femonts emen made
upon the minds Of both British and Americans at that time.
1t certainly strange and impressive spectacle to
body Of American rifemen such place, and at such
time-hree thousand miles from home-on tho coast Of
the Pacfc-aIready victorious the Mexican authori
ties, and ready cooperate with the naval forces in
pulsing British interference, and pursuing the conquest
Of California 10 its conclusion Immediately after they
sea under Commodore stockton-saied five hun
dred miles down the coast, and dsembarked for
remarks show, the services Of the California bat
talon in the whole but only for hs first thirty days.
while acting under the flag Of Independence, without know
leigo the Mexican war, and without orders from the Gov
ernmen only show the value Of these services
and that all their fruits went the United States and that
the paid for those services under this bill win be
less than the value OF the horses catt arms and
delivered the United Saies say nothing Of benefits OF
different kind, above price and above calculation
The bill and the amendment reported by the committee
drawn with the settle up and TO close up forever this
business Of The California claims II Is obvious what mine
Of fraud they become il settled up and closed up
quickly and forever For this purpose the claims be
examined the spot where they occurred before they al
lowed. They be examined by those who know the
truth and justice Of every ansaconabe 10 detect at once
all false exaggerated cams-and barring forever all that
not presented and allowed within the limited time. II
also closes up another Of fruitful and almost perpetual
claimsthaf of claims for lost horses. This is most
pcnsSe incident Of the mounted servcegrea in ITSELF and