The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-18

tories held by tenure coeval with our political indepen-
SEES overthrow and the uniform practice OF the
country in this essential particular This practice
that some familiarity with the duties and prviIe
ges OF citizenship is necessary for the Inhabitants OF
territory, a preparation for the independent manage
ment OF their public affairs. Ii supposes that Terrific
rial government founded upon principles, and admins
tered according to laws analogous to those which gov
the State administrations should precede the adms
sion of territory into the Union. II holds the prvie
ges the responsibilities, the rights incident to indie
pendent membership of the political association into
which the States have entered to be OF TOO great value
to be communicated to other communities without Just
regard their capacity for assuming and exercising them
with advantage to others well as to themselves.
The bill dscards all these considerations. California
has yet been acquired single year. nine months ago
it foreign territory Its population foreign its
interests associations usases laws, and institutions are,
in degree, alien to our own The people do not
speak language they cannot read consttu
ton laws without translating them into foreign
tongue. Yet the committee propose to admit il into the
Union the footing of the original Staes and 10 give
vania, or New York. With population perhaps, of
twenty thousand souls it is WELD here influence
equal TO that of New York with three millions.
cannot consent TO cheaper in this manner an indie
pendent membership in the union of the States. be-
eve to be unjust TO the present members of the Union
hazardous 10 the stability Of the government departure
shall eHdeavor TO show, to California herself
Her physical and social condition is unsuited the
independent management OF her own concerns as her in
ellecual and moral Her population is scattered
vast surface; her improvements not such give sta
blity to her political organization; she has
she has hardly emerged from the pastoral state and risen
the grade OF agricultural community. She has not the
strength to uphold independent sovereignty The
cent discoveries OF gold have made bad condition
they have dissolved for the time being the very bonds of
society. II will require months, if not years, TO restore
ORDER to bring back her people to the sober pursuits of
industry and to qualify them for any deliberave pur
pose | believe there never community less fitted
than California is al this moment and under existing
cumstances, to organize government and put it in ope
ration All the influences which are at work with the
minds and passions of to the last degree unf
vorabe to the high duty the bill imposes on them
When all the obligations which bind to the perform
ance OF their duty appear to have lost their force when
ships are abandoned by their crews when soldiers desert
by patoons and companies; when villages and towns
are depopuated and when the whole community pos
sessed by the phenzy Of gold digging and lose sight of
all other Objects we call upon them TO meet in solemn
conclave and perform the highest and responsible
of all debeIative acts-that of framing constitution
soberness, and calm reflection have been from the be-
ginning opposed to this whole scheme believe, ever
there occasion, since the foundations of this
public were laid, when it was incumbent upon Congress
to establish temporary government for territory, to
provide for it's wants. to give direction to It's action, and
TO sustain by the collective wisdom and strength OF the
whole community until it shall have passed through the
period OF probation to which all territories have been
subeceda period rendered douby perlous there by the
prevailing disoganizat occasion is presented in
am in favor, then, of territorial government, en-.
dowed with the energy TO control and remedy existing
embarrassnens and evils believe the course proper
in all similar is pre- -emnenly proper in this. |
shall concur IN no other, unless be for tempo
Tary purpose And ii was with great regret that heard
honorable senators say there hope of giving Cali
fornia territorial government do not concur in opin-
ion with them will not relinqush hope ustii the last
moment The most certain mode Of giving effect to u
feeling of hopeessness despair of the battle before
it is fought, and resort to other devices to supply
own want OF constancy and courage
The objections have stated this bill nsuperable
they fun4amental, and therefore not to be obvated
There objections OF detail. which might be reneded
but will merely state. without enargns upon them-as
no variation In the details reconcile to the
raj purpose of the bill,he immediate admission of Cali
forna into the Union State.
OF these objections consider the dlsmemberment of
California one of the most serious. would keep that
territory it is. until the spread of population and the
growth OF Improvement shall Indicate where the division
line be drawn with least prejudice to the parties
cerned. The bill proposes cham OF mountains the
eastern boundary. Sir, physical obstacles not always
the most appropriate or convenient for statistical div
sOns. Moral obstacles powerful to Tepei and
moral ahntes more powerful TO attract than physical
Identity diversity of race association, condition
often does more than rivers and mountains and plains to
bind men together or force them asunder What is
there, for instance in the class OF natural obstacles
appropriate for statistical demarcation than the Allie
ghany mountains And yet they have not suiced TO d.
vide Virginia into two distinct communities Nor have
they suffced to divide Pennsylvania into two States.
What is there more suitable for such purpose than the
Chesapeake bay And yet Maryland lies on both sides
of IT. Ii we were to look to phys cal obstacles
shutting the most appropriate boundary for California
the east ought to stop at the Sierra Nevada, which
more elevated than the boundary OF the committee, he
dividing ridge separating the waters flowing into the Col
orado from those flowing into the Great Basin" or we
ought go to the Sierra Madre, and leave the terri
tory with its present limits We need not consider ge
ographcal extent objection TO the organization OF
territorial government When Louisiana was acquired
placed all that part OF it north of the thirty third par
ael OF latitude under the direction of the governor and
the Judges of the Indiana Territory for the purposes Of
government and the administration OF justice and ii had
a more extended area than California.
Let us leave statistical divisions to be fixed by events
The movement of population, physical development
cal progress, and their incidentsthese the great
causes which mark out permanent boundaries between
separate States. Let us leave California to be filled up
and the which occupy it better determine than
We who shall live apart and who together.
The disposition which the bill makes of New Mexico,
consider, if possible, still Objectionable She
known long before the of Won Humboldt as having
distinct organization In connexion with Durango and
chihuahua, she constituted an independent member of
the Mexican confederation under the constituve act OF
1924, and separate territory under the constitution OF
into central republic, under the constitution of 1896,
made her separate department. with independent
ganlzahon tor the management of her local We
have held commercial intercourse with her under laws
applying only to herself and another member of the Mex
lean republic. She has had individual name, exist
ence and organization. So far am concerned, they
shall be respected. will neither consent that she shall
zaion Subsection by conquest is the greatest hunilia-
ton that can beall community. The magnanimlty OF
the conqueros should spare the subugated State the fur
Their humiliation of ACKNOWLEDGMENT, the oberaon OF
its Identity in useless extension. will neither consent
to play towards New Mexico the part of Austria Russia
and Prussia towards Poland the part of the Holy AL
lance towards Genoa will neither agree that she shall
be divided nor swallowed up She has pcltoned to us
TO save her from ACKNOWLEDGMENT. am for exercising
Our her with hunan ity