Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-05-11
Can slavery Exist in California /.

Can Slavery Exist in California
The following extract from a communi>
cation, dated the 10Th instant, addressed 10
us from Virginia, corresponds with our in
formation from other quarters, and with au-
thenLlc facts which have already been laid
hefure the public. We have been assured,
by a gentleman who has passed through
several of the southern states within the past
fortnight, that the determination is universal
among the slave emigranls to the Pacific
from those states, to take slaves with them.
The remarks of our correspondent. 10
which we wish to invite attention. are pres
coded by some complimentary comments
upon the course of this journal, of more in
'erest to It's proprictors than its readers
He then continues:
The movements making at this time
at the south is what am most particularly
anxious 10 call your attention 10. do not
wish to excite sectional animosities and
ordinations, but wish to see scheme,
now III progress, arrested. 1t is no other
than plan TO introduce slavery into Calls
lornla and New Mexico. Ever since the
hope of preventing the passage of the Will
mot Provlso was abandoned, southern ul-
Iralsts have been preparing very success
lul scheme to propagate slavery into these
territories. II they do not succeed, it will
not be for want Of zeal and devotion. Ac.
cording to Mr.. Holmes, Of South Carolina,
this scheme is well laid and comprehensive
enough 10 insure success.
The Memphis Eagle tells us that
large minority oflhe companies formed and
forming for FL Dorado, carry with them
slaves. A Mr.. Howard, Of Columbus,
Georgia, proposes 10 form one of five hun
drcd, 10 carry cut from one to two thousand
slaves. Personally know that several of
the companies which left This state carried
out slaves with them. A member of Con-
gress, from Tennessee, said TO me that
within his own knowledge there would be
taken to California, from ten to twelve
thousand slaves this summer From reIi-
able evidence, know that whole families
arc moving with all their slaves, from the
states of Tennessee, Arkansas and Mssou-
ri. 1t is said that even slave drivers are
making up gangs TO carry out. 1t is well
known, from fair test in the states of
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina.
ard Georgia, that the slaves make the best
gold miners.
"Thc valley Of the Sacramento in tie
summer is as unhealthy t. the white man
as the low cotton and rice lands of North
and South Carolina, and Georgia, and the
belief is that the miners will be compelled
to resort to slave labor. Those who carry
out slaves undertake to say that The thirst
for gold will soon quiet all scrupeS of CON
science about the sin of slavery. Besides
the Governor Of California is stakeholder
and the principal conductors Of the press
and officers are either Shareholders OF
from the slave states. All this looks as
though the Introduction Of slavery into thai
/ territory might succeed, if timely action is
not taken to prevent it. am no alarmst
and desplse sectional arimusilies, but
cannot feel willing 10 sec an institution Sc
much TO be deprecated planted there"
! What will be the result of these movements
of the southern Shareholders upon the main
question. we do not now propose to consid
er. The incidental consequences, howev-
or, must prove disastrous, in many respects
! If the property in slaves shall net receive 4
/ legal recognition from the government here
after to be organized for California, the loss
to those who are sending slaves TO that re.
glOn will of course be runous; the terrific.
~ will be deIuged with an ignorant anl
thieving population, whose presence will be
an unmitigated curse to it and its inhabit
ants, AID strife between the slave propli>
ctors and the free Iaborers will grow up
/ fruitful of diScord ana crime.
If, on the other hand, the slaves who
may be dragged to that distant region shall
be compelled TO wear away their lives in
bondage, the consequences to the dawnin2
civilization and promise Of our Pacific pos.
sessions, will be yet more disastrous.
/ These and the thousand other evils
which may be easily imagined, might all
Lave been prevented but for the infatuated
resistance of The southern statesmen, To a
distinct expression of opinion by Congress
upon the subject, and The weak admission
OF northern :rimmers that slavery could not
exist in those regions.
MuI!iudes were led to put faith in the
I'ASt'tNti NSStI tibS WI tt'C iitlS
ard politicians, and to relax their efforts to
effect the passage of territorial bill last
winter, with proviso against slavery, un-
der the impression that such an enactment
would not be necessary for any practical
purposes.
We hope their eyes may row be open
ed TO their error and to fraud which has
been practlsed upon them, ard that with all
convenient speed they will take proper
steps to repair the consequences.
Advice TO California E2nligrasa.s.
Some of the California emigrans who
have been detained at Panama have deem
ed it eXPcdent to issue the subjoincd Card,
as Il caution to such of their feIlow>citi.
zcns as intend going to California, against
taking the route over the Isihmus:
PANAMA, March 80, 1850.
We, the subscribers, citizens ofthe Uni
ted States, who have taken the Isthmus
route TO California, are now detained at
Panama. wishing fully to apprise emigrants