Democratic banner., 1849-12-31

believed they win shortly apply for the aanis:
sion Of California into the Union - 9 soversivu
State: Should such be the ease, and should thar
Constitution be c~oRf0rmable to the reeuisiions Of
the Constitution Of the United States, ] recsm.
mend their application to the iayorabls ccnsidsra4
tiOn Of Congress. -
The people Of New Mexico viii, also, il il
believed, at no very distant period, present them-
selves for admission into the Union. Preparato.
Try to the admission Of California and New Mex!
leo, the people of each will have instituted for
themselves a republican form of government
Laying Its foundations in such principles, and or:
iganiSing ihs powers in such form; % % them shall
seem most likely to effect their safety and happi.
mess: BY awaiting their action; allcauses Of I'M
~sasiness may be avoided, and crn6dence and
kind feeling preserved. With.a tiews6f main
tanning the harmony and tranquility 10 dear to ally
I'VE sh0nld abstain from the introduction Of those
Exciting topics Of q sectional character which
have hitherto produced painful apprehensions IN
the public mind; and I repeat the solemn warn
ling Of the first and thost illustrious Of my preds-
Icessors, against furnishing atty grounds for char.
lacteriiing Paaties by geographical aiscrimina-
tons. nfgs
A Collector has been appointed at San Fran
cisco. under the act Of Congress extending the
revenue laws over California, and measures have
been taken to organize the custom houses at that
and The other ports mentioned in that act. At
the earliest period practicable. the collector pro.
|ceeded over land, but advices have not yet been
Of his arrival at San Francisco. Mean
while, II is understood. that the customs have
CONTINUED to be collected there by officers acting
under the military authority, as they were during
the administration Of my predecessor. ItwOuld,
l think, be expedient 10 confirm the collections
thus made, and direct the avsils, after such al.
|lowaRces as Congress may think fit to authorize,
to be expended within that Territory. or to be
paid into the Treasury for the purpose Of making
for the Improvement Of its rivers
and harbors.
A party engaged i the Coast Survey was dis
patched TO Oregon in January last. According
10 the latest advices, they had not left California,
and directions hare been given to them, as soon
as they shall have fixed on the sites of the Two
light houses and the buoys authorized 10 be con-
strucied and Placed in Oregon, 10 proceed with
out delay to make reconnaissance Of the most
impOitah' points on the coast Of California, and
specially to examine and determine on sites for
] ght houses on that coast-the speedy erection
Of which Is urgently demanded By our rapidly
increasing commerce.
have transferred the Indian seeheies from the
Missouri and Council Bluffs to Santa Fe
and Salt Lake, and have caused to be appointed
sub-agents in the valley Of The Gila; Sacramento
and San Joaquin rivers. Further legal proviss
ions will be necessary for the effective and sue.
cessful extension Of our system of Indian inter.
course over the new Ierritcry.
l recommend the establishment Of a Branch
Mint in California, as il will, in my opinion, al
important facilities to those engaged in min.
Ing, as wei az the Government, in the dispose
Of the mineral lands.
also recommend that commissions be organ
lsed by Congress 10 examine and decide upon the
o! the present subsisting land titles in
and New MEXICO, and thai provision
be made for the establishment Of the cfice Of
Surveyor General in New Me&iro, California
and Oregon, and for Surveying and bringing in
TO market The public lands in those Territories.
These lands, remote in position and difficult Of
access. ought TO be disposed Of on terms liberal
to all, but especially favorable to the early emf
In order that The situation and character Of
the principal mineral deposits in California may
be a,certained, / recommend that geological and
meteorological expedition should be connected
with the linear surveys, and that the mineral
be divided into small lots, suitable for MINI
An6, ~ " . uASPoSeu u W SdIc VI IoaSe1 -
give our citizens an opportunity Of procuring a
permanent right of property in the soil, and
which would seem to be as Important to the sue
cess Of mining as of agricultural pursuits.
The great mineral wealth Of California, and
the advantages which its ports and harbors, and
those Of Oregon, afford 10 commerce, especially
with the Islands Of the Pacific and Indian oceans,
and the p~opulous regions of Eastern Asia, make
it certain that there will arise, in few years,
and prosperous communication on our West
ern coast. II, therefore, becomes important that
a line Of communication, the best and most expe-
ditious which the nature of the country would
admit, should be opened, within the Territory Of
the United States, from the navigable waters Of
the Atlantic, or the Gulf Of Mexico, to the Pa
cifc. Opinions, as elected and expressed BY
two large and respectable conventions lately as
sembfed at 81. Louis and Memphis, point to a
as that which, If practicable, would best
meet the wishes and wants Of the country; but,
while this, If in successful operation, would be
q work Of great National importance, and Of q
value to this country which il would be difficult
to estimate, it Ought also to be regarded Is an
undertaking Of vast magnitude and expense, and
one which must, if il be indeed practicable, en-