Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-11-21
FROM THE NATIONAL INrELLIGENCER.
Important from California.


of authentic intelligence from that quarter month
later than our previous advces.
The news Of most consequence is that which re-
lates 10 the progress of the Peoples Convention for
framing Constitution for The State of California
This convention met at Monterey, in pursuance OF !
Gen. Riley's proclamation, Saturday, the LIST of
September, but as majority of the Delegates were |
not then In attendance, an adjournment took place |
to the following Monday On that day the Con- |
vention proceeded to business by passing upon the
credentials of members, sc. On the next day the |
organization of the body completed by the cleo
tion Of the following officers:
Robert Scmpe, Presidents WIN. G. Marcy, Sec
Rotary Caleb Lyons and j. b, Field, Assistant
Secretaries w. E. p. lIartnell and Ienrique Hen
rques, Translalors; j. S. Houston, Sergeant at.
Arms; and Cornelius Sullivan, Door keeper
Gen. Riley being in attendance, he was invited
TO take an appropriate seat the floor of the Con-
Yention.
It's organization having been completed the Con
Neniion went indusrlously To work in discharge of
the important duties assigned TO it, and the latest
date from Monterey (ihe evening of September 22)
most OF the provisions of the proposed Constitution
had been passed upon in Committee of the Whole
and the Convention was expected 10 get through
Its work and adjourn during the first week i'm
October.
A Blu Of Rights precedes the Constitution which
as adopted in Committee of the whole embraces
twenty sections of the usual character of such pro-
visions. The question Of slavery, the only point
Gas the California says) on which il was supposed
controversy would arise, was settled unanimous
iy, aud without debate, by the adoption of section
utterly prohibiting slavery within the State. The
words OF this section, which is numbered II are as
follows: "Neiiher slavery nor involuntary servi-
tude, unless Tor the punishment of crimes shall ev-
or be tolerated in the State.'' Some few of the
members were in favor Of submitting this question
TO be voted upon 10y the people, but the proposition
was not urgently pressed and was rejected almost
unanimously proposition had passed in Com
mittee of the Whole prevent free coored persons
from settling in California, and also To prevent the
owners OF slaves from conveying them TO the State
for the purpose OF liberating them but, as much
division OF opinion existed on the subject, and some
apprehension was entertained lest il miu hit leopard
the ratification of the Constitution by Congress the
California thinks it probable that il will be stricken
out by the Convention.
The suffrage question was the source ofconsider-
able debate, and was finally disposed of by admit
ting to the privileges of electors all male citizens of
the United States who twenty -one years of ge
and Or SIX months residents in California (except
Indians, Africans, and the defendants of Africans
The Legislature is TO consist of two Branches
an Assembly and Senate-wiih such general
powers, privileges, and duties as are ordinarily py
tn 20 such bodies. The members of the Assembly
are TO be elected annually, and of the Senate ben-
nialIy. No person can be Il member of the eUis
lature who has not been resident of the State for
one year. The number OF members of the Assem-
bly, is never TO be less than 81 nor more than 2 until
the population of the State shall amount to one
hundred thousand and after that period the whole
number oimembers of Assembly is not to be less than
thirty nor more than eighty. The Senate is never
10 consist Of less than oneihird nor more than one
half the number of the Assembly
The Executive Department consists ofa Govern
or and Lieutenant Governor TO be elected biennial
ly by the people; Secretary of State TO lie an
pointed by the Governor, by and with the advice
and consent OF the Senate; and State Treasurer
Comptroller, Attorney General, and Surveyor Gen
cral each of whom is TO be elected by the eu;sIa
ture for the first erm and afterwards by the people
1he Governor is invested with the usual powers
conferred on such functionares, including the Veto
and the duties of the other State officers are similar
TO those Of relative rank in other States
Banking corporations and lotteries are prohibited
and all oihor corporations except for municipal pur-
poses, are 10 be established under general laws the
stockholders 10 be individually liable for all their
debts. Considerable debate occurred on a provis-
Ion which allows corporations TO be formed for re
ceiving deposes OF gold and silver, it having been
urged that under such provision, an irresponsible
system of banking might grow up; hut the section
was hnaly SO amended as 10 avoid all the objections
advanced, and in that shape it passed.
The boundary Judicial, and educational questions
were not decided the date OF the latest adyices
from Monterey.
The select committee, to which the subject was
referred, regards the boundaries of the proposed
Staie report that the present boundary Of California
comprehendeda ractUlcountrye entirely too extensive
for one State, and that there were various other for
chile reasons why that boundary should not be a
doped by the Convention. The area of The tract
country included within the present boundary is
estimated 10 be four hundred and forty eight thou
sand SIX hundred and ninety -one (44SG9l) square
miles, which is nearly equal to that of all the
non slave holding States of the Union. and which
deducting the area Of Iowa, is greater than that of
all the residue Of the non-slaveholding States.
The committee Of opinion that the follow
ing should constitute the boundary of the State Of
California, viz:
Commencing al The northeast corner Of the State
Mt the intersection Of the parallel Of latitude forty
two degrees north with the parallel of longitude one
hundred and sixteen west thence south, upon and
along that parallel of longitude TO the boundary line
between the u. States and Mexico established by
the treaty of peace, ratified by the same Govern.
ments at Queretaro on the 30lh day of May, 1913:
thence west. upon and along the said boundary line
to the Pacific Ocean; thence in n nOriheTiy direc
ton, following the ofhe Pacific coast 10 the
said parallel OF fOriytwo degrees north latitude eX
tending one marine league into the sea- from the
southern 10 the northern boundary and including all
the bays, harbors and islands adjacent to the said
coast and thence east from the said coast, at lat
Jude forty two degrees north, upon and along that
parallel OF latitude to the place of beginning"
From an Interesting statistical article in the Boston
Transcript we learn that the amount Of saes of pou
try in one marker in thai city, for the year 1SlS.
was SIX hundred and seventy four thousand and
twenty three dollars the average saesof one dealer
nIOne amounting to twelve hundred dollars per week
Tor the whole year The amount Of poultry sales for
inc whole city Of Boston, for the same year was o.
yer one million Of dOllarsl The amount of sales of