The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-17
Correspondence Of the Republic.
CALIFORNIA.


am here for a day ON my way from the lower
country TO rejoln Mr.. King and General Smith, in
the valley of the Sacramento. wrote to you last
by the Panama, which sailed from San Francisco
ON the 10th of June. left that place myself on the
oath The Oregon left few days afterwards,
July I'd, } but as / then at sea, failed to get
any thing Oft in her.
To-day is the day appointed in General Riley's
proclamation for the election of delegates 10 the
convention TO meet here on the lst proximo.
Among the Americans there will be pretty gene
raj attention TO the subject and delegates will be
duly chosen; but amongst the natives, with few
exceptions there to be but little interest felt
in the political movements going on. They
will doubtless go through their own peculiar forms
of choosing delegates; for their religious and law
abiding disposition would lead them to do this as
mere matter of obedience To the proclamation; but
whether these delegates will attend, and will CO.
operate with the Americans in the convention, Is a
matter of great doubt with me. ] have seen much
of them in my recent visit TO Santa Barbara, San
Pedro. Los Angeles, and San Diego. They are
much higher in the scale of humanity than the
Mexicans / have met with on the Rio Grande.
They are more intelligent, greatly more moral, and
.their physical condition generally better than that
Of the latter Among the educated and more intel
ligent portion of them found, however, much sore
ness on the subject of their late transfer from the
Mexican to the American Government. They
complain that their wishes were not known nor con-
suited by either government. and that they were
regularly sold by the head, like so many sheep.
They feel very natural modification on this sub
ject They have affection for their late rulers,
and hold them, in some instances in unmit-
gated contempt; but cannot say that they
terrain much more friendly feelings for their
Eada tn think in maj
instances, that there is disposition the part
of the Americans to impose upon them, and not
70 give them due consideration in the political
and social change that is about to take place Nor
can say that these impressions and feelings
wholly without warrant for find here among the
worst portion of the emigrants, that same sngu-
lar. deep rooted Texan hostility to every man who
has a dark skin, and who speaks the Spanish Ian
ouage which was cvinced in the late with
Mexico.
While ON my recent trip down the coast, learn
ed for the first time, that, about the time of Free
mont's first advent into this country, the people
were seriously entertani ing the idea ofand indeed
had taken some steps towards--a dissolution OF
their political relations with Mexico, and were only
debating the question whether they would seek
protec ton from the United States or from England.
If such were the case, and have no reason for
doubling the source from which received the in
formation it is fair to suppose it probable that,
with little diplomacy, our Government, after all,
might have gotten possession of this country with
out the expenditure of drop of blood, cent of
treasure. By the way, you may recollect that
Col. Benton, in one of his letters speeches,
.peaks of Col. Fremont claims great credit for
him for his having commenced the war here ON his
own responsibility, simultaneously with General
Ta vlor ON the Rio Grande when communities
ton had taken place between them. ! have been
Told by one or two of the old residents here, that
Fremont commenced his hostile operations in con-
formity with instructions which were sent to him
through Gillespie, of the navy, MARINE corps, l
think) II would be well worth finding out whe-
Their this be not and if true, what those IN
structions were The information would have been
very useful in rebutting those who commended that
Gen Taylor brought on the Mexican war OF his own
act and contrary to the wishes OF the Executive. III
Fremont acted under instructions, they must have
been dated long before the order for the Generals
movement from Corpus Christi 10 the Rio Grande;
and, indeed, even previous to his correspondence
WIN the var DvpoI sruo,.. touching dire policy Of
that movement.
Lam sorry that could not reach San Francisco
hef,re the departure of the next steamer, (the
California } as desired to send you by her the pa
sent nm TO the present time. Although they arc far
from shadowing forth the political sentiment OF the
oeople here they would serve to inform youof what
!. yoing ON in other regards. have met the report
here that the last few weeks operations in the mines
have been little more successful than those OF the
first mart of the season, in consequence OF the sub
s;dence of the water. This was expected. have
not heard from the United States by letter since !
left New Orleans. The California doubtless brought
me some letters, but they were directed to San
Francisco, have not yet got hold of them was
al San Diego when she passed that place on her
way up, and succeeded in begging some New York
r,ners from an acquaintance on board, running
from the 7th to the 22d of May. BY them got
the news of General Worth's death, the fire in St
Louis loss of the Empire, and the Macready riot In
New York The California brought the mail which
the Falcon took out from New York on the goth OF
NAV and the Isthmus from New Orleans on the
2stb Of the same Il must have reached Panama al
latest by the 10th of June yet the California did not
leave that place until the 23d oath OF that month
Although the Aspinwsls have now three steamers
running on this line, they have not yet connected
nor do believe that they have made the slightest
attempt TO do so, in a single instance with the man
stea per on the Atlantic side. They have given
general dissatisfaction 10 the people OF TINS coun
trv and along the fdClnC todnat " H'hhb
stop and land the mails travelling both ways)
AT the intermediate ports for which they were
made up They hardly of any service to any
one in California living at any other place than
San Francisco and San Diego. When they stop At
San Diego and this place, they scarcely ever remain
longer than an hour; and no one has ever yet had
an opportunity of writing letter by ono OF them
upon information which he received by her. Every
one is praying for an opposition, and would g.
greatly out Of the way TO encourage one. The Cal
ifornia when she stopped on the IAN inst at Dan
Diego. refused TO allow the custom house officer
who had his flag on his boat-and some OF the oil
6cers of the army, TO come on board; and hear
of an official complaint from the collector to the
Governor ON the subject. They have recklcssly
failed, in many other instances, toconform to Their
contract with the Governments and sincerely trus
that, if the subject comes legitimately within tn
purview Of any Of the Generals messages or com
muncations to Congress during the coming ses
sion they will be let TO know that they cannot Inn
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