The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-10-11


The Southern Convention, meeting at Jackson,
Miss, among other resolutions, which we published
on Tuesday morning, declared that the admission
of California as a State, at this time, would be
fraud upon the citizens of the United States, which
ought to be resisted by such means as IA COnven-
ton of " Southern States - may deem proper.
The grounds of opposition assigned have no dis
tinct character which calls for resistance from the
Southern States alone. They say that the right to
organize States in the territories of the United
States is limited to citizens of the United States
They view the present attempt to organize State
as proceeding from allies who have no inten-
ton to take an oath of allegiance, or become per-
manent citizens and they claim that territorial
pupilage is necessary in the case of other new
States, to give the right to erect State. These
are all points which concern every portion OF the
country and, if well taken should be insisted upon
| everywhere as decidedly as in the South. True,
it is supposed that the slave question will be deter
mined more speedily, and against the Southern
view, if California be permitted to become State
without any previous incorporation a territory,
! OF this there is no doubt; but it is not to be
! doubted that the positions assumed in the resolu-
| tions concern the whole country, and should be
| discussed and decided on principles of right com
mon to all States.
There is not much force in the position, that the
right to take part in the erection of States belongs
of positive right only to citizens of the United
States Such has not been the case heretofore in
the formation of States. In fact, it would not be
an easy task for the Convention to show what is
the exact meaning of citizenship of the United
States in the territories. What makes citizenship,
other than citizenship Of some State land what
is the law which makes the constituency of State
formed by voluntary action of the inhabitants!
But waving this inquiry, the fact appears to be
that majority of those who exercise the right of
suffrage in Caliiornia-who have elected the Con-
vention, and thus forming the State--are Anglo
Americans, who were citizens of some one of the
United States. All the accounts from that country
show that the mixed population which was found
there the conclusion of the treaty is already in
powerless minority, and that men of American
blood and training are the founders of the new
republic The facts Of the case are against the
theories of the Convention The constitution to
be formed will doubtless provide tests of citizenship
conlormable with the Constitution of the United
States, and thus confer citizenship about which
there can be no dispute.
The objection that "pupilage" to the United
States in territorial FORM is necessary as in the
of other territories formed into States is not
We'll lOunu6u. mat usage mas not Deen lnVdrlaOle,
as it is founded on any law of necessity or con-
sttutonal obligation. States have been admitted
as Texas was, previously existing beyond the
authority Of the United States, or as Florida was,
which formed its constitution without any previous
assent or authority from Congress; as Vermont
was, by the assent of the States from which it was
taken; as Kentucky was, simply by the recogni-
ton of the law of Virginia as Ohio was, without
any action at all by Congress on the constitution
presented or as Indiana was, which was recog-
nized as a State of the Union and her votes re-
ceived for President, before Congress acted on her
application for admission. There is no uniform
rule, and after all, the general principle of right
and expedienoy will direct the legislation of Con-
gress, in the absence of constitutional directions, or
uniformity of presidents.
In the view that the population of California is
mainly American, of origin in the United States,
that this class is the ruling one and will probably
form republican constitution, on the approved
models of our own States, and that some domestic
controversies may be settled and determined by
admitting California at once as State-we incline
to the belief that there will be decision-in her
favor, in both houses Of Congress, she is
ready for admission.