Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-12-06
The California Question,

In our last we stated that Myron Morton Of
Bennington, VT, stood second on the committee
to draft the Constitution of California. lie was
so appointed but the committee elected him
their chairman. Mr.. Norton is young man,
lawyer, and is called Judge" in the reported
proceedings. 1t has been suggested that a
struggle will be had in Congress on the bound
ny Of California, the South insisting upon di.
vision Of The territory and compromise, allow
ing an equal number Of free and slave Saes.--
Those projects were all anticipated by the Call
ifornans. We quote the following to this point,
from the California correspondent of the New
Orleans Crescent:
MONTEREY, Sept. 49, ls49.
A report has been received in the Con, enlion
from the committee on boundary, of which Mr..
Hastings is chairman, and it has drawn forth
lengthy debate. Among the speakers, ppon the
OCCASION was the old pioneer Capt. Suffer-
The committee expressed it as their unanimous
opinion, that the present limits comprehend
tract of country entirely too extensive Tor one
State The area Of the tract OF country nc!u-
ded within the present boundary, Is estimated 10
be 4IS G9l square miles, which Is nearly equal to
that Of the Notwithstanding States Of lhe Unlon,
aud which, deductlng the area Of Iowa, is great
er Than that OF all the residuo of the non slave
holding Sutes. 1t extends bonr the clast
nearly 1000 miles, and more than ZOO miles in
land. THIS vas extent of country, the commit
tee were OF opinion, could nut be conveniently
or fairly represented IA SAFE Legislature
here, cspeeialy the greater part of the
Interior was entirely cat oil from the coast coun-
try by the Sierra Nevada, n continuous suoN-
covered chain, which is wholly impossible near
ly nine months III The year
| To prevent any future State, which might be
formed oul OF the IesiIue OF the territory from
getting portion OF lhls valuable codsl, The lines
I"l the ne" S'alc nave oeeu lald out 10 lake IL
All IN; In lheir remarks upon 'hIS su' jet OF
boundary, Tie committee refer to The tact Of the
mornohs having aIready large settlement, III
an Is"l'ted region, cyst ct Tins territory, ana
VINO irnn their ie'lglous pccu'i4ri'ie7 might not
dcsfc dlrect ana lucai connection WIN us. IL is
OeHeVed That tne Mormons VIII seek territorial
| government Tor themselves. The following
boundary was prop sed ny The committee: Conn
mehciug at the north east corner OF the Stale, at
the Intersection Of the parallel IF latitude 42' u.
with the parallel OF longitude l6' west, thence
south upon and along that parallel OF longitude
To the boundary line between the United States
and Mexico, established by the trrnty of peace
ratified by the said Government at Qncreturn, Oh
the }0ih day of hlay, 1918 thence west upon
and along the said Boundary line 10 the Pacific
ocean; thence ~ II rtbcrly direction. following
the course Of the Pacific coast to the said prrai-
lei of az north latitude. eMendnp one mnflne
enguc into the sea, from the southern To the nor
them boundary, and including all the bays, bar.
bors and Islands adjacent TO the SAID co ist, and
thence east from the sud coast. at latitude AZ.
north upon AMI along that parallel Of lutl;ude to
the Place of beginning.
This boundary forms the State into shane
somewhat triangular, and takes in all the valug-