Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-03-08
TO THE EDITORIAL CHAIR.
WAsuINeroN. Feb. 81. 1910.

Senator Walker, OF Wisconsin, was adopted by
vote of 30 to 81. The amendment is as fol-
lows, and indicates all the government that is
proposed at present for California:
SEC. Ind be 1t further rnacied, That the
constitution Of the United States, so far as it is
applicable and all and singular the several acts
OF Congress respecting the registering, record
ing, enrolling or licensing ships or vessels, and
the entry and clearance thereof, and the foreign
and coasting trade and fisheries, and all the acts
respecting the imposing and collecting of duties
on Imports, and all acts respecting trade and in
tercourse with the Indian tribes, and all acts re
spectng the public lands, OF public and gener-
al character, and the provisions whereof are sui
table and proper to be applied to the territory
west Of the Rio del Norte, acquired from Next
co by the treaty of the second day of February,
eighteen hundred and forty-eight, be, aud the
same are hereby extended over aud given, and
made in full force and efficacy in all said terrific
ry; and The President of the United States be,
and he is hereby authorized to prescribe and es-
tabllsh all proper and needful rules and repula.
tons lin conformity with the constitution Of the
United Staies) for the enforcement of said laws
IN said territory, and for the preservation of or
uer and tranquility, and the establishment Of Jus
ice therein, and from time to time 10 modify or
change the said rules and regulations in such
manner as may seem to him discreet and proper.
and may prescribe and establish temporarily,
such divisions, districts, ports, offices, and ar
engagements proper Tor the execution of said laws
ana appoint and commission such officers us NAV
De necessary to administer such laws in said ter
rltory Tor such term or terms as he may prescribe
whose authority shall continue until otherwise
provided by Congress said officers to receive
such compensation as the President may pre-
scrloe, not exceeding double the compensation
heretofore paid to similar officers Of the United
States, or its territories for like services; and to
enable the same to be done, the sum of two hun
dred thousand dollars be Appropriated out of any
money IN the treasury not otherwise appropri-
aled.
Upon this amendment the yeas and nays were
as follows;
YEAS-Messrs. Atchison, Bell, Berrien, Bor-
land, Butler Davis OF Mississippi, Dickinson,
Dodge of Iowa, Douglass, Downs, Fitzgerald,
Fitzpatrick Foote flanagan, Houston, Hunter,
Johnson Of Louisiana Johnson OF Georgia, King,
Mangum, Mason, Rusk, Sebastian, Sturgeon,
Turney, Underwood, Walker, Westcou aud
Yulee-29.
NAYS-Messrs. Allen, Anterior, Badger,
Baldwin, Bradbury, Bright, Cameron, Clarke,
Corwln, Davis OF Massachusetts,, Dayton, Dix,
Dodge of Wisconsin, Fetch, Greene, Hale, Ham.
lin, johnson Of Maryland, Jones. Miller Niles,
Pearce, Phelps, Spruance, Upham, Wales, and
Webster-27.
1t will be observed that the Wings of the
North and part of the locofocos, with the
Southern Wings, make the negative vote while
the Southern Senators, with two exceptions, and
half dozen Northern locofocos, united in carry
lrg the amendment. In word it is very nearly
the same division that might be anticipated on
direct question touching the existence of slavery
in California and beyond doubt it w,N be
claimed by few ultra Slavocrats that this am
endnent does extend the constitution over Cali
forna, and therefore does recognize Slavery and
the existing Mexican laws. Indeed the main
point of discussion for the last week in the Sem
ate has been, whether the Constitution did not
necessarily and by its own force extend to Cal.
ifornia the very moment the treaty was ratified.
MIR. Calhoun and his followers maintained the
affirmative of this proposition, and at the cor
c,uson of cross fire between himself and Mr..
Webster, Mr.. Calhoun said
81 conclude by adding, as sum total of the
argument, that the South cannot be deprived OF
the rights she claims in the territories, without
OeIng deprived OF the prOteCtloh WINCH the Coh-
stitulion throws about her,"
In other words, Mr.. Calhoun claims that tn G
Constitution extends to all U. S. territory-that
under it, shareholders have right to 60 there
with their slaves and when there, the Constitu
ton protects them. This is the Savocratic doc
trine.
On the other hand, Mr. Webster as strenuous
ly contends that the Constitution does not of its
own force extend to territory, but does provide
that Congress may make rules and regulations
for territory, which stand in place of a constu-
ton until admitted to the Union as a State. OF
course it follows that Slavery cannot be carried
to California by the Constitution merely; that it
may be dependent upon the rules and regua
tons imposed by Congress; or, in this partlcu :
lar case, since by the existing Mexican law
slavery in California is forbidden, 1t cannot 60
there without an express law authorizing it,
adopted either by Congress in forming terrific :
rial government, or by the people of California
in forming Constitution.
Upon these conflicting positions the discus
sion will probably go on, until the people of CAL
ifornia themselves adopt Constitution and set
lie the slavery question for themselves. believe
they will settle t-Congress never. The Wing
House has to-day adopted the Wilmot proviso
the Senate is under the control of Northern To-
cofoco dough-faces who will not adopt it. This
appears TO be the position now, and see no very
strong grounds for anticipating that the next
Senate. TO assemble in few days, will stand in
any better position. Senator Douglass will yet
be there; Gen. Cass will supply the place OF
another dough-face, with colleague to help
him, and have no hope of anything better from
Senator Walker of Wisconsin, green YOUTH
Unfortunately ambitious, and without talents
enough to enable him to talk respectfully, or
common sense enough to hold his tongue. Con-
gyess-,his or the next--l think will not settle
the question; Congress nerer will settle it. My
expectation is that the people of CaIlfornia-the
Anglo Saxons now emigrating there, three'hiths
of whom are from the free States--will at once
form government OF their own, excluding SD
yerv. and come to the next Congress knocking
for admission as Stale. Thus the Californians
....H Il