Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-11-16
THE STATE mr. CALIFORNIA

Ii 4 Il z VT oRlNih
The advices from California by the Empire
City, at New York, are very interesting and i'm
porlant; and among the most interesting and
i'm; orlant Of all the items which the arrival
brings, The most prominent is the fact that Cali
fornia is upon the of applying for admission
into The Union as State, with prohibition oil
Slavery inserted in her constitution.
We learn from the Ala California, of Octo>
Der, LIST, that the Convention had been in session
about three weeks, and that most Of The articles
of the proposed constitution had been passed
upon in Committee Of the Whole There was
no doubt as 10 the general aspect Of the eonsti.
tuition and lis provisions clause in The Bill
Of Rights declaring that Z" neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude, unless for the punishment
of crimes, shall ever be tolerated in this Stale,'
ca, adopted nnonim"u,iy Some few were in
favor, says the "Alta California" of submit
ting the matter to the people for a separate vote;
but il does not appear that this was urged with
much emphasis. and the proposition met with no
| favor at the hands of The Convention.
Tie Convention Tor deciding on Constitution
| Tor California, preparatory 10 admission into the
Union as Slate, met al Monterey on the lst
| September, but quorum not being present, the
members adjourned until he 81. On The 4 n the
Convention was duly organized by The election oil
! the following officers:
Pr, sident-Robert Semple.
Secretary-Wiam g Marcy.
First Assistant Secretary Caleb Lyons.
! Second Assistant SecIelary-J 3 Field.
The Convention had teen il session about
! three weeks, and was still eilIing when The
steamer Oregon lelt. The Alta California OF
The Isl October says, respecting The action oil The
I Convention
I Most oil the provisions OF the proposed Con-
/ stilullon had been acted and passed upon in
committee oil The whole, and lha! We suppose
/ may be taken as lair index oil what will be
the action Of tie house
| The Bill oil Rights, a, adopted in committee
OF The whole, embraces twenty sections, Of The
usual character Of such provisions. The only
point upon which j, was supposed controversy
would aiise-lhe question oi slayefY-passed
without debate and unanimously utterly prohlb>
/ ting slavery. Some lew we're in favor oil subs
miilins The matter 10 the people Tor separae
vote; ba. il was no! contend-d Tor with any show
OF slrenuusi Y, aud was voted down almost unan>
imou,ly.
Tie suil age question was ih- source Of con-
: siderable dcbale; bat was finally disposed OF by
admitting all male Citizens OF The Uniled States,
SIX mUnlNS lcSlucut III dHu t"cHiJ-
one years OF age, (lndians, Africans, and The
descendants Of Africans cxceped.) 10 The privi-
leses Of electors.
/ The Legislature is 10 consist OF TWO branch.
es, an Assembly and Senate, with such gen.
eral powers privileges and duties as are usually
gwen 10 such bodies. Banking corporations
and lotteries are prohiuirej, and all other corpo'
talions except for munIcipnl purposes, are 10 be
established under general laws, the Stockholders
To be individually liable or all debts. Some
considerable debate occurred upon provision
which allows corporations 10 be iormei Tor re-
! ceiving depusites OF gold and silver. II was ur-
ged that under such Il provision an lrrespons-
! bic system Of banking might grow ur; bur The
section was fnally 50 amended as 10 answer all
objections and in that shape passed.
The members OF Inc Assembly arc TO be cleo
ted annually, and the members OF The Senate are
10 hold their Offices Tor Two years. One half OF
the Senate islo be elected each year. No per-
Sun can be member OF the legislature who has
not been resilient Of the Stale one year, in ad,
dilion 10 other qualifications.
The number of members of assembly is never
10 be less than lweny.four nor mole Than thirty
| six, until he number oil inhabitants il this Slate
| shall amour, 10 ONE hundred thousand, and aiIer
that period al such ratio Thai The whole number
| of members OF assembly shall never Gc less than
/
Yer 10 consis, Of less than one third nor more
| than one-ha The number 81 The Assembly.
Son.e division Of opinion arose on PROPOSE.
| ton made Mr. McCarver 10 prevent tree persons
oil culor from settling in California, and also 10
prevenl shareholders from bringing slaves into
The Stale Tor The purpose OF iiberaling them. II
| finally passed in committee OF The whole; but II
| has been looked upon since as jcopardins the "a
LITIGATION oil The constitution by Congress, and as
This feeling was gaining ground, The nous: pro-
baby will stlike j, ou
| A Governor, Lieuienan, Governor, Secretary
OF Stale, Comptroller, Treasurer, Attorney &C.
neral and Surveyor General, Constitute the Exc.
cutive Department. They are all 10 hold heil
offices for twu years The Governor and Lieu
tenant Governor are 10 be elected by genera
ballo; The Secretary Of Stale is 10 be appointed
| by The Governor, by and with The advice and
consent Of The Senate; tic Comptroller, and
| three other Stale officers are 10 be elected by The
Legislature in joint ballot for The FIRST term, and
afterwards by Inc people al The general Stale
election. An effort was made in the committee
oil The whole 10 strike out The office OF Comptfcl-
Ter, but II failed. Ii will, however be again
pressed in the house, aud a the office is Totally
unnecessary. We trust The motion will be success
iul Toe u Dyarnor has the usual powers, in
| GLIDING The veto, and the privileges and duties OF
| all other States in the Union. Tue other STATE
officers correspond in duties and powers with
| those generally asciibed them.
The article relative 10 the militia, passed in
committee Of the whole, is substantially such as
is found in other Stale constitutions, Us is that
also relative 10 amendments.
The boundary, judicial and educational ques-
tions were not decided upon al last advlces, but
il was supposed the Convention would adjourn
in all The first week VI October
FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS,
HcsoLuLu IN POSSESSION cP THE FRENCH AID
vices from Honolulu 10 the 9Th September have
been received al San Francisco BY The French
irisae Poursevanle. They are quite important.
We find 10 The papers The following summary OF
The strange events which have lately iranspited
there.
M. Dillon, the French consul, has for some
time been al loseeIheads with The government
upon The subject Of Catholic rights and brandy.
About the 18Th Of August, the Poursevanle and
war steamer arrived, when M. Dillon made
certain demands upon The government, threaten
ing them with "gIeaI guns" in case Of non.com.
pIiauce. The demands, as near as we can learn
were, LIST, reduction Of duties on brandes
aud liquors oi "ne>hai, aud lhe leluin o!
oDe.hall al all such Gules as have been
collected since 1916 Ri, the same rights 10 Cath>
ollcs and heir schools As ale granted 10 ProIes-
lants Sd, The repeal Of law which compels
whaleships, importing liquor for sale, to pay
port charges; 4. the remission Of fine imposed
upon some captain OF a whalesA;p. There were
some minor demands relative to ''Tedress" and
Satisfaction" Tor indigni!ies and insults offered
10 The "grand Republic" These demands we're
made, aud three DAYS allowed for The government,
10 comply or refuse. The King being absent,
the Admiral waited until his return, when The go.
yernmtnI refusing To comply with Inc demands,
The French troops landed and took possession OF
the fon No resistance being offered, The gallant
fellows spiked and threw from The ramparts he
guns OF the fort, deslryed The ammunition and pub
lie Stores, and took all the Hawaiian vessels that
were in por'. The Hawaiian flag was lowered
and the French hoisted