The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-28

Ii Is surprising to observe what 1eeole ONCE
tions are raised to the admission of California as
State.
"Her boundary is 80 enormous Zone says. Is
it any larger than that claimed by Texes2 And
may not provision be made for the formation of as
many States as Congress and California shall
see ftl
But, her population is such q mOngrel mix
ture ? IL NAica, however, the Angio-Ameriean
element predominates. Everybody knows that
the great mass of the People there is composed of
American citizens and that they know what they
are about, their Constitution, which puts to
shame many of our State Constitutions, fully de-
monstrates
"General Taylor used his influence to induce
the People to prohibit Slavery" Very likely,
that Southern man and stakeholder, with a ma
iority of his Cabinet Southern men and slave
holders, should send out T. Butler King, South
ern man and STAKEHOLDER, to prevail upon the Peo-
pie to form an anti-savery Constitution But
the Hon A. G. Brown of Mississippi, in card
published in the ImeHigenclr states the charge
distinctly and gives the only evidence on which
he Pounds it, as follows:
81 have believed, and now believe, that the Ad-
minisration used its influence to induce the peo-
pie of California to exclude slavery from that
| Territory As small part of the evidence on
which this opinion is based, here insert an ex-
tract from letter Of Bayard Taylor, written in
California and published in the Republic on the
lSth instant;
"sThe assertion Of the Erenmg Post, which /
noticed in the Tribune, that the Government sought
~ ~ oil oil aut on
the subject of slavery is entirely false 1t is and
was everywhere understood heret that our Admin
strstion at Washington earnestly desired that the
ou eutiop should IA sattled at and forever.
The only objections which were privately urged
| none were made in the Convention) against max
| ing California a free State, were on these very
grounds from members of the Locofoco partyn
Il was understood by whom for what
reasons ?--on what grounds 1t was understood
here that our Administration at Washington
earnestly desired that the question should be set
tied at once and forever Settledhow? In favor
of slavery, against it, or by saying nothing about
it? Mr.. Taylors wonderful announcement
amounts to Just nothing at all. We knew all
that he states before he put pen to paper. Mr.
King had himself, in public speech at San Fran
cisco, earnestly called upon the People Ito settle
the question at once and forever but he did not
presume to suggest in what way they should set
tie tD
Mr. Brown simply jumps to the conclusion, in
the face of all probabilities, and without shadow
Of evidence that they were advised to settle it by
excluding slavery from their Territory
We accept the testimony of General Taylor on
this point lie asserts unequivocally that in no
way by no means to no extent, did he attempt to
exert any influence on the determination of the
People of California in relation to their domestic
institutions-and such, too, is the testimony of
| Thomas Butler King.
- The project of reducing the boundaries, so as
to set off under Territorial Government all that
portion of her territory lying south of 800 30'
is not commended by single reason. Now the
| question of slavery in regard to the whole of our
empire on the Pacific, though decided against the
shareholders, has not been decided by the action
of the Federal Government, which they affect to
resist as degrading and insulting, but by the ac-
ton of the People Of California, so that, by ac-
quiescence in this decision, they sacrifice no real
or imaginary point of honor submit to no real or
imaginary degradation. And the area of the con-
act which they say threatens the stability of the
| Union will be vastly circumscribed
How desirable moreover, that the population
of our Pacific empire be homogeneous, their nsti-
tututions and interests harmonious. Who would
not rejoice were the domestic institutions of our
Atlantic States alike, giving birth to unity of
character and interests
The American settlers in California are con-
gregsted chiefly north of the line of 800 3O' ; the
body of the native population lies below that line
Insulate these under Territorial Government,
and you separate them from the intelligence, en-
ergies, and impulses, of the former, leave them Il
drag on miserable existence by themselves,
with their own imperfect civilization, generating
IDEAS institutions, customs, and interests, in con-
Hict with those Of the Northern tier of Pacific
States And shall we be guilty of this extreme
folly, for the sole purpose of allowing slavery to
obtain foothold on the Pacifc1
But, how is excitement to be allayed by this
notable scheme of dividing California; Will the
opponents of the extension of slavery allow a
Territorial Government to be established over
southern CallIoTula, WNnout giving ~ iue btutH'
Of the Ordinance Of 1877 Never! The field
of conflict would be widened by the accomplish.
ment of this miserable scheme of partition, and
the result would be, either Territorial Govern
ment with the Proyiso, or none at all The South
ern People are not blind They must see tha
the opposition Of their representatives to thu
admission Of California is utterly unreasonable
and that the proposal to reduce its boundaries i
carried into execution, can have no other effec
THAI to aggravate, without the slightest hope o
any benefit to them, an excitement which they
now deprecate as full of mischief and peril.
SO well convinced are we Of this, that we hope
there will be no forced, precipitate action. Th'
friends of the admission Of California can afort
to wait patiently. True, the new State is sub
jected to much inconvenience by delay, but full
discussion of the whole subject Of slavery, on thu
question of her admission, will tepd to reconcile
the South to the measure. We have right on oul
side-we have the numerical power, the popular