The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-15
DAILY.
Washington, Monday, July 15, 1850.

'luN W lOIlll Win
a view to admission into the American Union
Sir, this only shows that when lawless power is
bent on the accomplishment of its ends, II over
leaps all the barriers Of reason, of justice, and of
! law.
But usurpaton was not to stop here. Acting in
the first instance on the honest convictions of his
own Judgment, Gen. Riley says, with unaffected
candor, in his letter to the Adjutant General, of
the Both of June, 1919: or course, the Constinl-
\ ton or plan of Territorial Government formed by
this Convention, can have no legal force until APP
| proved by Congress, F" and yet no sooner is the
| Constitution formed than he surenders his author
ity as civil governor into the hands of the new
Executive, and the whole machinery of a State
Government is forthwith put into operation, and
two Senators and too Representatives elected 10
represent the so-called Estate" Of California. At
the very moment Gen. Riley is about to make this
surrender he says lin his letter of the LIST of Octo
ber,) " haze strong doubts Of the legality Of such
measure Under the decision Of he Supreme Court o
The United States, and what is the response of the
Secretary of War to the expression OF so grave a
doubt He simply says: " ~. @E
! I" AS the arrangement contemplated by you may
| have already been made, any instructions from this
Department contrary to your views on the sub
ect might initiate against the peace and quiet of
this community, and be productive of evil" Is.
But why, Mr.. Cha innan, should attempt to
dwell any further upon these extraordinary pro-
ceedings? Whilst the force of our objections
cannot be denied, are always met by this
stereotypeed reply" these are mere irregula-
rites; )" and this modest phrase is to up this
unexampled procedure, by which the whole South
is to be forever expelled from any participation in
the rich treasures of this modern Ophir. do not
know what gentleman mean by I" Irregularities, u
but for my own part consider every irreguarity
rs violation of some ,1te Of justice, or of law.
AT one time it was said that California must
come in with suitable boundaries - but that
time has passed by, and now no one of her advo-
Gates talks of any other boundaries than those
prescribed by herself. The watchword is
. California must come into the Union!" Yes,
Sir, by her own specific gravity, if may be al
| lowed the expression, she is to weigh down all
objections to her admission-force her way through
all barriers--and overcome all resistance. Let us
| remember that the precedent of to-day becomes
law tomorrow, and with the California precedent
before us, | am sure we will never be at loss
hereafter for justification for any usirpations
however monstrous or destructive. This pre-
cedent will be WIDE enough to cover anything
within the dreams of power. And here | must
remind gentlemen, that if California can assume
the right come into this Union, any other State
may assume the right peaceably to go out of it. 20
The boundary that California claims, comes
down as low as 1910 This line, if extended,
would run in the vicinity of Marshall in Texas,
Monroe in louisiana Clinton in Mississippi,
Montgomery i'll Alabama, Macon in Georgia, and
Charleston in South Carolina. Thus you see
that, commencing at49o, the South has been dri-
ven back IN one direction, MS low rs $50. Already
has the threatened Gordon been extended nearly
around u.s. and the North, the East, and the West,
are to be closed forever against us.
Among other authorities which have been quo
ted by the friends of California Justify her pro-
ceedngs, the opinions of the late distinguished
Senator from my own State, (Mr. Calhoun have
been frequently cited. Whilst admit, Mr.. Chair
tl,,n,, %
great name should De invokedin support of any
political question, sill must be permitted to say
that it is gross perverson Of his doctrines &c
apply them in aid ofany such uslupations as hav,
been practiced in California. The position of tina
distinguished Senator was this
"Ihe sovereignty over the territories is vested
in the United States that is in the several States
composing the Union and the power of lcgisla
l ting over them is expressly vested in Congress
That from the commencement of the Governmen
until the time that Michigan was admitted, the
practice was uniform. Territorial Governments
were first organized by Congress (; the Govern
ment Of the United States appointed the Govern
ors, Judges, secretaries, marshalls, and other Of
fcers and the inhabitants of the Territory wer
represented by leg slative bodies, whose acts wer
subject TO the revision of Congress. This state o
things continued until the government of terri
tory applied to Congress to permit its lnhablant.
to form constitution and government preparatory
to admission into the Union. The preliminary
| act to give permission, to ascertain whether
| the inhabitants sufficiently numerous to auI-
thorize them to be formed into State This
was done by taking a census. That being
done, and the number proving sufficient, permits
mission was granted. The act granting it fixed
all the preliminaries--th time and place Of holding
the conventions the qualification of voters, estab-
lishment of boundaries, and all other matters ne
ceSsary to be settled previous to admission. The
act giving permission, necessarily wiHtdralcS Tie
Sovereignty Of the United States, and leaves the in
habitants of the incpent State as free to form
their constitution and government, as were the ORR
gina States of the Union after they had declared
their independence. AT this stage the inhabitants
Of the territory became for The first Time PEOPLE,
in legal and constitutional language. Prior to this
they were by the old acts Of Congress, called in
habitants, and not people. All this is perfectly
consistent with the sovereignty of the United
States, with the powers of Congress, and the
right ofthe peiple to self-government." . 't.
Such were the views OF Mr.. Calhoun as express
ed by himself, III his last speech delivered IN the
Senate Of the United State. And | ask, Mr..
Chairman, if even this brief statement of his po-
litica opinions on this subject should not silence
forever all those who pretend to Use his authority
in support of this new tangled Interpretation OF
the ''rght of self-government, OF which we have
heard 50 much recently
Much has been said in the course OF this debate
in regard to the character Of the inhabitants of
California. Whilst am not disposed to cast
any reflections on them, still cannot respond to
any appeal which is made TO my sympathy in
their behalf Unlike the hardy pioneers who re-
move with their families to the wilderness, and by
their toll subdue the earth to their dominion, and
build up homes and rear domestic alters around
! them, the population of California is composed Of
adventures from all quarters of the globe; large
proportion Of whom have no intention Of remain
! ing permanently in the country. The search after
gold alone has carried them there, and soon as
! fortunes are anlossed their possessors return.
| But we are told that the South should not com
! plain of her exclusion from California, because
slaye-labor could not be probably employed there
! Sir, for one do not believe this. | do not see
why slaves could not be carried to acmate where
| the thermometer, as we informed, seldom
falls below 500 and sometimes rises TO ll5o in the
shade And have yet to learn that the business
of mining, and its attendant hardships and expo
sure, is unsuited to the slave. ..'" wv ..
confess, Mr.. Chairman, that the present
Chief Magistrote is the last functionary from
whom should have anticipated the policy which
has been pursued in relation to California. | un-
n