The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-26


YEAS Messrs. Alexander, Aston, Anderson,
ashmun, Bennett, Booth, Boyd, Breek, Briggs
Brooks Burrows, Chester Butler, Thomas b.
Butler, JOS p. Caldwell, Calvin, Casey, Chandler,
Clark, Clingman, Cole, Conger, Corwin, Crowell,
Deberry, Dickey, Doty, Duer, Duncan, Durkee,
now, Colt, Gould, Grinnell, Holloway, Hamp-
ton, Raymond, Henry, Hilliard Howe, Hunter,
William It. jackson, James l.. johnson, Julian,
Kerr, Daniel ?. King, George G. King, James G.
King, John A. King, ii. Mann, McGaughey McKis-
sock, Mclean, McMuen, Meacham, Moore, More
head Morton, Nelson, Mes, Ogle, Orr, Otis, Owen,
Phoenix, Pitman, Putnam, Reed, Rockwell, Root,
Rose Rumsey,jr., Sackett, Schenck, Schermer-
horn Schoolcrait Shepherd, Sylvester, Frederick p.
Stanton, Richard H. Stanton, Stevens, Strong, Tay-
lor, John b. Thompson, Underhill, Van Dyke, Vim
ton, Watkins, Williams, and Winthrop-93.
NAYS-Messrs. Albertson, Ashe, Bay, Bayly,
Beale, Bingham, Bissell, Bocock, Bowdon, Bowlin,
Albert q Brown, William J. Brown, Buel, Burt,
Carter, Cleveland, w r. w. Cobb, Dimmick, Dis
ney, Durham, Featherston, Fitch, Fuller, Gilmore,
German, Green, Hall, Hamilton, Haralson, Harlan,
Thomas l.. Harris, Hibbard Hoagland, Holiday,
Howard, Hubbard, lnge, Joseph w. jackson, An
drew Johnson, Robert W. Johnson, Jones, Kauf-
job Mann, Mason, McClernand, Mcdonald, Nc
Dowell, r. M. McLane, Mcqueen, Miller, Milson,
Morris, Morse, Odds, Parker, Peasee, Peck Phelps,
Potter Powell, Robinson, Ross, Savage, Sawtelle,
Seldom, Stetson, Sweetzer, Thomas, James Thomp-
son, William Thompson, Toombs, Venahle, Wal
den, Waldo, Wallace, Wellborn, Wentworth,
Wood Woodward and Young-S3.
A separate vote taken on the amendment APP
propriating 9 900 for the outfit Of a minister to
Prussia, and $4,000 for the outfit of Charge
d'Afiaires to Austria.
It was concurred in-yeas ia, nays ~.
The amendment appropriating 100000 Cnstead
of 400, OO0) for the removal and subsistence OF the
Seminole Indians now in Florida west Of the Mis-
sssippi was concurred in-yeas l09, nays rs.
The other amendments concurred in, and
the bill ordered to be engrossed, and subsequently,
passed--yeas 40, nays A.
MIR. BAYLY moved to reconsider the vote, and
the motion at his instance was laid upon the table
The SPEAKER laid before the House the test-
,mony in the Iowa contested election case; and it
was referred to the Committee of Elections.
CALIFORNIA.
The House resolved itself into a Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union--Mr. BoYp in the
char--and resumed the consideration of the Presi
dents special message on the subject of California
and the Territories.
Mr.. THURSTON said that he was delegate
from Oregon, and had the honor of being her first
delegate on this floor He came here not as q party
man, though he belonged to party; not sec
tional man. though he belonged to a section. AL
though he might be entitled to all the rights and
privileges of members from the States, except one,
(that of vong,) yet he should refrain from all de-
bate except questions in which his Territory
interested. That of California deeply in
teresting to Oregon. So closely were they allied,
and dependent one another, that If one should
be touched the other would feel the vibration.
He had been grieved to hear California sandered;
she had been heaped with abuse because she made
use of the first law of naturc--self protecton-and
had formed u constitution and asked for admission
into the Union. His opinion was, that California
should be admitted into the Confederacy without
plucking single hair from single lock OF her
golden constitution. He held to the doctrine that
any State not only had constitutional right to ask
for admission, but to demand it. The Constitution
says that "new States may be admitted by the Con-
gress into this Union.'' The construction of law
gives to the word " may that of " must" and the
ri mic nd mis- q a m
not optional with Congress- if the constitution of the
State be republican Congress has no right to deny
admission, according to Mr.. CALHOUN. If Congress
does deny, il oyerruns the Constitution and the
law. The question, then, was-is the constitution
Of California republican in form He had made an
examination of it, In the whole history of this
country one more republican cannot be found; if
in relation to banks or corporations, throwing the
election of certain officers before the people, State
debt, providing for amendments, exempting the
property Of the wife from execution for the debts of
the husband, homestead, and punishment If a man
offer brides for his own appointment to ofice-you
will find TO say the least, that the constitution
ranks side by side with the best. He would make
bold to say that gentlemen might search the con-
situations Of the several States, and they would nd
constitution to rank with that of California for
the extended view of human rights on the princi-
Piles Of republicanism.
He then proceeded to show, in answer to the OBJ
lection that the boundaries Of California are too
large, that California has but one single good har
borZSan Francisco, and quoted Captain Wilkes
in support OF his position. California contains no
more area than she ought. One hundred and forty
four thousand square miles large its face, il
was true, but California did not contain one-thrd
much arabic land as the State of Ohio; not one
fourth much Pennsylvania; not onc-fifth
much as Nirginia-rec koning those States TO
tain altogether arabic land. Captain Wilkes said
that IL impossible TO ascertain with cxactncss,
the amount Of arabic land in California; he had
deavored to make an approximation, and thought
that il did not erceed twelve thousand miles. Mr.
T. undertook to say, from his knowledge of the
country, that this was far beyond the bounds. The
Rev Walter Cotton, who resided three years in
California, was of the opinion that California does
not exceed the old Bay State in agricultural re-
sources. II was a country Of mountains, lifting
their SUBMITS to heaven-of desert wastes; the APP
pearance of the wolves and the beasts fprey indi
cate that they starved There could, then, be
no valid objection TO the area of California.
With regard 10 the convention, il was not mat
ter brought about by President Taylor in other
words he did not cram any particular instructions
down the threats of The delegates that they might
throw them up again. The people never moved
until the news reached them that Congress had ad-
journed without giving them form of government.
II purely matter Of their own. General
Riley had no influence there. man who came
forward 10 impress upon them the propriety of
adopting Riley's plan was voted down almost unani-
mously. In the same meeting, the individual who
offered TO prove by argument that General Riley
right, was Indignantly Kissed from the stand.
General Riley, he repeated, had no influence what
ever in getting up the convention II President
laylOr had attempted 10 form OF govern
ment, he would have found himself mistaken Mr.
II. b. King never set foot the soil at Monterey,
where the convention was held. II that gentleman
had endeavored TO influence the people he could not
have done it, for Of them suspected that he
sent thither TO mould California into Wing State.
Whatever influence Mr.. King may have had with
his own party, he had no more influence with the
Democrats than the in the moon. II he had
recommended any thing TO them, IL is likely they
would have done the contrary.
Other remarks were made by the delegate from
| Oregon, and he said that he intended 20 embody
the extracts, which he merely glanced at, in his
| printed speech, TO prove beyond controversy the
correctness of the several positions which he had
assumed.
Mr.. BRICK, Of Kentucky, in the commence.
ment Of his remarks said that If this country should
be torn asundcr, then the last hope Of civil liberty
| and free government is gone. He, however, was
unwilling TO believe that so appalling calamity is
TO befall us, and that TO become the degene-
rate Of gallant sres, not able 10 preserve the
| rich heritage which their suf1erings, privations,
and blood acquired for us There were some who
/ regarded much Of what had been said in debate as
mere menace and bravado; but he not one OF
these. Republics have been the victims Of pollution
and passion, and have guarantees against
such influences He believed with the gentleman