The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-28
THlRTY-FIRsT CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
$ SENATE
THURSDAY, JusE q, 1850

THURSDAY, JUNE 80 'SN
SENATE.
Petitions were presented ny mcssis'
UPnAa, YuLEE, and HUNTER
MISSOURI RAILROAD.
Mr.. ATCHIsoN introduced a bill granting ~
the state Of Missouri the right oil way aho gun
OF public lands to aid in the construction o' ~.
.ard from St Louis to the western limits OF uht
s,ate with an eastern extension 10 Louisville ana
Cincinnati, through the States of Illinois and In
diana.
Mr. UNDERWOOD moved, and the Senate pro.
coeded 70 the consideration Of the bill supplemental
to the act providing for taking the seventh cen
sus &c. ,
the compensation 10 be paid TO the officers taking
the census in California and Oregon; ana the OH
was considered and passed.
MISSISSIPPI RAILROAD.
Mr.. DAVIS moved, and the Senate proceeded TO
the consideration Of the bill granting to the State OF
Mississippi the right OF way ana Roruo9 81 ue
road in that State. The bill was made To con-
form with the bills Of like character passed at this
session. and then read third time and passed.
THr LATE PROCEEDINGS IN NEW MEXICO.
Mr. FCOTE moved, and the Senate proceeded to
the consideration of the resolution submitted by
him yesterday, calling upon the President for in
formation respecting the late proceedings in form
ing state government in that Territory.
Mr.. RUSK submitted the following amendment
TO the resolution:
.And that the President be requested to inform
the Senate whether any civil or military govern
ment III the town and county OF Santa re on the
east bank Of the Rio Grande exists or is continued
by the authority Of the Executive in opposition to
the jurisdiction claimed by the State Of Texas"
Which was adopted, and the resolution modi-
fed was then agreed TO-
THE ANNUAL REPonT OF COMMERCE AND sAvIGA-
TON.
.T ysd md fbs.
Senate proceeded to the consideration OF the bill
authorizing the publication, by the Secretary OF
the Treasury, of the annual report upon commerce
Messrs. KING and RUSK opposed the bill, and
and HAMLfN.
The bill was then read a third time and passed.
MILITARY orFIcERs IN CIVIC POSTS.
Mr. CASS submitted the following resolution,
which lies over one day under the rule:
ResolUed, That the Committee on Military Al
fairs be instructed to inquire into the expedlency OF
prohibiting by law amy officer Of the army from as
Stunning exercising, within the limits OF the Uni
ted States, any civil power or authority not con
ferred by an act oil Congress, and Of providing an
adequate punishment for such offences
DECREASE or THE NAVY.
Mr. HALE submitted the following resolution,
which lies over under the rule:
Resolved. That the Committee on Naval Afiairs
be instr cted inquire and report to the Senate
whether there may not, without detriinent to the
public interest, be prospective diminution Of the
number Of the commissioned officers OF the navy
of the United States.
cALIFoRsiA-TERRIToRIAL GOVERNMENTS.
The Senate resumed the confederation Of the bill
reported by the select COMMITTEES of thirteen, TO
admit California State into the Union To e.
tablish territorial governments for Utah and New
Mexico; and making proposals to Texas for the cs-
ries.
The question pending at the adjournment yester-
day was the substitute proposed by MIR. SouLE,
flor that part Of the bill relating to California; and
the amendment to establish the territorial govern
ment for South California.
Mr.. WEBSTER said that the amendment Of the
Senator from Louisiana affected that part of the
bill which proposed the immediate admission OF
California, and the amendment ID opposed to that
immediate Admission, and refers that subject back
TO the people Of California il also makes certain
proposals TO the people of California in conventions
and when they shall have acceded to these propo-
sails the State il to be admitted into the Union by
a proclamation Of the President Of the United
States without any further proceedings. The
question therefore, Is, whether II is advisab to
admit California Immediately under all the circum
stances, whether her constitution shall be refer
red back to her people for revision He said thai,
in his opinion, il highly expedient that Califor
mia should be admitted now, and that II was high
Iy expedient TO give California now a proper posi-
ton in the Union; TO give her now such powers as
will enable her to revoive among the other orbs of
our system. And such he believed TO be the gene
raj opinion Of the country.
California presents herself for admission with a
sufficient population, and with constitution
which, in its general aspects is certainly unob
iectionable. The case is one of emergency; one
which amounts 10 almost necessity. he had no
recollection Of any event in the history OF the coun
try Of the world 80 extraordinary as the course
Of events attending California. He knew Of no
other instance of such a sudden rush OF emigrs-
tion any part Of the world, by persons governed
by private interests. There were at this time thou
sands ON their way 10 California, by the way Of the
MIA NV he yer IathIuus. A no nd
by the way Of Cape Horn. He thought that it
might be safely said that this year will add one
hundred thousand persons to the population OF Cali
fornia. California looked out the Pacific upon
Asia, China, aud Polynesia, and we look out upon
Europe. What Is TO be done with California? What
is the most espedient course TO pursue with regard
that the day not far distant when there would
be some " mere west OF the Rocky Mountains a
great Pacific republic, with ts capital at San Fran
cisco. He now felt overwhelmed with the prospect
which the times forctod Of the sudden fultlment Of
the prophecy.
lie now could not but consider that. unless Cali
fornis admitted, that republic ON the Pacific
was the alternative. IL IL not, then, expcdient
der all the ciroutnstsnces to admit her. Such was
his opinion; and such, he thought, the settled
opinion Of the majority OF the country and in Con-
Grss.
for the objections stated by him, he would not op-
pose the admission of California into the Union.
Are those objections urged by the Senator insur-
mOuntdDt' Inc ocudlOfs oDlcCuOns Wcrts nrst,
thai in the bill reported by the committee there 10
no provision by which the United States made
secure their rights 10 the public lands; secondly.
that the boundaries defined by the constitution Of
California cItrsysgsntly large, and unnatu-
rally arranged, and are such that it would be inn
polite TO admit her with them. The Senator pro.
poses 10 remedy the frat objection, by sending back
20 California her constitution, TO obtain from her
people, in convention, the acceptance Of a compact
that she will not interfere with the right Of the
United States To the public domain, shall no, tax
non. residents higher than residents, &c.
The senator had taken the position that when
California admitted, "A sovereign State with
out having been bound by solemn compact, then
by virtue Of her sovereignty she would hold the
public domain. He did NOT consider the sove-
reignty Of the States such would be implied
from the Senator'S argument. But even IL the
States sovereign 10 the extent which the Sen
ator supposed, there the sovereignty Of the
United States And " the territory were to become
the property VI the sovereign power, which would
prevail, the sovereignty Of the State, the soye
reignty of the United States? He thought the
reignty Of the General Government the greater.
This doctrine Of State sovereignty, and the implied
right OF the new States 70 the public domain within
its limits, was not new. IL WAS here some twenty
years ago. n. met il when he fret entered the