The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-15

WILL BE PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY.
late President to succeed Colonel Mason civil
| governor Of California, and continued at the head
! Of the de fact0 government until the people had
formed constitution and State government for
| themselves; and them on the Goth November last
| by proclamation, delivered the de facto govern
nient, existing at the close of the war, into the
| hands OF the duly elected agents OF the newly or
ganzed State, at the head Of which the people had
placed Peter ii. Burnett, esq, as governor. Cali
fornia is now State, with civil government es-
tabshed by the people, and will 30 continue. She
will never consent to go back into state OF terri
torial dependence and, whether admitted into the
Union not, will continue 10 maintain her present
constitution and government
will not stop here to dispute the right OF the late
administration, after Congress declared that
existed by the act Of Mexico, to establish civil gov
ernments in California and New Mexico during its
existence; nor will question the propriety OF MIR
Polks advice to continue such governments in force
after the was ended; nor the proPriety OF Gen
era Riley's proclamation issued before any order
reached him from General Taylor. All this has
been done, and the late adminisration-altho
it is likely to be free and not slave erritory-must
now stand the responsibility Of their own acts, and
not attempt to evade them, or try to shift the re-
sponsibility on the present Administration, because
the result has happened to out differently from
what they expected. think the faction and pol
icy" of the late administration, although intended
to ertend slavery, may have operated to produce
contrary result; and instead of extending, it has
had the effect to exclude it from those territories
The New York regiment, under Colonel J. d. Ste
venson, sent there by the late administration, be-
ing opposed to slavery, no doubt exerted some in
luence in favor of freedom. This regiment arrived
in California during the war and at its close was
disbanded in the territory, and many OF the officers
and men took active part in the formation of the
State constitution and one of them is now here
one of the representatives of that State.
II is true that the late President, in his message
after the close of the war, recommended to Con-
gress the organization of territorial governments
for these Territories, but in consequence Of dis
| agreement between the Senate and House, with
regard TO the prohibition OF slavery therein, all
attempts made TO pass laws for their organization
failed A majority of the House in favor of
prohibiting slavery, while majority in the Senate
| were opposed to it.
During the last session Senator DouoLA as char
man of select committee also reported bill in the
Senate providing for the formation of two new States
| from these Territories, leaving the question of
slavery to the people ereof; but it did not pass for
the reason that Congress had not power to create
new States. 1t only had power to admit them after
the people had acted by the formation OF a State
constitution and government
From this brief statement of the history of New
Mexico and California, from the commencement of
the war it is very clear that civil governments were
established in both those Territories under the
ders of the late administration that those govern
| ments recognised and continued the Mexican laws
| in full force and practical operation, except as
modified by these temporary governments; that
| one of the Mexican laws then in force, and not
changed, a law abolishing slavery, and the
declaration of inherent rights belonging to the peo-
|
ishcd in lS43, declaring that s'no is slave in
the territory of the nation and any introduced shall
| be considered Free and shall be under the protec.
ton of the laws % that President Polk, at the
cusion of the treaty of peace with Mexico aduissd
that these temporary civil governments should be
submitted TO until Congress could legisate on the
subject; that Governor Mason did in fact issue his
proclamation continuing the de tacfo government
in force that General Riley. who succeeded Gov
ernor Mason. the civil Governor in California
in June last, having been previously appointed by
ol.4x
the people, inviting them to form State consttu-
ton for that Territory, before any order reached
him from General Taylor. after his Inauguration.
General Taylor coming into the presidential
chair, and finding these Territories thus situated,
wisely determined not to interfere with the de facto
| governments established by his predecessor, and
then existing in those Territories General Taylor
says:
| "On coming into office. found the military
commandant of the department OF California exer-
csing the functions of civil governor in that Terri
tory; and left was, to act under the treaty OF
Guadalupe Hidalgo, without the aid of any legisa-
tive provision in establishing government in that
Territory, thought il best not TO disturb that
congrsss should take some acton on that subject
did not, therefore, interfere with the powers Of
the military commandant, who continued TO exer-
else the functions Of civil governor as before; but
made no such appointment, conferred no such au-
thority, and have allowed no increased compensa-
| ton 70 the commandant for his services"
The fact that the last administration declared
that the IeLtc0u Ldtct fOrCe ana opera
| ton, except modified by the laws which they
made, and their continuation by the present Ad-
ministration, doubt had its effect in excluding
slavery from California; yet that was not, in my
| judgment, the only cause which operated 10 pro-
| duce that result. The discovery of the gold
mines, and the consequent large immigration OF the
free and intelligent white laborers from the North,
| who were eager 10 work the mines with their
hands, would never consent TO be degraded by be.
ing brought level with the slaves of the South
| The white laborer, while at work with his fellow
| and equal may well regard his occupation hon
| orable; and, being inspired with the thought that
whatever he acquired would be his own, would
work on with eagerness and satisfaction. Slavery,
on the contrary, would operate ss a blight and
curse TO the whole country. The keen sighted cit
izens in that country knowing this, have guarded
against IL by the prohibition unanimously adopted
in their Constitution, excluding slavery forever
from their State, Notwithstanding two ifhs of the
voters immigrants from the slaveholding
States
Much has been said by southern gentlemen about
maintaining the "happy equilibrium" between the
two sections Of the country--that whenever free
State is admitted into the Union, slave State
should be admitted at the same time, 80 that there
should always be an equal number Of Senators from
the free and slave States u is conceded that the
northern and western States will always have n
large sority Of members in the House Of Repre-
sentatives; and, no matter how large the majority
may be there, they desire 20 have check upon
them in the Senate, 20 resist and thwart any popu
lar measure which the House may pass, II il docs
not suit the wishes Of southern gentlemen. This
IL not the doctrine Of common sense and JUSTICE il
s not republican; IL s not even the doctrine Of the
old Democratic party. They once contended, in
the strongest terms that the majority should gov
ern, and always adhered 10 that principle until the
adoption Of the two-third rule by the Baltimore
| convention, which threw Mr.. Van Buren, overheard
and nominated Mr.. Polk in ls44. Having myself
always maintained that the majority ought TO rule,
and having acquiesced in the principle when for
merly pressed upon US by the old Democratic party
| am not now disposed 20 abandon IL.
But, Mr. Chairman, II the happy equilibrium
which the gentlemen theoretically contend for were
restored to-day, so as 10 give 10 the South many
members of Congress as the North now have, and
agree that the Senate should be kept equal in num-
bcrs for ten years, how long after that do you sup
pose IL would continued Not more than ten years
afterward; only till the next census, for the obvi-
reason that the action Of the United States Gov
crnment does not control emigration, enterprise,
/ and the free white labor Of the North. Our ports
thrown open, and the free soil Of the North and
West is spread before the oppressed Of ali nations
| ;ry;,;o. skono .,,thnr The rich valcva of an.