Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-03-18

7
Mexico reached The country, and was communicated TO
| tie people in proclamation by Governor Mason. This
proclamation, after rectng much Of the treaty APP
piled to California stated that the existing laws would
remain in force, and the existing officers oud admins
ter them hereoore and did fail to express the
confident hope that the Congress OF the United States,
which in session at the time of the ratification OF
the treaty. had already organized Territorial Govern
ment which might be expected to arrive any moment
Governor Mason then abolished, in pursuance with
treaty stpulations, the military contribution tariff but
not deeming it advisable to abandon the collection OF
revenue entirely, and yet having authority either in
executive orders law or precedent he declared the re-
venue laws of the United States in force throughout the
Territory, appointed civilians to the post OF collector,
and received the duties into the military treasury of the
department. under the distinctive appelIaon OF heCi-
vii Fund of California
There were those the country at this time and they
were not few in numbers, who believed that the
duty OF Gov Mason, Immediately after the reception Of
the Of peace to have called upon the people to
elect delegates to Territorial Convention for the pur
pose of forming a Cipa Provisional Territorial GoU-
crnmen for California; and that was his duty,
as such form of Government ratified by the people
of the Territory have delivered up the appointed
agent the powers he possessed Civil Governor, and
left such appontee of the people the entire discharge
of the duties appertaning to Civil Executive 1t may
be imagined then that when instead of doing this, the
existing order OF things was preserved, and the United
States laws enforced that great dissatisfaction
ensled To add to the general discomfort the daily ar
rival of large importations created great demand
for coin with which to meet the customhouse charges
that gold dust deprecated much in value be
finally, such became the utter barrenness of the San
Francisco money Market that the Collector at that port
was authorized to receive gold dust deposite col
lateral security tor duties at the rate Of ten dollars per
ounce. Other difficulties OF perplexing and serious
character grew out OF this sudden substitution of new
revenue system, by which foreign vessels were denied
the privileges which they would have had under the mi
litay contribution tariff But, suffice it to say that
again the public mind was disturbed and excited by
taxation without representation, and by that falsely
economical policy which continued to take money from
the funds so obtained to the purpose OF securing them
good Government.
But the unsettled and unstable order of things which
had ensued upon the discovery of the gold mines still
existed and the dissatisfaction and discomfort of the
people, though quite general failed for this reason to
assume an organized or imposing form The fact that
four-ths OF the male population OF the country
eagerly engaged in the mines greatly contributed to this
result and the almost universal belief that the United
States Congress had before its adjournment passed law
establishing Territorial Government satisfied the public
mind that no action its part then necessary. So
passed the summer and fall of 1913.
| Upon the coming OF winter the great majority OF
the miners returned to their homes in the towns They
came rich IN gold dust; but sing glance at the DESC
la and unhty appearance of the Territory convinced
them that other pursuits than that OF gold digging
kreceiye proportion of their care and labor, if they
wished to be really happy, and to promote the nte
rests OF the country. They felt, as all Americans feel,
that the most important step they could take and that
most imperavely called for by the wants OF the inhab
tants, was the establishment OF stable system of Co.
vernment which would command the respect and ODE
dience OF the people whose property it protected and
whose rights It preserved Congress had adjourned
public had settled into the firm conviction that the de
Jacto Government radically defective and incapable
OF answering the public wants. The large increase in
the emigration during the past year, the still greater
prospective increase in the year come the increased
wants which were daily growing from rapidly rising
and extending commerce, and the growing demands Of
an enerprng and progressive people, all required new
and compatible system OF government. Recent muir
des highway robberes and other outrages in various
portions OF the country had convinced the honest and
the orderly that anarchy, misrule and wrong were
abroad in the land. For moment doubt fear, uncer-
tanty and lndecison seemed to parayze the public en-
ergles but that love OF order and justice which ever
springs from the "st small voice." triumphed and
terrible indeed, was the rerbuton melted out to the Of
tenders
The opinions of the people accelerated by these COM
bned causes just enumerated now, for the first time in
th history OF the country, assumed organized
On the llh day OF December, 1S4S, large meeting of
the inhabitants of the District of San Jose was held at
the town OF that name at which speeches were made,
committees appointed, and resolutions unanimously
adopted in favor of holding convention for the purpose
OF forming Provisional Territorial Government to |
be put into immediate operation and to remain in force
until Congress should discharge its duty and supersede
itby regular Territorial organization The proceed
lngs OF this meeting were published and disseminated
rapidly as the means OF communication would allow and
It's action met with the unanimous approval OF the people
OF the northern and middle portions Of California. On
the 2st and 23d of December l84S two of the largest
pablo meetings ever held in California convened at San
Francisco, and unanimously declared their concurrence
in the course OF action recommended by the citizens of
San Jose On the 9th and 9Th Of January, lS49 meet
ng5 at Sacramento City held concurring in the
same purpose. In the District of Monterey a similar
meeting held the 3lst of January, l849 and in
the District OF Sonoma meeting OF approval and
currence was held on the 9TH OF February l949 These
hye districts elected delegates to tire proposed conyen-
ton, viz: The District of Sacramento 5, Sonoma TO-
San Francisco 5, San Jose g. Monterey S. These dis
trcts comprised at that time more than three ffhs of
the entire population of the country But the five other
districts, viz San Joaquin in the north and San Luis
Obispo Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego in
the SOUTH tailed 10 concur in the movement for the
Enlistment of Provisional Territorial Government
ne reasons OF non-concurence were substantially the
following;
The meeting held at San Jose recommended that the
Convention for forming Provisional Government
should assemble at San Jose, the second Monday of
January ls49 The San Francisco meeting believing
that day much too early to allow communication with
the remote Disrcts-and deemng it OF paramount i'm
porance that the whole Territory should be represented
in the proposed Convention recommended that should
meet on Monday, March s.. In this recommendation
othe District Of San Francisco the Districts of Sono-
ma and Sacramento concurred, did tactly the Dis
trict of San Jose The District of Monterey also con
Cured therein, but constituted its elected delegates
committee to confer with the other Districts 10 obtain
possible and advisable, still further extension of the
time OF holding the Convention,
. The Corresponding Committee appointed by the San
Francisco meeting had taken great pains to spread the
intelligence OF the action OF the people there and in San
Jose and 10 request that be adopted to pro-
mote the cause OF Provisional Government in the sur
Out Inc lncleTAalCV Of the weather
and the impossible cQnqton OF the roads and streams
in consequence of the severe winter rains had up TO
Jan a. l949, prevented all communication with the five
Districts above named. The committee received MANY
letters and much verbal information from different sec
tons, which finally decided them issuing to the pub
lie on Jan "a, l949, recommendation that the time
for the proposed assembling Of the Provisional Govern
ment Convention be changed from onday, the 9Th day
of March, to Tuesday, the Isl day Of May, 1919
AsiIad been expected, this Recommendation, though
generally ccncured and though the reasons by which
tn he
ted had tendency by creating impression of uncer-
tany to cool the ardor othose interested in the cause
In addition to this, the intelligence from the At
lanto coast had given assurance that Congress
would not again oum without the adoption of Ter
rtoria Government for California and the arrival of
Gen. P F. Smith, the 2Sth day OF February at San
Francisco, to assume the command of the Pacific Div-
sion OF the u S. Army, was considered a favorable
OF what might be eXnected from thu