The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-04-01

the Senate OF the United States, among which Is
the following;
"Resolved, That il Is a fmdamepta principle Ia
our political creed; that people IN forming con
siltunon have the unconditional right 10 form and
adopt The government " hlch they may think best
calculated 10 secure their liberty, prosperity, and
happiness; and IN conformity thereto. no Other
condition is imposed by The Federal Constitution
on State, IN order 10 be sdmf. d into this lnion,
except thai its constitution shall ne republic tn;
sn0 that the imposition ut any other by Congress
would not only be in violation OF The constitution,
but in diect conflict with the principle oa which
our political system rests" ,
resident Polk, in his annual message, dated
9Th December, 1913, uses he following laDguigs;-
"The question ~ believed 10 b- rather abstract
than practical, wh' ther slavery ever can or would
exist IN any portion Of the acquired territory, even
il il ware kit To the option of The sliv.holding
States ths mselvts From The nature at the climate
aud product oDs, IN much the larger portion ot IL,
il Is cerrsin il could never exist and IN the re-
Ms inder, the probabilities are II would not.
"Bu', however this may he: the question, IN
volvipg. as " does principle Of equality of shts
Of the separate and several States. as equal co.
partners Ia The conft deracy, should not be dlsre-
gaided
ain organizing governments over these terrl-
tories, no duty imposed on Congress by the Consti-
tuiIon requires that they should lrgls ate On The
sub oi slavery, while Their power 10 do so Is not
only seriously questioned, but denied, by many Of
the soubdrst expocDdeTs Of that instrument.
Whether Congress shall esislatr or not, the
peopie of the acquire territories, when assembled
10 convention 10 form State constitutions, will pos
sess bt solr and exclusive power 10 determine tor
themselves hsiher slavery shall or shall not exist
within Then limits"
The people of California, therefore, acting IN
conformity with the views thus expressed, and
What seemed 10 be The generally admitted opinion
The Sisies, had every To suppose, and dad
suppose, that by forming a constitution for them
selves and de Gliding thus question IN accordance
with thtn own vie ws and interests, they would be
ha .tl
In taking this step they proceeded with all the
regularly which has ever characterized the Amen
can people N dlschsrglDg the great and lmportan
duties OF sel!-govt Tnmebt.
AZ already STATED, arrived AT San Francisco on
The morning OF The fourth OF June.
! he steamer In which was passe q ger did not
stop al Monterey; |, therefore, did not see General
Riley, nor had | any communication with HIM
until about the middle OF the month, when he came
to San Francisco. A few days alter my arrival,
his proclamation calling IA convention TO form a
SAFE constitution, dated the third OF June, was
received.
The people ac,ed in compliance with what they
believed to be the views Of Congress, aud con-
formally to the Recommendations Of the proclama-
ton and proceeded, on The day appointed. 10 elect
mt nbt rs 10 conventiontor the purpose OF forming
constitution, 10 be regularly submitted to The
people for their ratification or rejection ard, II APP
proved, 10 be- presented to Congress, with prayer
tor the admission OF California, Stale, into
the Union:
desire mere 10 make DTltI ana tHfpnitC reply
to the various unjust and mos, extraordinary accu-
sations and lnsinuatioDs which have been made re-
eptcing The movements of the people OF California
III folnibg their State government
had DO secret instructions, verbal or written,
from the President, or any else, what TO say
the people OF California on the subject ef slavery;
nor war II ever limited or minated TO that was
txpt ced 10 attempt 10 influence their action in the
slightest de- gree on that subject. That never did,
The people Of California will bear me witness. In
that ttTrory there was none ot the machinery vi
parry or OF The press and it is more absurd TO
sup, ore that any s.cret Influences, for or against
slavery, could have been used there, than IL would
b- 10 believe that they could be successfully EN-
poytd IN Mary lsDd or Georgia.
| therefore declare all assertions and Inslnu-
aiions, that was secretly instructed TO, or that
did IN spy way attempt TO influence the people of
California TO exclude slavery fiom their territory,
TO he without foundation.
The ,l,cuon Of delegates to the convention pro-
Gee ded regularly IN pursuance OF the proposed
INT de Of holdiDo IL, and, as tar as am informed,
no questions were asked whether candidate was
a v bIg or a democrat, or whether he was from the
North or the South. The only object seemed to
be, 10 find competent men who were willing TO
make the sacrifice Of time which proper DIS
charge Of their ouiIes would require.
As soon aileI my arrival at San Francisco as the
srran gsmerts OF General Smith would Yermu,
~ coed with him TO the interior OF the county,
other interesting aud important portions at II. j
did hot return until the 10Th Of August. The cleo
tons had taken place whs n was IN the mountains.
was taken Ill On the 10Th Of that month, aud was
confined to my bed and my room more than two
months.
The convention met on the lst Of September so
IL will be- seen that ] was not present where any
ell, elton was held, nor had anything to do with
selecting or bringing out candidates; and my I'LL.
n,ss is sufficient proof that | did not, aud could
lot, had been disposed, exercise any influence IN
Il e convention, which was sitting one hundred
ard thirty miles from where | was.
Some intimations or assertions, as am inform
ed, have b. Tn ihT, wn out that the south was not
fsuly represented IN the convention. 1 am told by
two Of the members 1T Congress elect from CALI
fornia, no were mt mbsrs At the convention, that
OF the thirty delegates designated IN General
Riley q proclamation, sixteen were from slavehold-
ing. ten fIom the non. slave holding States, aud
eleven we've citizens VI California under the
h.AicaD government, and thai ten Of those eleven
cane from districts below so 30. 80 that there
were in The convention twenty six Of the thirty.
seven Numbers from the slaveholdlDg Stites, and
from places south Of The Missouri compromise line.
Ii syp.arr, On the journal Of the conve niiop. that
the clause in The constitution excluding slavery
passed unanimously.
now proceed TO give you the result my inqu-
rice, observations and reflections, respecting the
population, climate, soil, producrions-ihe general
81 giants e land from Menco-the ex-
isst ard condition Of the public domain-the COM
nrfcial rssouIcss and prospects-the mineral and
metallic wealth Of California.
Humboldt, 10 his Essay on New Spain, states the
pol ulaiion Of Upper California, in 1872, to have
Of
Converted Indians. ................l5.J62
Other claksts. ............ l,SJV
1882
Alexander Forbes. in his History OF Upper aud
Lower California, published in London, in lSg,
states the number IL converted Indians IN the Tor
mer 10 have been, IN 1891. 1853
OF all Other classes, st..... ASH
23,O25
He expresses the opinion that this number had
not varied much mp to 1885, and The probability is,
there was very little increase in the white popua-
tion until the ennRr from the Unitcd States
beRsn 10 inter the country in 1893
They increased, from year to year, 60 that, IN
lss6, Colonel Fremont had iitle difficulty IN calling
to his star daid some five hundred hRhtng men.
Al the cose Of the war with MeIIco, IL was sup
possd that there were. including discharged volun-
tserr, from ten to fifteen thousand Americans and
Cshfornisns exclusive Of converted lodians, IN the
Territory. The immigration at American cinzens
~ an -. II