The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1850-02-01

1t will of course command the attention o.
all.
WASHINGTON. January 81, 1850.
To The House Of Representatives.
of the United Siaes:
| transmit 10 the House of Representa-
ives, IN answer 10 resolution OF that body
passed on the 3lst of December last. the
accompanying reports of heads OF Depart
men,s, which contain all the official lnior
nation in the possession OF the Executive
asked for by the resolution.
On coming into Office found the mill
tary commandant Of the department OF Cal
iiornia exercising the functions OF clvll gov
ernor in that Territory; and lef' as was 10
act under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidal'
go without the aid of any legislative pro-
vision in establishing a government IN that
Territory, thought it best not 10 disturb
that arrangement, made under my prede'
cessor. until Congress should take some
action on that subject. therefore did no
interfere with the powers Of the mIl,ar!
commandani, who continued TO exercise
the functions OF civil governor as before
but made no such appointment. confer
red no such authority. and have allowed nj
increased compensation 10 the command
! ant for hts services.
With view 10 the faithful execution o.
the treaty. 30 far as lay in the power OF the
| Executive, and 10 enable Congress TO acI
At he present session with as iull knowl-
edge and as llle difficulty as possible on
all matters of interest IN these Territories
sent the Hon. Thomas Butler King. as
bearer of dispatches 10 California, and GER
tam officers 10 California and New Mexi.
60. whose duties are particularly defined
in the accompanying letters OF instruction
addressed 10 them severaly BY the proper
department.
did not hesitate 10 express to the PeoI
pie of these Territories my desire lhat each
Territory should, if prepared to comply with
the acquisitions Of the Constitution OF the
United States, form plan of State Com
stllu,lon, and submit the same to Congress.
with n prayer for admission into the Unlnn
as State; but did not anticipate, suggest,
or authorize the establishment Of any such
government wlthOu. the q ssent Of Congress;
nor did | authorize any government, agent
or officer 10 interfere with. or exercise any
influence or control over the election OF del'
egntes, OF over my convention, in making
or modifying their domestic institutions, or
any q; the provisions of their proposed con-
s'Iu:ion. On the contrary, the instructions
given by my orders were, tina, all meas ures
of domestic policy adopted by the people of
CuliIurnla, must originate solely with them
selve that while the Executive of the Uni,
ted States was DESTROYS to protect them in
the formation of any government, republican
in its character, to be ut the proper time
submitted To Congress, yet il was TO be dls'
,inclly understood that the plnn of such n
government must at the So me time be The re.
suit OF their own deliberate choice. and
originate with themselves, without the IN
reference Of the Executive.
am unable to give an; information as to
avs passed by any supposed government
in California. or OF any census lck"n in Ell.
Their of tho Territories mentioned in the re-
solution, as | have no information on those
subjects.
As already stated, have net disturbed
the arrangements which found had existed
under my predecessor.
In advising an early application by the
people of these Territories for admission as
Sintcs, | was aciuated principally By MI ear
nest desire to afford to the wisdom aud pa.
triolsm Of Congress the opportunity of n.
vuidlng occasions of bitter and angry dis
sensuns among the people Of the United
States.
Under the Constitution every Sta has
the right Of establishing, and from time 10
time altering. its municipal laws and do
nestle Institutions, independently Of every
other State and of the General Government,
subject only to Tie prohibitions ard guaran-
tees expressly So, forth in the Constitution
of the United States. The subjects thus
left exclusively to The respective States were
not designed or expected to become topics
of nntional rgItntion. Still. us under the
Constitution Congress has power TO make
all necd'ul rules and regulations respecting
the Territories of the United States. every
new acquisition of Territory has led TO dis.
cussons on the question whether the sysI
TEN of involuntary srrviiude which prevails
in many of the States, should. or should not
be prohibited in that Territory. The peri.
DDS Of excitement from this cause which
have heretofore occurred have been safely
passed, but during tho interval of whatever
length which may elapse before the admis
sion Of the Territories coded oy Mexico as
States. it appears probable that similar ex.
element will prevail to an undue extent.
Under these circumstances thought, and
still think, that it was my du'y to endcav0r
to put it in the power of Congress, by The
admission of California and New Mexico as
States. to remove oil coca ion for the unne.
cessary agitation of he pubic mind.
1t is understood that the people OF the
western part Of California have formed q
plan Of a State Constitution, and will soon
submit the same to the judgment Of Com
gress, and apply for admission as a State.
This course on their part, though in accord.
nnce with, was not adopted exclusively in
cun.equence of any expression of my wish.
es, inasmuch as measures tending to this
end had been promoted By the officers sent
there by my predecessor, and were already
in active progress Of execution before any
communication from me reached California
If the proposed constitution shall, when sub.
miited to Congress, be found to be in COM
pliance with the acquisitions of the Constr.
ru,ion Of the United States, | earnestly re-
commend that it may receive the sanction Of
Congress.
The part of California not included in the