The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-14
CALIFORNIA ASKS AID dISSlON.

Messrs Wright and Gilbert, Representatives,
and DR.. Gwin. one of the Senators from Califor-
MIA are now in the city. The President VIII
probably at an early moment send n message 70
Congress, informing it Of the organization OF the
new State, and that her Senators and Represent
atiycs now await an oct which shall empower
them to take their cats as members OF that BODY.
OF course, they will be admitted. The slavery
men will resist, but they must yield on this point
The case is too plain to admit Of an argument.
Slaye-Texas came in with an enormous boundary
with provision that new States might be organ
ired within her territory by her consent Free
California, with a boundary of no greater extent,
must be admitted with similar provision. The
attempt to mutlate its boundaries, so as to pro-
vide foothold for slavery the Pacific, will cover
any man from the free States who may counte-
nance it with infamy.
From the following extract, which the Iaeft-
geHeer quotes from the Washington Union, Feb
ruary A. 1S49, it would seem that the editors OF
that paper are committed to the support OF the
claims of the new States
"The South denies that Congress has any ju-
that The people of The TsnaortS alons, when they
frame a Constitution preparatory to admission
into the Union, haze right to speak and be hsdTd
on that matter. This fact being settled u really
10 that this ercImg question migM De spesddy
adjusted, if calm counsels prevail. The South
contends for her honor and for the great princi-
Piles of non.intervention and State equality. Why,
then, cannot al uNae ewd permu Calt0zaa0 10 rons
into The Union soon she can frame constitution?
Then, according to the doctrines which prevail on
both sides of Mason and Dixon's line, she may
constitutionay .blish her domestic institutions
on any basis consistent with republican principles.
The Somh could lose nothing By adopting tins course.
On me contrary she wOud Sare all for nhieh she con-
tends"
California has formed constitution, and now,
we ask with the Union, ,phy cannot all ute, and
permit her 10 come IN
Meantime, we wish to direct the attention Of
the people to the mode in which the Doughfaces
of the North, If there be any on this question
will work against the cause Of Freedom. They
will not dare to oppose the admission of CalifOr-
MIA, but they will either aid the slavery men
in reducing the boundaries of the new State, so as
to admit slavery into the territory torn from its
jurisdiction or they will aid them to amend the
act for admitting it so to provide for the form
alton of new slave State within the territorial
limits of Texas or they will be guilty Of both
these acts, and then trysto excuse themselves to
tneIr constituents, on 'sGs plea that they could
not secure the recognition of the State of Califor
MIA in any other way.
We hope such imposture will be exposed at
once. The free States have thirty -nine majority
in the House. They have an equality in the
Senate and on this question, the Wings of the
South in the House, if true to the policy of the
Administration, must advocate the admission of
California. In the Senate the votes Of the free
States, with those from Delaware, Kentucky, &c,
must secure the passage of the bill there An eff
fort may be made in the Senate to cut down the
boundaries, and couple the new free State with
new slave State, but let the House stand firm
Twice before has the other branch tried to CON-
pei it to yield on similar points, and twice has it.
failed. 1t has the same majority now that it had
on those occasions, and if it yield, the people
shall know whom to hold accountable.
If the slaveholding members adhere to their
doctrine of State rights; if they believe now, as
they believed year ago, when their organ pub
lshed the editorial from which the foregoing is an
extract if they are anxious rather to save their
honor, than to propagate slavery If they are sim
cerely DESTROYS of getting rid of agitation, they
will raise question about the admission of Cal
ifornia, but unite with the Northern members in
giving hearty welcome to the Senators and Rep
resentatives from the frst-born American State
upon the shores of the Pacific To repel them, will
be hazlrdous-it will be to risk our entire Pacific
empire-for before Heaven, were we Caifor-
MAN, the moment the intelligence should reach us
that the Congress of the United States had refus-
ed the application of our State for admission thus
throwing it back into territorial anarchy, we
would strike for independence, boldly averring
in justification the selfevident truths of the
Declaration of 1916