The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-07

fons might well claim 70 act under such opinions
Sr could quote from now until the sun should 70
down. could quote until Il should rise To- morrow morn
ngfrom statesmen, orators, and papers Of the South,
leave this Question 10 the people Of the Territory Alter
having thus encouraged them 10 perform the very act
which was admitted legitimate and proper for them to
do is too late IN the day. after this SENATOR'S to attempt
to resist the admission OF California for other or bet
than that she has acted in conformity with
sprior act Of Congress- There must Dc an assent Of
Congress, il 10 true and in tins connexon beg leave
say that is far better in all that there should
be prior application to Congress, that no questions OF
boundaries that other questions tending 10 produce
conflict may arise when she to ask her final ad
mission II would be vastly better that there should be
in all cases preliminary step taken BY Congress But
as California has tit TO adopt for herself constitu
ton without this preliminary act Why every man knows
that when do admit her, that is the assent OF Con-
gess broad clear, positive as II It had preceded
T. Here leave the question OF the right OF the people
TO form constitution without the consent Of Congress
Having the right TO form constitution, has that right
been exercised that she should be admitted as State
The first objection raised relating her boundaries
The senator from South Carolina, [Mr BUTLER,l now
before me- upon this speaks with much emphasis This
question Of boundary is one OF Importance; i is one in
which the governments interested to be consulted
in all the importance oil the boundaries OF State
in all the importance which the honorable senator from
South Carolina Mr. BUTLER1 attaches TO them. hold it
sus as competent for give assent to the bounda
res now, il would have been to have given
sent at the outset know the tenaciy with which
divlduas, well as nations, adhere 10 monuments We
all know that god Terminus has been an obstinate god,
from the very creation He might we'll be called. and
for aught know Is, the legitimate offspring OF Mars
have adhered 10 their boundaries, has been the
OF the shedding OF blood than any other that
Of religion. In The history OF the world OF all wars that
have deugtd the earth, blood has been shed in
the defence Of boundaries of nations than for any other
cause, save that 10 which have alluded.
s is fable q The j. not
ments were erected to their memory and there was the
boundary Of Carthage. Now. sir. the argument de-
duce from all this is II there much importance to be
attached boundaries Of nations then we should give
assent TO the admission OF California and not crcum
scribe her because she may not have fixed precisely the
Limits that would have been preferred by TO prevent
that very conflict which might arise from changing the
boundaries, is the very reason, OF all others, why
should accept her as she s
contains from hundred and forty to one hundred and
fifty thousand square miles She is bounded upon the
bosndsd the sas By
the Great Deseit she is bounded upon the south by
Mexico, and upon the southeast by desert Now, sir,
looking at the description OF that country, there would,
in the opinions OF some, be better boundary, take
the crest Of the Sierra Nevada; but from the information
which has been impaired to by senators and represent
atves of that State learn that upon the eastern slope OF
the Sierra Nevada there is long belt OF land, vary
ing from ten TO thirty miles in breadth, which can
be attached to no other State in that section, and
it 10 valueless entirely unless connected with Cali
fornia. Whether it will be valuable there, time alone
can determine Forgrazing and for agricultural purposes
land yns west Of and bordering that DESERT could Be-
incorporated into other State in this Union the
State Of California, where is to be incorporated Yes,
sir the very construction OF that country renders it
homogeneous, while il so large that should retain its
present boundaries Look at its situation Here is the Sac
smento rising in the north, and the San Joaquin rising in
the south, coming to common centre, and finding their
outlet upon the Pacific You may erect States upon
the slope Of that country, and, you choose you may
dot i over with States no larger than Delaware and
neous character OF that country that while the San Joa
quia must north and the Sacramento run south. its
float down those rivers 10 common centre You may
q well speak Of preventing the productions OF the mighty
West from going down to New Orleans You may as well
overland while the Mississippi shall run that depot
that depot must be the where all the commerce
will 60. So in relation to this State OF California il is
homogeneous; the Of the country and every
thing connected with il must find its outlet upon the coast
OF the Pacific, at the port OF San Francisco; and what
matters II 50 s as we may g. ned whether that
country will be bound together by common interest,"
and should be embraced in one State.
But, sir, II Is said because she possesses OF
hundred and forty hundred and fifty thousand
square miles, that we are not to receive her at this time
as State Of this Union.
SENATOR heard these startling complaints when sister
Texas in OF the States Of this Union. There
was nothing to .tartle or alarm the public mind then
Texas with her three hundred and twenty-five thousand
square miles, was not rejected because she was too
large State. No attempt was made to keep her out
OF the folds of this Unon because she possessed
area about five times large largest State. No
complaints objections then OF this sort were made
Now, sir taking the bill of the senator from Missouri
lMr BEEToEl-l think that circumscribes Texas within
the smalles imstaking that bill, and reducing the
territory OF Texas, with her consent, TO the limits which
that bin proposes, you will find that Texas still remains
with hundred and fifty thousand square miles, and
larger than California is and with territory that
has the capacity to sustain population ten times as
large that OF California. And where is the alarm al
the bill offered by the senator from Missouri, lMr BEN.
ToH y Where is the alarm that il does not reduce
Texas down TO a proper limtl But il may be said
that there s contained in that bill, there was in
the original articles OF annexation, provision that she
may be divided. Granted sir. You have no more ju-
risdiction her than If she not admitted with
that provision We might, il please, put il in the
bill admitting California. She may be divided at some
subsequent period, with her consent That gives
greater power 10 make division at subsequent
time than II such a provision not contained in it,
II would be matter OF agreement between the govern
ment OF the United States and the people OF that State
whistler she should be severed not-whether the pro-
vision contained in her act OF admission should be carried
out or not she holds the power within her own hands
So long Texas shall insist that she will be reduced
shall grant that assent, may be done SO with California
IT, a any subsequent period OF time il should be deemed
expeden proper circumscrbe her in her limits with
the the people OF that State be DONE With
out her consent, II could not be done.
Again: judging from the information we can gather
from that country, there cannot lie single doubt that
the capacity OF Illinois, the capacity Of Indiana OF Penn
sylvana, or Ohio, any OF hrst class agricultural
STATES. vastly greater sustain population than the
territory embraced within the limits OF California One
NJ