The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-26

people ,cih each other aciA continue mill Others,
lamfnliy enacted, shall supersede them. Our ma
val and military commanders on these stations
will be fully instructed to cooperate with the
friends of order and good government, SO far as
their cooperation can be useful and proper"
The President in his message in ayowing his
action, says: t
~ did not hesitate to cypress 10 The people Of
those Territories my desire that each Territory
should fprepared TO comply Nth The acquisitions
of the Consolation Of the United States, form a
plan of a State constitution, and submit the same
10 Congress ,ouh prayer for admission INTO The
Union as a STATE !; butt did not anticipate, sug-
gest or authorize the establishment of any such
government without the assent of Congress, nor
did authorize any Government agent or officer
to interfere with or exercise any influence or
control over the election of delegates, or over
any convention, in making or modifying their
domestic institutions, or any of the provisions
of their proposed constitution. On the contrary,
the instructions given by my orders were, that
all measures of domestic policy adopted by the
people Of California must originate solely with
themselves that while the Executive of the
United States was DESTROYS to protect them in
the formation of any government, republican IN
its character, to be at the proper time submitted
to Congress, yet it was to be distinctly under
stood that the plan of such government must
mt the same time be the result of their own de-
liberate choice, and originate with themselves,
without the interference of the Executive"
add paragraph from the despatch of the
commander of the Pacific station, to show, that
while General Riley, as governor, was comtem-
plating similar movements, Mr. King arrived be-
fore they had been acted on, in time to have ar
rested them, and that it was matter of congra-
tulaton that the Administration had approved of
them by anticipation: M
sThe steamer Edith has been sent to Mazat-
Ian for the necessary intelligence, and, on her
arrival with information that no other than a
revenue law had been passed, General Riley
issued proclamation for the election of the
necessary executive and judicial officers under
the existing laws, and recommending, at the
same time, the election of delegates to con-
vention to form a State constitution. Mr. King
arriped at The time these proclamations aoere about
being issued, and il ,cas matter Of great congratu
lation thai The Gorernme,,t, BY anticipation, had
approved of The latter measure. Every means
will be used to give the people Of California an
opportunity of expressing their wishes on this
point, and of bringing the matters to a happy
conclusion E
Also, a brief extract from a subsequent des-
patch Of the present Secretary of War to Gov
ernor Riley, distinctly recognizing and approx
ing his proclamation, and the steps taken by
him to effect an organization of State govern
ment i II
@ Hea WAR DEPARTMENT,
August "a, 1915.
EXTRACT,
In view of the exercise Of the most important
political right which appeltains to the people OF
California that, Of forming a constitution and
asking admission into the Union OF these States
this Department has watched with great care
and solicitude the steps already taken to effect
these objects. Regarding your proclamation OF
the Sd June last, as notice intended in part TO
render popular action uniform in respect to the
desired organization into a more perfect govern
ment, it is seen, with great satisfaction, that your
proposition had been accepted with great cheer
funess and alacrity, except in few instances,
where it is supposed selfish and unpatriotic mo-
tives prevailed. ae MA n
te GEO. w. CRAWFORD, IA
@ Secretary Of War.
Brevet Brigadier Gen. RILEY, Monterey, Cali
tornia.
have italicised few sentences to attract
more particular attention to them. In other re-
spects, they are transcripts strictly
They exhibit, asI contend, Mr.. Speaker, UNI
constitutional action and gross usurpation, on
the part of the Executive, of both judicial and
Legislative powers. Unless / greatly err in con-
struction, the evidence OF the former will be
found in the second paragraph Of the first ex-
tract from the letter to Mr.. King, and in amat-
ter most seriously to prejudice the just rights OF
the South. 1t is well known to the country
that one Of the gravest matters in controversy
between the North and the South, In relation to
our new acquisitions, is, how Tar the Mexican
laws regulating the relations of persons, contin-
ued and availed to preclude the relation OF mas
ter and slave, after they became territories ofthe
United States; and whether the Constitution OF
the United States, and the new relations subsist-
ing between such territories and this Confede-
racy, composed in half of slayeholding States,
did not override and abrogate all Mexican laws
abolishing or interfering with that relation. The
South has always so commended, and deemed the
matter of the highest moment. Her most emf
nent statesmen and jurists have sustained and
justified the opinion. adi
This very matter constituted the subject of the
memorable compromise, known by the name OF
the author of these very instructions, which was
devised for the sole purpose Of testing tins ques-
ton before the highest judicature OF the land,
and after receiving the sanction OF the Senate,
was, from peculiar causes, defeated in this House
The nature and import Of this question must
have been fresh in mind, and fully understood by
the Secretary of State. 1t was emphatcally a
judicial question to determine whether the laws
of Mexico regulating the relations OF persons,
continued and prevailed in California and belong
ed until the legislation of Congress afforded
appeal to the Supreme Court, appropriately and
exclusively to the Judiciary (such as it might be)
of the de facto government in California. Yet
this whole question is summarily determined by
the fiat of the Executive, thai he eristing ialcs
regulating the relations Of The people 7rih each
other wiH continue untI others, la,cfniay enaoted
shall supercedc them" There is not the slightest
reference to the possible effect Of the CoAstitu-
ton as the supreme law, or Of the RIGHTS vested
in the States of the Confederacy, of which the
institutions Of one half were directly affected. in
modifying or overruling their operation. There
is only in immediate connection would trust
from no sinister motive, but certai1iy suspicious
ly-; significant intiuiation that the powers OF
the army and navy may be invoked in aid OF the