The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-15

SPEECH
MIR. SEWARD, OF NEW YORK,
ON THE TERRITORIAL QUESTION.
Delivered IN the Senate of the United States
ON Monday, March II, 1850.
The Senate having under consideration the
sage of the President of the United States trans
mitting the constitution of California
Mr.. SEWARD said: Mr.. President, four years
ago California, Mexican province, scarcely in
habited, and quite unexplored, was unknown even
to our usually immoderate desires, except by har-
Dor, capacious and tranquil, which only statesmen
then foresaw would be useful in the oriental COM
merce Of far distant, il not merely chimerical,
future. ''''
year ago California was military de-
tendency Of our own, and we were celebrating with
enthusiasm and unanirnity its acquisition, with its
newly discovered but yet untold and untouched
mineral wealth, as the most suspicious of many and
unparalleled achievements
To-day California is State, more populous than
the least and richer than several Of the greatest OF
our thirty States This same California, thus rich
and popuous, is here asking admission into the
Union, and finds us debating the dissolution OF the
Union itself. sI
No wonder if we are perplexed with ever chang
ing embarrassments! No wonder # we are APP
palled by ever increasing responsibilities Nowon-
der if we are bewildercd by the ever auglnentng
magnitude and rapidity Of national vicissitudes!
SHALL CALIFoRNA be RECEIVED? For myself
upon my individual judgment and conscience, !
answer, yes. For myself, an instructed repre-
sentative of one of the States-of that even Of
the States which and longest to be pressed
in commercial and political rivalry by the new
Commemorative answer, yes Let California
come in. Every new State, whether she come from
the East from the West--every new State, com
ing from whatever part of the continent she may
is always welcome. But California, that comes
from the cline where the West dies away into the
rising California, which bounds at once the
empire and the econtinent--California,th the youthful
queen of the Pacific, in her robes of freedom, gor
geoaslly inlaid with gold, is doubly welcome.
And now inquire, first, Why should California
be rejected? All the objections are founded only in
the circumstances of her coming, and in the or
ganic law which she presents for our confirmation
LIST. California comes sUNcEREMoNIousLy, without
preliminary consent of Congress, and therefore by
usurpation This allegation, think, is not quite
true; at least, not quite true in spirit California
is not here her own pure voltion We tore Cali
fornia violently from her place in the confedera-
ton of Mexican States, and stipulated by the treaty
of Guadalupe Hidalgo that the territory should be
admitted by States into the American Union as
speedily possible. Ui 5
But the letter of the objection still holds. Cali
sornia did come without preliminary consent by
Congress To form constitution. But Michigan
and other States presented themselves IN the same
unauthorized way, and Congress toaiued The IRE
gularity, and sanctioned the usurpation. Cali
fornia pleads these prccedents. Is not the plea
sufficient? hlt f
from South Carolina (Mr. CALHoUN) that the ordi
NANCE of 1857 secured to Michigan the right TO be-
come a State when she should have sixty thousand
inhabitants Owing to some neglect, Congress
delayed taking the census. And this Is said in
palliation of the irreguarity Of Michigan. But
California, has been seen, had a treaty, and
Congress, instead of giving previous consent, and
instead of giving her the customary territorial gov
ernment they did to Michigan, failed TO do
either, and thus practically refused both, and 80
abandoned the new community, under most un-
proptious circumstances, to anarchy. Caiiforna
then made constitution for herself, but not unne-
cessarily and presumptuously, as Michigan did.
She made constitution for herself, and came here
under the law, the paramount law of self preserva-
ton. t4B ai1
In that she stands justified. Indeed, California
is more than justified She a colony, military
colony. All colonies, especially military colonies
are incongruous with political system, and they
are equally open to corruption and exposed 70 OPP
preston. They are, therefore, not more unfortu-
nate in their own proper condition than fruitful Of
dangers TO the parent democracy California
then, acted wisely and well in establishing self
government She deserves not rebuke, but prais,
and appreciation Nor does this objection come
with good grace from those who offer it. IL Cali
fornia were now content to receive only terrific
rial charter, we could not agree TO grant II withou
inhibition OF slavery, which, in that case, being
federal act, would render the attitude of Caifor
MIA, Territory, even more offensive 10 those
who now repcl her than she Is as State, with th'
same inhibition in the constitution of her own vol
nntary choice. .1| lti d
A second objection is, California has assigned ha
boundaries, roithosa the previous authority O
CongTsss But she left 10 organize herscl
without any boundaries fixed by previous law oI
by prescription. She obliged, therefore, 20 as
sumo boundaries, since without boundaries shs
must have remained unorganized. ua
w third objection is, that California IL too large.
answer, FIRST, there Is no common standard o
States. California, although greater than many
is less than of the States. 4s.r. y.
Secondly. California, II too large, may be dividec
with her own consent, which is all the security WI
have for reducing the magnitude and averting th'
preponderance OF Texas.
Thirdly. The boundaries of California seem no
at all wsnafwaL The Territory circumscribed II
altogether contiguous and compact
Fourthly. The boundaries are convenient. They
embrnoe only inhabited portions Of the country
commercially connected with the port Of San Fran
cisco. No one has pretended 10 offer boundaries
more in harmony with the physical outlines Of tho
region concerned, or more convenient for civil ad
ministration. t
But, TO draw closer 10 the question, What shall
he the boundaries of a new state1 concerns
First The State herself, and California Of course
~ content.
Secondly. Adjacent communities Oregon doei
not complain Of encroschnnent. and there is nd
other adjacent community to complain
Thirdly. The other States Of the Union. The
larger the Pacific States, the smaller will be theii
relative power in the Senate, All the States nov
here are Atlantic States and inland States, ano
surely they may well indulge California in th'
largest liberty Of boundaries.
Inc IOurtn ODlcCuOn 70 tue huIInselon VI teiilot
mia js that no previous had been taken, anc
no laws prescribing the qualifications OF suffrag'
and The apportionmcnt OF representatives in con
vention existed. '.l..ly. f.,..- Sd -
answer, California was left 10 act ab initio. sh'
must begin somewhere, without census and with
out such laws. The pilgrim fathers began in tb'
same way on board the Mayioweri and, since \
has been objected that some of the electors IN Cali
fornia may have been aliens, add that all OF th'
pilgrim fathers we're aliens and strangers TO th'
commonwealth OF Plymouth. -. -
Again, the objection may well be pdived, II th'
constitution OF California is satisfactory, first Z
herself. secondly 10 the United States. II
First. Not murmur of disconteBt has foiiowes
California 70 this place. ra E. va
second. Az TO ourselves we confne our inquiae
about the constitution Of new State 70 fop
things
Isl. The bo,vsddriss assumed; and have consid
cred that point ia this case already
3D. That the domain within the state is secure
to us. And Il IL admitted that this has been pro
perly done. IS a
3D. That The constitution shall be republican, an
not aristocratic or monarchical. In this case Tia
only objection il that tho constitution, nasrnuch
IL inhibits slavery, is altogether republican.