Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-02-04
Message of the PresidenF :
Washington, Jan. 21. 1850;
To the House Of Representatives
u r M.


To the House Of Representatives
of the United States:
I transmit to the House of Representa-
tives, in answer to resolution of that body
passed the 3lst of December last, the &C.
companying reports. Of heads of Departments
which contain all the official information in
the possession of the EXECUTIVE, asked for
by the resolution.
On coming into office I found the mill
tary commandant af' tie department OF
California exercising the functions Of civil
governor in that territory, and left as was
to act under the treaty Of Guadalupe Hi;
dalgo, without tie aid Of arg Legislative
provision in establishing a government in
that Territory, I thought it best not to dis
turb that arrangement, made under my
predecessor, until Congress should take
some action on that subject. I therefore
did not interfere with, the powers ofthe mil
itary commandant, who continued to ex
ercise the functions Of civil governor as be-
fore, but made no such appointment, con-
ferred no such Authority, and have allowed
no increased compensation to the oomman-
dant for his services.
With view to the faithful execution Of
the treaty, so far as lay in the power of the
Executive, and to enable Congress to act at
the present session with as full knowledge
and as little difficulty as possible, On all
matters of interest in these Territories, I
sent the Hon. Thomas Butler King as bear
er of dispatches to California, and certain
officers to California and NewMexico, whose
duties are particularly defined in the accom-
panying letters of instruction addressed to
them seyerally by the proper department.
/ did not hesitate to express to the peo;
pie of those territories my desire that each
Territory should, ifprepared to comply with
the United States, form plan of State
constitution, and submit the same to Con,
gress with a prayer for admission into the
Union as State; but did not anticipate
suggest or authorize. the establishment oi
any such government without the assent oi
Congress, nor did authorize any govern
ment agent or officer to interfere with, Oh
exercise any influence Or control over the e.
lection of delegates, or over any convention,
in making or modifying their domestic insti,
tutions, or any of the provisions oftheir pro-
posed constitution On the contrary the in
struetions 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 desirous to pro
tect them ia. the formation of any govern
ment republican in It's character, to be al
the proper time submitted to. Congress, yet
it was to be distinctly understood that the
plan Of such government must at the
same time be the result of their own delib-
crate choice, and originate with themselves,
without the interference of the Executive.
I am unable to give any information as to
laws passed by any supposed government
in California, or of any census taken in Ell,
ther of the Territories mentioned in the res
olution as have no information on those
subjects
As already stated, 1 have not distnrbed
the arrangements which found had exist
ed under my predecessor.
In advising an early application by the
people of these territories for admission as
State, I was actuated principally by an earn
est desire to afford to the wisdom and pat
riotism of Congress the opportunity Of avoid
ing occasions Of bitter and angry discussions
among the people ofthe United States.
Under the Constitution every State has
the right Of establishing, and from time to
time altering. its manicipal laws and domes-
tic institutions, independently Of every 9TH
er State and of the General Government,
subject only to the prohibitions and guar
antees expressly set forth in the Constitu-
ton of the United States. The subjects
thus left exclusively to the respective States
were not designed or expected tc become
topics of national agitation. Still under the
Constitution, Congress has power to make all
needful rules and regulations respecting the
Territories of the United States every new
acquisition of Territory has led to discus
sions on the question whether the system
of involuntary seryitude which prevails in
many of the States should or should no: be
prohibited in that Territory. The period
of excitement from this cause which have
heretofore occurred have been safely passed,
but during the interval Of whatever length
which may elapse before the admission
of the Territories ceded by Mexico as
States, it appears probable that similar ex-
eitement will prevail to an undue extent.
Under these circumstances ! thought
and still think, that it was my duty to en-
deavor to put it in the power Of Congress
by the admission Of California and New
Mexico as States, to remove all occasion fol
the unnecessary agitation of the public
mind. ..-.r.
1t is understood that the people Of the
western part of California have formed 8
plan of State constitution, and.will soor
submit the same to the judgment of Con.
gress, and apply for admission as State
This course on their part though in acsor
dance with, was not adopted exclusively ir
consequence Of any expression of my wish
es, inasmuch as measures tending to thi'
end had been promoted by the officers sem
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
mitted to Congress, he found to be in com
phance with the acquisitions of the Consti
tuition of the United States. I earnestl
recommend that it may receive the sane
ton of Congress.
| The mart of California not include