The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-09
Edinburgh Revietc for January 1850. Republica-
tion.-New York: Leonard Scott & Co.
From the Vieksbrrg (Mi".) Wing.
The Admission of California.

Governor Quitman's message communicating TO
the Legislature letter from our representatives in
Congress, was published in our last issue without
comment. We now propose 10 remark upon il,
and the subject TO which il formally calls the at
tention Of the Legislature
The letter from representatives embodics
their "well-dcfned opinion that California will be
admitted State Of this Union, during the pre-
sent session Of Congress" through the influence Of
President Taylor; and their belief that the propo
siton TO admit her u.s. "under all the circumstances
Of the application, an attempt TO adopt the wilmot
proyiso in another form" That this ultra and
wrong headed position should be decidedly sup
ported in the Governors message, is by no means
Astonishing II could not be expected that ono who
but recently repented and c1piaed in the bitieres
manner, certain offences given 10 the party Of his
present choice, at a time when it seemed probable
that the opposing party might gain permanent ad-
vantage in the State, would 30 soon lose an oppor-
tunity Of proving the sincerity Of his late CONVEX.
sion by example Of that extreme zeal which new
converts sometimes find remarkably convenient as
bolster TO their professions.
The pith Of the letter Of our Representatives may
be given fairly thus: the President and his Cabinet
and through them the Wings generally, will soon
be responsible for the admission Of California with
the wlmot proviso restriction in her constitution
The whole Of this declaration is incorrect and the
assertions and intimatiohs made in its support are
without foundation in fact. The President has en-
phatcally stated that he used influence TO hurry
the formation of the California constitution; the
agent he sent out TO ascertain the wants of the peo.
pie, and TO bear dispatches 70 certain officers was
directly instructed not 10 interfere with any move
ment which might be made with view Of prepar.
ing the way for the admission Of California into the
Union, and IL cannot be shown that Mr.. King ever
violated these instructions. All attempts TO fix
upon his embassy the responsibility Of the present
application Of California for admission are doubt.
less made for mere political purposes, by party
which Is far from being scrupuous in the choice of
means TO subservc its designs. But II, for mo.
mcnt we were TO elevate this war upon the Admin.
istrstion by admitting that II is rather southern
than partisan in it's character, how upon that
ground, could IL be Justified
The burden Of the complaint is that California il
defrauding the South, by Fastening into the Union
with her present constitution. II there be any rea
son sense in this, we must conclude that Cover.
nor Quitman and our representatives believe that
slavery may be introduced into California IL her
admission be postponed. But these gentlemen did
not intimate this when the same general question
was mootcd in the Presidential canvass. They
then agreed with General Cass, that slavery never
could go into Mexican territories. This asser-
ton wss chmed upon our from every south
ern stump, and reiterated by every Locofoco press
on our side Of Mason and Dison's line Whence
this great and sudden change OF opinion IL Il
honest, or is il merely one end Of hastily manu-