Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-02-02
NATIONAL lNTELLIGENCER.
THE CALIFORNIA MESSAGE.

THE CALIFORNIA MESoAuL.
All those who read the " Union newspaper,
and especially those who delight in its politics,
must have been edited by the more than usual
yirulence with which it has assailed the late Mes
sage of the President 10 Congress on the subject OF
California and New Mexico. The plan which 1t
submits to the consideration Of Congress has been
pronounced by the Union to be desperate and
fiapitious,' and "a wicked expedient" and the
PREs1DENT himself entitled by his personal quail
ties at least to the respect and esteem of even the
worst of his political opponents, has been stigma
tized by" the sole organ, on account of this Mes
sage as wanting in those very qualities Of states
man by which he is in reality most distinguished,
viz: courage, manliness, and true wisdom"
Every one who has read these things in the Demo-
cratic organ has also read its predictions as the con-
sequence of the success of the Presidents recon-
mendations, of civil war, perhaps in every State
OF the Union, unheard of carnage OF men VINO
should be brothers, confagraons, desoations OF ci-
ties and fields and all the horrors which ever attend
= civil strife" To relieve our Democratic readers
from the terror with which such awful and horri-
fying Vaccinations must have filled the breasts of all
who rely upon the authority of the Union" we now
present them with the views, upon the same subject
of the late Administration, uttered little more than
twelve months ago. We can imagine the real
horror into which our venerable neighbor will be
thrown upon discovering that the ground taken by
President Polk (the " Unon's'' Magnus Apollo) in
hislast Annual Message to Congress, is essentially
the same, and in almost the same terms, as that
taken in General TAYLoR's late Message, for which
he has been so villanously abused by this same
journal. That such is the fact will be seen upon a
careful perusal Of the following extract from the
Message of Mr.. Polk to Congress Of the 9th Of
December, ls4S:
The question is believed to be rather abstract than prac
teal whether slavery would exist in any portion
of the acquired territory, if it left TO the option Of
the savehodng States themselves From the Of the
climate and productions in much the larger portion of it
is certain it could exist and in the remainder the
probabilities would not. But, however this May be,
the question, involving it does principle Of equality Of
rights the separate and several States equal coparners
in the Confederacy, should not be disregarded.
ssIn organizing Governments these Territories
duty imposed Congress by the Constitution requires that
they should egislate the subject Of slavery while their
power to do not only seriously questioned but denied BY
many of the soundest expounders of that instrument Whether
congress shall egsate or NOT the people OF the acquired
Territories when assembled in convention to form State
sutions will possess the sole and exclusive power deter
mine themselves whether slavery shall shall exist
within their limits If Congress shall abstain from interfering
with the question, the people of these Territories will be LEFT
free adjust they may think proper when they apply
for admission States into the Union. No enactment Of
Congress could restrain the people Of any Of the sovereign
States Of the Unon old new, North South, slavehod
ing non-slaveholding, from determining the character
their domestic institutions they may deem wise and
proper Any and all the States possess this right and Con-
gess cannot deprive them of it, The people of Georgs
might, if they chose, alter their constitution abolish
slavery within its limits and the people Of Vermont might
alter their constitution TO admit slavery within its limits
Both States would possess the right though, all know
it is not probable that either would exert it.
sIt is fortunate for the peace and harmony of the Union
that this question is in its nature temporary and only
continue for the brief period which will intervene before Cali
foina and New Mexico may be admitted States into the
Union. From the tide Of population flowing into the
is highly probable that this win soon occur.
Considering the several States and the citizens of the
several States equals and entitled equal rights under the
Constitution, il this we're original question: it might well
be insisted that the principle of nonnererence the
doctrine and that Congress could not the absence of any
express grant Of power, interfere with their relative rights