The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-24
Mr.. FOOTE'S BILL
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CALIFORNIA,
NEW MEXICO, AND DESERET.


This bill provides for the erection of portion
OF Texas and New Mexico into slave State, to
be called Jacnto and for territorial Govern
ments for California, New Mexico, and Deseret,
in which no provision is made against the intro
ducton of Slavery
1t is chiefly remarkable, as an attempt to do
work of supererogaton for the Territories, with
the very laudable view of laying them open to the
Importation of slaves.
The People of California, thrown upon their
right of self-government by the failure Of the
United States to provide them Government,
have, in accordance with republican usages, or
ganized State, defined its boundaries, subject to
the assent of Congress, constructed Constitution
characterized by great wisdom and foresight,
elected two Representatives to Congress, and
Legislature which has, ere this, chosen two United
States Senator's, who are now probably on their
way to Washington. In all respects, they have
given indubitable evidence of their capacity to
manage their own concerns, and to take rank with
the original States Of this Union They have
wisely settled the Question of Slavery, so far as
they are concerned with it and now, all that
remains is, for Congress to pass an net for the
admission of the new State.
All parties at the North are anxious that such
an act should be passed; and the reasonable men
of the South are consentipg. Pass the act, and
the area for the agitation of the Slavery Question
IL greatly circumscrbed the point of honor so
much talked about among Southern politicians is
saved for even they have admitted, repeatedly
that the People of a Territory on organizing
State, have a right to exclude Slavery, and II
they do So it is no cause of umbrage to any other
State.
In addition to all this, the organization Of the
new State has received the appreciation of slave
holding Executive.
New Mexico and Deseret have also, each pro-
yi,ied for itself Territorial Government, and
their Delegates are here, waiting to be admit
ted to seats The Government provided by each
is in the usual form nothing is needed but to
refer them to the Territorial Committees in Con-
gress, so that they may undergo careful revision,
and so that the anti.slavery provision of the Or
dinance of 1857 may be incorporated in them
Why, then, is the Senate, at this late day, to be
harassed with this mighty work Of supereroga-
ton Z? The bill of MIR Foote is wholly gratui-
tous-it can have no other effect than to delay
a settlement of the Territorial Question to de-
lay the establishment of Governments where they
are 80 much needed to increase the agitation he
processes 80 much to deprecate to ALLEVIATE still
more the North and South from each other; to
embitter the feelings of the Californians towards
this country, and finally disaffect them to our
Union His bill can never pass he must know
this No eloqucnce, no effort, can save it from
defeat in the Senate, controlled that body is by
slaveholding influence California will come into
this Union as a State, or not At all. There is no
power in this Government, had 1t the will, to put
its citizens back into state o. pupilage. They
have asserted the right Of selfgovernment; they
have exercised 1t under the auspices Of the Chief