The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-30

ing the supreme power Of this government whose do
mnion they had been transferred by Mexico, refused
inerfererefused TO aid them with system OF laws ade
quaie to the circumstances in which they were placed
Even the writ OF habeas corpus and the right OF trial by
Jury were vanly attempted 4 this body At the ss sss
had renqushed her dominion to power that refused
exercise efficiently for their protection. The greaie
Kindred s sons What could I they do What was The
Presidentbound he BY the duties OF his office q
that the stpulaons of this treaty properly full
fed-requred to dor Was he to fold his arms quietly
and leave these people unprotected without an effort to
secure to them the uflment Of the stpuations OF the
treaty. Was il the duty Of the people OF the Territory e
unprotected BY the neglect Of Congress or was
their right as American citizens, nherng their birth
right the great principles OF liberty for which theii
fathers had contended through the war OF the revolution
government which Congress had refused TO provide oi
themi Were they not right when, under these crcum-
stances they applied 70 the only representative OF the
sovereign power OF this government who was among
them and was he not bound TO yield his assent, he
did to their request Il was their right Allegiance and
day ppps ee d
that those people were provided with government ade-
quate to their protection !,
Mr. BORLAND, Cnterposingo Mr. President, VIII
the senator permit me to ask him single question ito
ask him If he did not himself refuse to for giving
government to California ,if he did refuse to
Tor measure which he said was indispensaby neces-
Mr. BALDWIN. The question, Mr. President, as re-
CARDS my vote at the last session OF Congress- is
ItnIIcly HIctvdlt " TIC PIVPUoluOH WuiCu uu HOW
maintaining did vote, sir, against of the PROPOSE
tons to give TO this people government, because
thought that was not such as they ought
to have not such agoyenment as the obligations OF good
faith required us to give them.
When this territory was about to be ceded to the
United States rather during the negotiations with the
earnest desire that the people OF the Territories which
ceded might be protected against the introduction OF
slavery there voted at the last session Of CONGRESS
ernment which was then proposed, because was unwi
ling that the existing laws Of Mexico, which prohibited
should s abolished Oy was
did contain provision to them that protection
which they had desired SO earnestly to make condition
Of the cesson But, sir, myself introduced to the
sdeaion Of this body proposition to extend to this
people the benefits of their existing laws, and add to
them the privilege of the trial by jury and the writ of a
in my judgment, TO be entitled government, sir, can
acquire dominion and refuse to exercise it for the proec
ton of people situated like these, wthoutgivng to that
people the right TO provide for their own protection You
may call it revolutoa, sir or by any other name but il
has origin and its defence natural right rests
npon the principle upon which all free government is
basedupon the inherent right OF every and OF every
community to provide for its own preservation.
This people, thus driven by necessity TO the formation
of government have shown, by the wisdom which dis
ngushed the action OF their their capacity Tor
sell government This. sir, will not be denied by any
one who has read the proceedings Of that body Andf
they have proved this. they have proved right to
here they have done, and ask OF to say, the
ercise OF enlightened Judgment whether the proper
time has not arrived for their admission into the Union
as one of the States and If So require to fulfil the
Obligations Of The treaty and the assurances that were
given by Mr., Buchanan and by the American commits
soners TO the Mexican government after the ratification
of the treaty by the Senate What were those
ances Mr. Buchanan in commenting the 9th article
OF the treaty altered by the Senate, in his letter ad
dressed to the Minister Of Foreign Relations OF the Mex
lean government, on the 18th OF March, ls4s, said:
Congress under all the circumstances, and under the
treaties, the sole judges OF this proper tme because
they. and they alone under the federal have
always this power the condition Of the
inhabitants acquired territory render proper
be relieved from the expense Of supporting
orial governments. Besides Congress will
government Their desire become Of States of
h. Union will be granted the moment il can be done with
safety"
This sir, was what the Mexican government were
od after the Senate had made their alterations in the
9th article in the treaty, was the true construction OF
the language they had introduced II after the
cepton OF this letter. giving the construction of our own
government in regard to this and other alterations that
made, that the Mexican government acted in the
ratification OF the treaty. Are we not them bound by tf
Ii has been said that they have done revolutionary
in the formation Of their government Why sir, they
have done act against the sovereignty OF this
ment. They have not opposed dominion they have
not set up for themselves independent government
What they have DONE they have done with the coopera
ton OF the only representative OF our government on the
spot, who knew and felt the necessities oil that people,
and which, in his Judgment required them 10 act precise
y they did act Whatever they have done, they have
done acknowledgment o cur right 10 the exercise oil
dominion and in pursuance OF then desire 10 avail them
selves of the provisions OF treaty by which they
entitled to become incorporated into our Union. And, SIR,
if they had said nothing OF this kind, they would only
have followed the examples them by the ancestors Of
many of them more than two hundred years ago The
coonsts OF Connecticut met in January, 163g-hndng
themselves out OF the limits OF Massachusetts, and OF
every other ursdicton--and formed plan OF govern
meni, under which they agreed 10 live-a system OF
government which, with few exceptions, in all lis great
principles for the security OF liberty and human
rights Tor the advancement OF education, Tor the
promotion OF all the objects Of wise and good govern
ment remained substantially the government OF that State
for period OF two hundred years That government
thus formed by about eight hundred individuals who
had come 10 that remote region TO form settlement,
without the consent OF the British crown, without a
charter and with no title TO the land except such
they fairly purchased from the aboriginal inhabitants
Il remains proud monument OF their wisdom, and fur
nshes enduring evidence OF their recognition and adop
ton, that early period, OF The great principles OF human
liberty So the colony Of New Haven then separate
colony, having no connexion with Connecticut, but
which afterwards united with II under the charter Of
Charles the Sscondthey too, under the auspices OF their
distn3 3ushed leaders, John Davenport and Governor
Eaton, the head OF colony OF emigrants from the city
OF London, Of intelligence, OF education, and OF
sound judgment, formed a constitution for themselves
under which they lived in security and happiness
The question: them for Congress TO decide Isl not whether
IL is strictly regular Tor California 10 form constitution
and demand admission legal right into this Union
right perfect and absolute is, whether, when they
have framed constitution and applied Congress, and
arsen--whether, under these circumstances, will not
receive them although there may have been rregu
lary in their incipent proceedings, whether will
overlook that rregularty in the oil California