The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-21
The C.iisorni. Question.

The Calfrornfa Quosuons
If we understand the argument en-
ployed by those gentlemen who were in
favor of the admission of California year
ago, and are now opposed to it, it is, that
there has been an unfair influence exerted
to induce the people of that country to
form a constitution excluding slavery.
They, it seems, are the only Southern
men who can be trusted. There has been
a vile conspiracy to cheat the South in the
formation of the constitution of California.
Let us see how this has been done.
General TAYLOR, Southern man, and
Shareholder, who is said to have large
interests involved in property cultivated
by slave labor, heads the conspiracy. Mr..
CLAYTON, the Secretary of State, who
comes from State which, according to
Mr.. CLINGMAN, is robbed of slaves to the
value of 100000 a year, is his prime
minister in the work. Mr.. REvERDY
JOHNSON, from the slave State of Mary
land, is coadjutor. Mr.. PREsToN, from
the slave State of Virginia, and Mr.. CRAw-
FORD, from the slave State of Georgia,
are deep in the plot. They employ, in
carrying it out, Mr.. I. BUTLER KING, who
has lived in slave State since his major
ity whose family have all been born and
reside in slave State, and all whose pro-
perry and interests connect him with ,
slave State. A convention is held in
which there are sixteen members who
come from the slave States of the Union,
eleven original citizens of California, ten Of
whom are from districts below go 30,
and ten members who have been citizens
of the non-slaveholding States of the
Union. Of the thirty-seven members
thus composing the convention, it is seen
that twenty-six are Southern men and
from territory south of the compromise
line. The convention are unanimously
in favor of the constitution with the ex-
GLIDING clause, which some gentlemen
style the California proviso; and under
this constitution, Mr.. FREMONT, from the
slave State of South Carolina, and Mr..
GwIN, from the slave State of Missis-
sippi, are returned as Senators
And this magic influence is alleged
to have been exercised by Southern men
ouer Southern men, for the very purpose
of wounding the feelings and injuring the
interests of the South A terrific outcry
of conspiracy and usurpation is raised by
Mr.. INGE, and Mr.. STANTON, and Mr..
Brown, as if they were the only trust
worthy guardians of Southern proper
ty and Southern honor We do not know
but that these gentlemen may have as much
personal interest as they seek to exhibit
in the protection of slave property but
when it comes 10 a question of personal
honor, we apprehend that they will hardly
make fairer show of hands than the men
whom they have the impudence to accuse
of tampering with Southern rights and in
terests.
The clamor which is raised against the
admission of California, on these grounds,
comes from the enemies of President
TAYLOR. The question is used as an in
strument of Bitter-endism, to break down
his administration. This the people of
California will understand. They will
know who are their friends and who their
enemies. The result of the struggle will
be to strengthen President TAYLOR, instead
of weakening him. These men know that
there is not the slightest foundation for
the charge that undue inAuence-or that
any influence whatever on the slavery
question-has been exercised over the
people Of California. These men know
that this clamor is false clamor-that
there is no reason or truth in it but il
furnishes an apology for abusing Gene
raj TAYLOR, and may be used to injure
General TAYLOR in the Southern States.
For some uses, falsehood well repeated
is said 10 be as good as the truth. But we
apprehend that this can be said only Of
plausible falsehoods. A silly falsehood,
falsehood which betrays itself-a falsehood
which is on its face Observation-Disclosures
nobody and Injuries nobody.
What Southern gentleman Of any intelli-
gence can believe for moment that ZACH
AIRY TAYLOR has conspired with other emf
nent shareholders to cheat the Southern
States out Of their rights, interests, or
honor
Removals from ONCE.