Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-02-13
The Presidents Messa9e.

'AA>'e'SS VI ieotachb AlylOF, Ill TelltlOn 10 Cal-
lfornia and New Mexico, which the Speaker
laid before the House of Representatives, on
the 21st ultimo: 1898 -.'" .s -'f ~
WASHINGTON, January 2l, 1850.
10 The House Of Representatives. ....s'--... .
)~j Of the United States: a,5 5s,+
! transmit to the House of Representatives
in answer to a resolution Of that body, passed
on the 3lst of December last, the accompany
ing reports Of heads of Departments, which
contain all the official information in the pos
session of the Executive asked for by the reso.
| lution '' =H..a VA" va en1
On coming into office found the military
commandant Of the department of California
exercising the functions of civil governor in that
territory, and left, as was, to act under the
treaty Of Guadalupe Hiaalgo without the aid
Of any Legislative provision establishing gov
ernment in that territory, l thought it best not
| to disturb that arrangement, made under MY
predecessor, until Congress should take some
action on that subject. therefore did not in-
terfere with the powers of the military COM
mandant, who continued to exercise the func-
| tons of civil governor as before; but made no
| such appointment, conferred no such authority,
and have allowed no increased compensation
to the commandant for his services.
With view to the faithful execution of the
treaty. so far as lay in the power of the Execu-
tive, and to enable Congress to act at the pre-
sent session, with as full knowledge and at lit
tie difficulty as possible on all matters Of in
terest in these territories i sent the Hon. Thorn
as Butler King as bearer of dispatches to Cali
fornia and certain officers to California and New
Mexico, whose duties are particularly defined 10
1ok%
sed to them severally by the proper depart
ments. as93 szsf+f eg ssaa "a ~ ,>seF"a
Idid not hesitate to express to the people of
those territories my desire that each territory
should, if prepared to comply with the requisi-
tions of the constitution of the United States,
form plan of a state constitution, and submit
the same to Congress, with prayer for admis-
sion into the Union as a state, but did not an
ticipate suggest, or authorize, the establishment
OF any such. government without the assent of
Congress, nor did authorize any government
agent or officer to interfere with or exercise any
influence or control over the election of dele
gates, or over any convention, in makingur mo-
difying their domestic institutions, or any of
the provisions oftheir proposed constitution
On the contrary, the Instructions given by my
orders were that measures of domestic policy
adopted by the people Of California, must orr
ginate solely with themselves; that while the
executive of the United States was desirous to
protect them in the formation Of any govern,
ment republican in its character, to be at the
proper time submitted to Congress, yet it was
to be distinctly understood that the plan of such
government, must at the same time be the re-
suit of their own deliberate choice and originate
with themselves, without the interference Of the
Executive. ga4gss,H3 sf ssa 5Haaa7sla7ss.
l am unable to give any information as to
laws passed by any supposed government in
California, or of any census taken in either Of
the territories mentioned in the reaplation, as
have no information on those subjects. sgs5$$g
As already stated, have not disturbed the
arrangements which found had existed under
my predecessor. = ~
In advising an early application by the people
of these territories for admission as states,
was 1actuated by an earnest desire to afford to-
the wisdom and patriotism Of Congress the
opportunity of avoiding occasions Of bitter and
angry dissensions among the people Of the Uni
| ted States 3#i 15 81 7'Rti'E7iS' e sao i-it ssii
Under the constitution, every state has the
right of establishing, and from time to time, al
tering its municipal laws und domestic institu-
tons, independently Of every other State and
Of the general government, subject only to the
prohibit and guaranteese expressly yset forthin
the constitution of the United States. The sub
jects thus left exclusively to the respective
states, were not designed OF expected to become
topics of national agitation Still, a. under the
constitution, Congress has power to make all
needful rules and regulations respecting the ter
ritories ofthe United States, every new acquisi-
tionsof territory has led to discussions on the
question, whether the system Of involuntary
-