Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-07-03
Milttar4 Civil Gorernors.


The Wing party made it q prominent cause for
assailing the administration of Mr.. Polk, that
during the war with Mexico, he undertook, with
out any authority of law, to establish civil govern
merits in California and New Mexico. The OBJ
lection was urged with so much srenuousness,
that Mr.. Polk was constrained, in a special mes
sage, to qualify his policy so far as to dsclaim re-
sponsibility for some part of the proceedings of
Gen. Kearny at Santa Fe, and of Commodore
Stockton at Monterey. Still the main fact was
undeniable, that, under instructions from Wash
ington, those officers did set themselves up as
civil governors in the Territories seized by our
troops; and the Wings, in Congress and in the
country, with unanimity condemned this extraor-
binary usurpation of power Gas it was justly
termed) by the Executive branch of the govern
ment. This censure was one of the strongest
points of the opposition, and was pressed with no
small effect upon the public mind. 1t was met,
very unsatisfactory, by the argument that Mr..
Folks justification consisted in the necessity of
the case We remember that Mr.. Seldom, who
then represented the Richmond district, defended
the administration, on the peculiar ground that the
elasticity, which accommodated its powers to all
emergencies, and thus be held that it sanctioned
Mr.. Folks assumption of the civil prerogatve in
the Territories.
Now that the war is ended, the same question per-
sents itself in still more serious aspect Gen. Taylor
has adopted and acted upon the view, that until Con-
gress acts in The premises the Mexican laws not ncon-
sistent with the constitution OF the United States in
force and Of those laws gave civil authority to
the military officer commanding in the province he has
imposed the functions Of governor upon such an officer
in California and New Mexico Under the peculiar
circumstances that existed at the beginning of his adj
observation-disclosures having failed to provide govern
ments for the Terrtoreswe think this course was not
improper. But it was an expedent which ought to have
been merely temporary, and TO have continued only
long Congress should perform its duty of provi-
ding proper Territorial governments. Certainly there
be plausible pretex for adherng to this irregular
system, as to prevent Congress from performing
that duty. Yet this is precisely what the policy
OF the present administration proposes. When Con-
gress in the very act OF attempting to do what it
ought to have done long ago, the Cabinet step ia and
tell those Northern men who disposed to concur in
the effort No, stand by the Presidents plan do not
give the Territories governments Jet the present mill
tary governors remain IN power; this will drive the
people to demand State governments, which will be
tistactory to the North; the South may object, but it
will not rebel receive the States into the Union,
and you make Them all rrevocaby free SOIL you give up
the Wlmot proviso, indeed but you get better equ-
vaen in slavery restriction put into the fundamental
law Of these States if you friends of the admnis-
ration, sustain its policy which is all that your cons
uents demand" The legitimate result of this interie-
renee Of the Executive with the legislation Of Congress
is that only two Wing Senators from the North dare
support the compromise Of the Committee Of Thirteen
and not one assents to the Missouri line and in the
House scheme OF settlement is likely to receive the
votes Of Northern Wing members, except perhaps the
New Yorkcity delegation,
In this critical state Of things not surprised
sec disposition in Congreto inquire into the functons