The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-02-01
Chr Daily Crestent.
NEW0RLEAN
So tF y
FRIDAY MORNIG. FEBRUARY 4, 1850.
CALIFORNIA; Mesags---Mr. Kings Ina

-
CALIFORNIA; Mesage---Mr. Kings aIn-
tructions.
We publish beloy the Presidents message in re.
gard to Calforniamatters and the letter Of in
struetions from MrClayton 10 Mr.. + Butler King,
WsmiNeToN. January 81, 1850.
To Tie House of RsrcseRtattres of the Uaited Sfdcs
l transmit TO fe House OF Representatives., IN
answer 10 resolution Of that body, passed on tile
3lst of Decemberast, the accompanying reports Of
heads Of Departments, which contain s'l the ofii-
cial information the possession Of the Executive
asked for by the Bsolution.
On coming inp office found ihe military com
mandant ofihe department. Of California exercising
the functions Of sivil governor in that Territory;
and FELT as waste act under the treaty OF Guada-
luL Hidaigo wihout the aid Of any legislative pro-
vision in establishing government in that Terri
tory thought il best not to disturb that arrange
ment made und,r my predecessor, until Congress
should take SOM action on that subject there
.Ore did not inlslere with the powets Of the mill
tary eommandaH, who continued 10 exercise the
functions OF cvi governor es before, but made
snch appeintmeli, conferred no such authority, and
have allowed 10 increas ed CONF spsation 10 the
cOmmaTEtant 70 Ills services. M Z
With view 70 the faithful execution ofilse trea-
~, so far es lay in The ,wer OF the Executive, and
to enable Congress TO act the present SESSION with
rs full knowledge and as little difficulty possible
all maiters Of interest in these Territories, sent
the Hon. Tholss Butler King RS bearer OF dis
patches 10 California, and certain officers % Cali
lornia and New Mexico, whose duties are -Itcu.
larly defined the accompanying letter. OF instrnc-
ion idressed to them severally by the proper de-
parlment
I did not hesitate to express 10 the people of those
Territories my desire that each Territory should, il
prer 1red 10 comply with the requlsiions Of the Con
stution Of the United St1ias, form plan OF STATE
Constitution, and snbmit the 10 Congress, with
a prayer for admission into The Union as State /;
butt did not antieirie suggest, or authot ze the
establishment Of any such government without the
assent Of Congress; nor did authorize any gov.
elnment officer or agent 10 Interfere VIII or exer.
eiss Pny influence or control over the elec.ion Of
deegaies, or over any Dyeonvention, in making or
modifying their domestic institutions, or any Of te
provisions of their pfoI 1sed Constitution. On the
contrary, the Instructions given by my orde. were,
that ell measures of domestic policy adop'd by the
sople of California, must originate solely with
themselves that while the Executive of the Unued
States was desirous 70 protect them in the forma-
ton OF any government republican in lis character
to b at the proper time submitted TO Congress- YET
it was 10 he distinctly Hndefstood that The plan Of
such a goxetnnlent must al The, same ine be The
result of their own deliberaie chOiee and originate
with ihemseives, without the interference OF lhs
Executive. siass ges4-s
lam unable to kive any information as 10 lawi
passed by any suPpoccd government in. California
or Of any census taken in either of the Ferriioiie
mentioned in tie resolution, ss 1 have no informa
ton on lhose subjects, SO Is
| As already stared, have not disturbed the ar
| rangemenls which found had existed under mi
| prldeces-Or or.
| In advising an early application by lhe people o
these Territories for admission as Siates, was ae
uaied principally by earnest desire 10 afford Il
the wisdom and patriotism Of Congress the opportu
nifty OF avoiding occasions Of bitter and angry dis
sensions among the Ieope Of the United States.
Under the Constitution every State has the RICH
OF establishing, and from time to time altering, i
NrFarr fraFr.a l..-
DENLY OF every other State and Of tile General Gov
ernment, subject only to the prohibitions and guar
anfees expressly set forth in the Consultation of ih
United States. The subjects thus left excIusive
TO the respective States were moi Designed or ex
Pecled to become topics of national q gtaten Sill
as under the Constitution, Congress has the powe
10 make all needlul rules and regulations respeetin,
the Territories of the United States every ne W a {.
QUESTION Of Territory has led discussions on tn,
question whstller the system of Involuntary servi
tude which prevails in many of the Sates shoulC
or should not be prohibited in that Territory The
periods af excitement from this catse which have
heretofore occurred have been safely passed bu
during the interval of whatever length which ma,
eialse before the admission of The Territories cedet
| by Mexico as States, it appears probable that sim
lar excitement will prevail TO an undue extent. 2
| Under these circumstances | thought, and still
think, that it was my duty TO endeavor to put il il
the power of Congress, by the admission Of Calior
| MIA and New Mexico as States, to remove all ocea
sion for the unnecessary agitation of the publ,
| mind. 80.
| 1t is understood that the people of the western
part Of California have formed plan of State Con
sttution and will submit the same to the judg
ment OF Congress, and apply for admission as
State. This on their part, though in accord
anee with, was not adopted exclusely in conse
| quence oil any expression of my wishes, inasmucl
as measures tending to this end had been promoted
| by the officers sent there by my predecessor, ant
were already in active progress Of execution beior,
any communication from me reached California. |
/ the proposed constitution shall when submitted t,
Congress, be found to be in compliance with the
questions OF the Constitution Of the United States
| earnestly recommend that it may receive III,
sanction of Congress.
The part Of California not included in the pro
posed Stateof that is believed to be unihhab
ited, except in a settlement Of countrymen il
| the,yicinty Of Salt Lake.
| A claim has been advanced by the State Of Texai
to very large portion Of the most populous dslric
| OF the Territory commonly designated by the nam,
| of New Mexico. If the people Of New Mexico hat
/ formed plan of aState Government for that Ter
rltory as ced-d by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidago
| and had been admitted by Congress asa State, ou
i Constitution would have afforded The means OF oh
tanning an adjustment Of the question Of boundar!
with Texas by judicial decision. Atpresent, how
ever, Judicial tribunal has the power OF deciding
that question: and it remains for Congress 10 devils
some mode for its adjustment. Meanwhile ! sub
init to Congress the question, whether 1T would b
expedent before such adjustment TO establish ter
ritofial government which, by including the dstrc
so claimed, would practically decide the question ad
] versey to the State of Texas, or, by excluding il
would decide it in her favor. In my opinion such
course would not be expedient, especially tn
people of this Territory still enjoy the benefit an
protection Of their municipal laws, originally de
rived from Mexico, and have military force sta
toned there to protect them against the Indians
| Il is undoubtedly true that the property, lives, lib
| critics, and religion Of the people Of New Mexico
are better protected than they were before tn
treaty of cession,
Should Congress, when California shall presen
herself for Incorporation into the Union, annex
condition to her admission State, affecting he
domestic institutions, contrary to the wishes Of he
people, and even compel her temporarily to eompl
with it. yet the State could change her Constitute
! at any time after admission, when to her it shoul
seem expedient. Any attempt to deny to the peopl
Of the State the right Of selEgovernment in ma
ter which peculiarly affects themselves, viii infa
libly be regarded by them an invasion Of the
i rights and upon the principles laid down in OF
own Declaration. OF Independence, they viii ce
tainly be sustained by the great mass Of the Anne
ioan, people. To assert that they are conquere
people, and must, as a State, submit TO the will
their conquerors, in this regard, will met with
cordial response among American freemen. Gre
numbers OF them are native citizens of the Unite