The North-Carolina standard., 1850-02-20


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I, NORTH CAROLINA WE
assent of Congress, nor did authorize any Govern
ment agent officer to interfere with exercise any
influence control over the election of delegates
over any convention, il making modifying thei
proposed constitution. On the contrary, the nstrue
tions given by my orders were, that all measures o.
domestic policy adopted by the people Of Caliornis
must originate solely with themselves that while
the Executive Of the United States was desrous tt
protect them in the formation Of any government, re
publican in it's character, to be at the proper time
submitted to Congress, yet it was to be disntly
derstood that the plan of such government must al
the same time be the result of their own deliberate
choice, and originate with themselves, without the
interference of the Executive" ...-.~ -,
add paragraph from the despatch of the com
mander Of the Pacific station, to show, that while
General Riley, governor, was contemplating SINH
lar movements, Mr.. King arrived before they had
been acted on in time have arrested thenl and tha
il was matter of congratulation that the Adminisra
ton had approved of them by anticipation: NJ
''The steamer Edith has been sent to Mazatlan fol
the necessary intelligence, and, on her arrival with
information that other than revenue law had been
passed, General Riley issued proclamation for the
election of the necessary executive and judicial Off.
GERS under the existing laws, and recommending al
the same time, the election of delegates to conyen
ton to form State constitution MI. King arrived
at the time these proclamatons about being is.
sued and it was matter Of great congatulation that
the Government by anticipation, had approved Of the
latter measure. Every means will be used to give
the people of California an opportunity of expressing
their wishes this point and Of bringing the mat
ters to happy conclusion -. ....,,- .
Also, brief extract from subsequent dispatch Of
the present Secretary of War to General Riley. dis
tnctly recognizing and approving his proclamation,
and the steps taken by him to effect an organization
of State government ,.-s
War DEPARTMENT., August 81, ls45.
- SO, ExTRAcT.1
In view of the exercise Of the most important po-
ltcal right which appertans to the people of Cali
fornai-that of forming constitution and asking ad-
mission into the Union of these Sates-this Depart
ment has watched with great care and solicitude the
steps already taken to effect these objects Regard
ing your proclamation of the 3d June last as notice
intended in part to render popular action uniform in
respect to the desired organization into more perfect
government, it is seen, with great satisfaction, that
your proposition had been accepted with great cheer
uness and alacrity, except in few instances where
it is supposed selfish and unpatriotic motives pre-
vailed.
GEO. W. CRAWFORD, Secretary Of Wa.
Brevet Brig. Gen. RILEY, Monterey, California.
have itaicised few sentences to attract more
particular attention to them. In other respects, they
are transcripts strictly. ...... ...
They exhibit, as i contend, MI. Speaker, uncon-
stitutona action and gross usurpation, the part
of the Executive. of both judicial and Legislative
powers. Unless l greatly err in construction, the
evidence of the former will be found in the second
paragraph of the first extract from the letter to Mr..
King, and in matter most seriously to prejudice the
Just rights Of the South. 1t is well known to the
country that of the gravest matters in controver
sy between the North and the South, in relation to
new acquisitions, is, how far the Mexican laws
regulating the relations Of persons, continued and
avail to preclude the relation of master and slave, af
ter they became territories of the United States and
whether the Constitution of the United States, and
the new relations subssting between such territories
and this Conederacy, composed in half Of savehold-
ing States, did override and abrogate all Mexican
laws abolishng interfering with that relation. The
South has always contended, and deemed the mat
ter Of the highest moment. Her most eminent states
men and ursts have sustained and justified the opin-
on This very matter constituted the subject Of the
memorable compromise, known by the name of the
author of these very instructions, which was devised
for the sole purpose of testing this question before
the highest udicaure Of the land and after rece wing
the sanction Of the Senate was, from peculiar caus-
es, defeated in this House. The nature and import
of this question must have been fresh in mind, and
fully understood by the Secretary Of State. 1t was
emphatcally judicial question to determine wheth-
the laws of Mexico regulating the relations Of per-
sons, continued and prevailed in California, and be-
longed, until the legislation of Congress afforded ap'
peal to the Supreme Court, appropriately and exclu-
sively to the judiciary (such as it might be) of the
de facto government in California. Yet this whole
question is summary determined by the fiat of the
Executive, 'sthat the eristing ars regulating the
Laions Of people tcith each other vi continue, unit
Others, 'a,yfuy ennced shall supersede them" There
is the slightest reference to the possible effect o
the Constitution the supreme law, of the rights
vested in the States Of the Conederacy, Of which the
institutions of one halfwere directly affected, in mod
flying or overruling their operation. There is only
in immediate connecticut would trust from no sin
lister motive, bntcertanly suspiciouslya significant
be invoked in aid Of the friends of order and good
government, that is is fairly to be presumed, as
thus understood and prescribed by the Executive
When the imperfect natore of the jndicature Of the
de aeo government is considered, and the character
and limited knowledge Of the alcades and Judges
(many Of them Mexicans unacquinted with our in
stutions, and accustomed yield implicit Difference
the Executive willy reflected on, is it not ap
parent of what controlling weight and dangerous ten
dency must have been this unqualified opinion of the
President! 1t cast his whole weight against thu
rights of the STAKEHOLDER, and eectualy settled dur
ing the existence Of the de faeto government, th.
purely judicial controversy against and
shall have occasion to refer to the effect of this
again. For the present, pass on. ,.... -.... -.
/ come now, Mr.. Speaker, to the main feature o
unconstitutional usurpaton in the action of the Exc
cutive clear that the administration desired,
expressed to the people of California the desire, tina
ITO illustrate the tendencies of this message, and h
manner in which they viewed by the Free Soil sup
porters of the Administrations two extracts from
the New York Tribune of the ablest well tn
most extensively circulated journals at the north
reference to the recommendation of message 1t says
We are resgnedto see the Wiimot proviso again ant
Il Shn tnrsn~