Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-06-06

*APPENDIx, containing quotations from the report Of
The debates in the California Conuention
ON THE BOUNDARIES OF CALIFORNIA.
Mr. GwIN said page 1876 of the report of debates ,
| eff | understand the gentleman from Sonoma, (Mr
Semple0 he stated this morning that if establish no
boundaries Congress will be forced to admit with the
boundaries we have. l cannot admit the argu-
ment. do not look upon it, that if we were to send
constitution Congress- they forced 10 give
all OF the boundary that we have described or that they
are forced to give ito US II we DO not describe IT.
think gentlemen are aboring under eat mistake In
regard to the power OF Congress this subject, when
they assume that if we pronounce certain line as the
boundary OF California, it shall be the boundary, not
wlthstanding any objection OF Congress. have not
the emoes idea that the Congress of the United States
would give this great extent of boundary it ex-
pected that it should remain one State. And when gen.
emen say that they will give up inch of the
Pacific coast they say what they cannot carry out. So
far as am concerned, should like to see six States
fronting on the Pacific, in California. want the add
tona power in the Congress of the United States of
twelve Senators instead Of four for it notorious sir
that the State of Delaware, smaller than smallest
district has much power In the Senate the great
State of New York. L is not the passage Of a bill
through the House of Representatives that makes a
law that bill has to go through the Senate, and in that
body the State of Delaware has as much power the
State OF New York And the past history OF our coun-
try sir, develops the fact that we will have State upon
State here-probably many CD the Atlantic side
and as We accumulate States accumulate strength
our institutions become powerful to do good and
and not to do evil. | have doubt the time will come
when will have twenty States this side of the Rocky
Mountains. want the power sir, and the population
When the population comes, they will require that this
| State shall be divided"
As evidence that the inhabitants residing south of the
parallel of 36 deg 30 min. preferred Territorial form
of Government, the same gentleman MIR. Gwin) held
! the following language, page 1875:
| Sir, are we not here forcing State Government
upon portion OF the people OF California; whose dele
gates have by their recorded stated the fact that
their constituents are unanimously against State Gov
eminent and in favor of territorial organization! Do
you expect and require that they shall sustain this
| Government and become part OF it Ii not let us
require their delegates retire from this Convention,
apply to Congress for Territorial Government, and
exclude them from State boundary. Gentlemen
affect to believe that in taking large extent of ter
rtory not represented here, and from which oppos
ton to act on has become known to US, do
ing great act OF injustice to those people, when,
the same moment have here before the direct pro-
test against State Government OF portion of the in
habltants of this territory who represented. But do
we sop-do we refrain from committing this act of in
justice No. sir; we go on and include them; we never
think Of excluding them. They bear the expense of
State Government, while they prefer Territorial Gov
eminent; but rather than submit to separate organ
cation, the risk OF getting Government at all,
they waive their objection and act with U.S."
And again, page 1877:
"The proviso of the gentleman from Monterey (Mr
Haeck) added at his suggestion. prefer sending
my proposition as offered it. We should not mutilate
constitution this subject We send it to great
Power Gentlemen deny the right of Congress to in
ertere with the subject OF limits If Congress has
not the power to designate what shall be- why do
send constitution there !! | was opposed to any
other boundary but that OF California as recognised by
the Governments of the United States and Mexico for
another reason and consider it very important one
that if we leave portion OF territory out, we would
cessarily open question which we here should net in
terere with. We all know what 36 deg. 80 min is
is the great bone OF contention North of tha there
is contest. South oft there is contest. Il gentle
men will look where this line strikes the Pacific they
will see that not solitary vote was cast by delegate
this Convention south OF that line act
against State Government. The representatives here
from that region are unanimous in their votes against
the establishment OF State Government. live include
the territory these delegates represent the coast why
exclude the barren waste beyond where white man
lives! We take away the substance and leave the sha-
dow Let us take the whole territory or stop at that
line. Ii we stop at that line, mutilate the Conven-
| ton by excluding the members south of it."
Page 1874. Mr.. Semple, the President of the Conven-
ton, said:
81 feel under some obligation to repeat converse
ton which has direct bearing upon this matter There
is distinguished member of Congress who holds his
seat from of the States of the Union, in Cali
torna With desire to obtain all the information pos
sole IN relation to the state OF things on the other side
OF the mountains asked him what the desire OF the
people in Congress observed to him that it was not
the desire OF the people of California to take larger
boundary than the Sierra Nevada and that would
prefer not embracing within limits this desert waste
to the east His reply For Gods sake leave us
no territory to egsate upon in Congress- He went on
10 state then that the great object in our formation of
otdtc oOVeIHileul was 10 dVolu lepSatlOn.-
There would be no question as to our admission by
adopting this course and that all subjects of minor inn
portance could afterwards be settled. think it my duty
to impar this information TO the Convention. The
conversation took place between Mr.. Thomas Butler
King and myself"
Value of Slapes in California
Some idea may be formed of what the value of slaves
would be in California, if permitted to be taken there
from what follows. page 1877:
"Mr. McCarver then moved the following section
39. The Legislature shall at its first session. pass
such laws as will eteoually prohibit free persons of
color from immgratng to and settling in this State and
to etfecuay prevent the of slaves from bring
ing them into this State for the purpose of setting them
free"
Mr.. McCarver. This is the article which offered
to the House some time ago Withdrew it at the sug
gestlon OF several gentlemen who thought it would be
more appropriate In another part OF the constitution
=, have no doubt, sir, that every member of this
House aware OF the dangerous position in which this
country IS placed owing to the inducements existing here
tor shareholders to bring their slaves to California and
set them free. am myself acquainted with number
OF individual who, am informed, are preparing
to bring their slaves here upon ndenures and set them
free. hold it be correct doctrine, sir, that every
State has right protect itself against an evil SO enor
nous as this.''
Again, the same gentleman page 80:
" Let us look at the inducements, and see whether
these fears are without foundation let see what is
the probable value OF an able-boded negro man in the
Southern States-they hire there at from sixty to one
hundred dollars year Suppose you pay 500 to get
sci on COuUltlOn that he shall
serve you for year. He produces, according to the
ordinary rates in the mines, from two to six thousand
dollars. There are many of Southern friends who
would be glad to set their negroes free and bring them
here if they produced only half of that amount, When
the terms Of the contract have expired what would
these slaves do? They would become burden on the
community. And can assure you, sir thousands will
be introduced into this country before long if you do
not insert positive prohibition against them in your
oonstution-an immense and overwhelming popula-
ton of negroes, who have never been freemen who
have been accustomed to provide for themselves
And in like terms, page l9o, Mr., MeDougal said
Gentlemen have risen on this floor and stated that
they had received letters from the South and that they
knew OF many others who want TO bring their slaves |
here and work them for short period in the mines and
then emancipate them If this constitution is thrown
back upon US for reconsideration it leaves them the OPP
portunity of bringing their slaves here. 1t what they
desire to do to create some strongly Objectionable tea
ture in the constitution in order that they may bring
their slaves here and work them three months They
will even then get than they get for them in
the States Hook upon that the result if we send our