Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-03-30

they may think best calculated their liberty
pery and happiness and conformity thereto, no other
condition is imposed by the Federal Constitution on State
in order admitted this Union, except that its eonst-
tuition shall be republican; and that the imposition OF any
other by Congress would not only be in violation oil the const
uton but in direct conflict with the principle on winch our
political sy stem rests"
President Polk in his annual message dated December D.
ls4s, the following language
"The question believed be rather abstract than prac-
ca whether slavery would exist IN any portion
of the acquired territory it left TO the option OF
the savehong States themselves. From the nature OF the
climate and productions much the larger portion it
certain that could exist and III the remainder the
probabilities are ii would not . ....
But however this may be, the question: involving it
does aprncpe of equality rights OF the separate and
raj States equal coparners the conedeaey should not
be disregarded.
ain organizing governments these Territories,
duty imposed on Congress by the constitution requires that
they should egsate the subject OF slavery while their
power to do so is not only seriously but denied BY
many of the soundes expounders OF that instrument.
Wheher Congress shall legate not the people of the
acquired Territories when assembled in convention to form
State constitutions, will the sole and exclusive power
dete mine for themselves whether slavery shall shall not
exist within their limits"
The pc pile Of California therefore, acting in conformity
with the views thus expressed aud what seemed to be the
generally admitted opinion in the Staie had to
suppose and did suppose that by forming constitution for
themselves and deciding this question IN accordance with
their views and interests they would be received with
open arms by all parties. mus
In taking this step they proceeded with oil the regularity
which has ever characterized the American people in dis
charging the great and important duties Of government
As already stated, arrived at San Francisco the
ing of the 4th Of June.
The steamer in which passenger did not stop at
Monterey therefore did Gen. Riley, had any
communication with him until about the middle OF the month";
when he to San Francisco. few days after my
rival his proclamation calling Convention form State
constitution, datedhe third Of June, was received
The people acted in compliance with what they believed to
be the views of Congress- and confomaby to the
datons of the proclamation and proceeded the day APP
pointed to elect members to convention for the purpose Of
forming constitution to be regularly submitted to the people
for their ratification rejection, and, approved be pre-
sened to Congress- with prayer for the admission of Cali
forna State, into the Unon
desire here TO make brief and emphatic reply to the
various unjust and most extraordinary accusations and insnu
atoms which have been made respecting the of the
people Of California in forming their State Government
had no secret instructions, verbal written, from the
Predn any else, what say the people Of Cali
fornla on the subject of slavery bined
minated to that expected to attempt influence
their action in the slightest degree that subject That
never did, the people Of California will bear witness In
that Territory there of the machinery Of party
of the press and absurd 10 suppose that any
secret Influences for against slavery could have been used
there than would be believe that they could be
fully employed in Maryland 'or Georgia.
therefore declare all and nsinu ATOMS that was
secretly instructed to, or that did in any way, attempt to in
iuence the people of California exclude slavery from their
Territory, to be without foundation.
The election OF delegates TO the convention proceeded
ary In pursuance OF the proposed mode of holding it, and
as far as am informed, questions asked whether
candidate Wing Democrat, or whether he was
from the Moth the South. The only object seemed to be,
10 find competent men who willing make the sacrifice
Of time which proper discharge of their duties would require
As after my arrival at San Francisco the arrange
nents of General Smith would permit proceeded with him
to the interior OF the country for the purpose of examining
the gold region and other interesting and important portions
of it. did not return until the 18th of August The ell c.
tons had taken place when was in the mountains.
IL, kagl
my bed and my than two months The
met the lst of September So it will be
seen that not present where any election was held,
nor had any thing to do with selecting bringing
ddaes and my illness is sufficient proof that did not and
could not had been disposed, any influence in the
Convention, which sitting hundred thirty miles
from where was. "... =. .>
Some ntimaons assertions, as am inform d. have been
thrown out that the South not fairly represented the
Convention. am told by two of the members Of Congress
elect from California, who members Of the Convention
that of the thirty delegates designated in Genara Ri
leys proclamation, sixteen from slaveholding ten from
the nsaveholdng States, and eleven were citizens of
California under The Mexican Government; and that ten Of
those eleven from districts below $50 3V So that there
were in the Convention twenty six OF the thirty
beers from the savehodng States and from places south of
the Missouri compromise line.
appears the journal Of the Convention that the clause
in the constitution excluding slavery passed unanimously
now proceed 10 give you the result .of nv INQUIRIES OBJ
servaon and reflections, respecting the population climate,
SOIL producionsheg general character of grants Of land from
Mexco-he extent and condition Of the public doman-the
commercial resources and prospects-he mineral metallic
wealth Of California ....
Population.
Humboldt, in bis Essay New Spain, the popu-
lation of Upper California in 1902 have consisted Of
converted Indians. is, 562
oher Glasses ....................l 800
1852
Alexander Forbes, in his history of Upper and Lower Cali
torna published in London in 1885, states the number of
converted Indians in the former to have been,
In 1881. ....................lS Is, 6S3
VI all other classes, ...................4,342
23,O25
He expresses the opinion that this number had not varied
much up to 1885, and the probability is there very little
increase in the white population until the emigrans from the
United States began to enter the country in 1888.
they increased from year to year. that in 1886 Colonel
Fremont had little difficulty in calling his standard some
five hundred fighting men.
At the close of the with Mexico was supposed that
there were, including discharged volunteers from ten to M
teen thousand Americans and Caonians exclusive of con-
vented Indians, in the Territory The immigration of Ame-
rcsn citizens in ls49 to the st of January last was es
mated at eighty thousand of the foreigners twenty thousand
The population Of California may therefore be safely set
down at 900 at the of the presen, year
II quite impossible to form any thing like an accurate
estimate of the number of Indians in the Territory Since
the of the and especially since the dis
covery of gold in The mountains their numbers the mis-
sions and in the valleys the coast very much d.
mnished In fact the whole be rapidly dap
pearing ,..
The remains OF vast number of villages in all the valleys
of the Sierra Nevada and among the foot hills that range
of mountains show that distant day there must have
been numerous population where there not Indian