The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-01-29

the United States, | earnestly recommend
that it may receive the sanction of Congress.
The part OF California not included in
the proposed state of that name is believed
TO be uninhabited, except settlement Of our
countrymen in the vicinity of Salt Lake.
A claim has been advanced by the state
OF Texas to very large portion of the most
populous district of the territory, commonly
designated by the name of New Mexico. Ii
the people of New Mexico had formed a
plan OF state government for that territory,
as coded by tie treaty of Guadalupe Hidal-
60, and had been admitted by Congress as a
state, our constitution would have afforded
the means Of obtaining an adjustment Of the
question of boundary with Texas by judi
cal decision.
AT present, however, no judicial tribunal
has the power of deciding that question, and
II remains for Congress to devise some mode
Tor It's adjustment. Meanwhile | submit to
Congress the question whether it would be
etxpedient' before such adjustment, TO estab-
llsh territorial government which, by in
GLIDING the district so claimed, would prac.
ucally decide the question adverse to the
state OF Texas-eXcluding it would decide
1t IN her favor. In my opinion such a course
would not be expedient, especially as the
people of this territory still enjoy the ben
eht and protection of their municipal laws
originally derived from Mexico, and have Il
military force stationed there TO protect them
against the Indians.
1t is undoubtedly true that the property
lives, liberty and religion of the people Of
New Mexico are better protected than they
ever were before the treaty of cession-
Should Congress, when California shall pre-.
sent herself for an incorporation into the Tn.
ion, annex a condition to her admission as 9
state, affecting her domestic institutions con
trary to the wishes of her people, and even
compel her temporarily to comply with it
yet the state could change her constitution
at any time after admission, when to her il
should seem expediont.
As is TO be expected, any attempt TO denv tc
the people or the state the rights of self gov
: eminent, in a matter which peculiarly affect,
themselves, will iniallibly he regarded by them
as an invasion of their right, and upon til,
principle laid down in our own Declaration o
Independence, they will certainly be sustained
in their resistance against it by the great mas
OF American people. To assert that they ar,
a conquered people and must submit to the viii
Of the conquerors in this regard will meet will
no cordial response among American frecmen
Great numbers of them are our own country
men, not inferior to the rest in intelligence anl
patriotism and no language of menace to re
strain them in the exercise of an undouttet
, right, substantially guaranteed to them by tn
treaty of ceSsion ITSELF shall ever be uttered b,
me or encouraged and sustained by person
acting under authority.
1t is to be expected that in the residue Of tn
territory coded to us by Mexico the people re
siding there will, at the time of their incorpo
ration into the Union as a state, settle all ques
tons Of domestic policy to suit themselves.
No material inconvenience will result from
the want, for a short period, Of government
established by Congress over that part of tn
territory which lies eastward of the new stat
= Of California; and the reasons for my oplnol
that New Mexico will, at no very distant peri
d,ask for admission into the Union, are fonnd
cd on unofficial information, which / suppos
is common to all who have cared 10 make in
quiries on the subject.
Seeing, then, that the subject which now ex
cites such painful sensations in the country vii
in the end certainly be settled by the silent ef
feet of causes independent of the action @
: Congress, again submit to your wisdom tn
policy recommended in my annual message, &
; awaiting the salutary operation of these cause:
believing that We shall thus avoid the crcatio
| of geographical parties, and secure the harmc
9 ny of feeling so necessary to the beneficial nc
, tions of our political system.
D Connected as the Union is with the rcmem
brance Of past happiness--thc sense of prcscn
blessings and the hope of future peace an
/ prosperity, every dictate Of wisdom every fee
ing Of duty, and every emotion of patriotism
tend to inspire fidelity and devotion to it, an
admonsh us cautiously TO avoid any unncces
r sary controversy which can either endangcr
! or impair its strength, the chief element q
which is to be found in the regard and affcC
ton Of the people for each other.
I ZACHARY TAYLOR.