The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-15
Vol. L..

government has existed here save that control
led by the senior military or naval officer and no
civil officers exist in the country save the acades
appointed or confirmed by myself To throw
off upon them or the people at large the civil
management and control OF the country would
most probably lead to endless confusion, if not
to absolute anarchy, and yer ichat right or author
ity hare 1 10 exercise ciDl control IN a time Of
peace an a territory of the United States"
The next official document emanating from
the late administration is the letter of Mr.. Blu
chanan of the eth of October, lS4S to Mr.. Vor-
HES, special agent sent to California. In this
letter Dir. Buchanan remarks, :" The President
deeply regrets that Congress- did not at their
last session establish territorial government
for California 4 \ He is firmly
convinced that Congress feels a deep interest in
the welfare OF California, ard its people and will
at an early period OF the next session provide
for them territorial !goEen,nem suited TO their
wants = - @The
President urgently people Of taii-
fornia to live peaceably under the existing gov
eminent" Similar language is used by Mr..
Marcy in his letter to General Mason of the 9th
of October, lS48. After referring to the views
Of the President in relation to the civil govern
ment of California, as set forth in the letter of
Mr.. Buchanan to Mr.. Vorhies, Mr.. Marcy
proceeds to say, The government de fdctO will
continue with the presumed consent OF the peo-
pie, until Congress- which has full and exclusive
poioer under the constitution to organize gov
ernments for territories, shall provide a govern
ment for them X x r. y No
doubt upon such assurances of the people will
remain quiet under the existing state of things,
until the proper authority shall have time to in
terpose, and provide them with a new civil Or
ganization, securing to them the advantages Ola
liberal territorial government ..rr.. ..
Such, MIR. Chairman, is all the evidence which
has been furnished us in relation to the course
pursued by the late adminstra ton respecting
the establishment of /; government in California.
And appeal with confidence to the candid judg-
ment of every man, whether any thing can be
extorted from this evidence, to show that the
administration of Mr. Polk is in any degree re-
sponsible for the recent extraordinary proceed
ngs which have taken place in the Territory.
General Mason asks emphatically, What
right or authority have | to exercise civil con-
troll in time Of peace in Territory Of the Uni
ted States" Mr.. Polk in his last official com
munication to them, urgently advises the people
of California to live pcaceably and quietly under
the existing government. The Secretary of
War, Mr.. Marcy, acknowledges that Congress
alone "has FIJI and ercluSire poaoer under the
Constitution, to organize governments for the
Territories" As the last administration then
must be acquitted of all responsibility on this
subject, let us now proceed to inquire how the
present administration stands in relation TO it,
And here we are met, at the very threshold OF
the inquiry, by the distinct acknowledgment of
the President in his California message, in this
remarkable language
81 did not hesitate to express to the people
Of those Territories INV desire that each Terri
tory should, if prepared to comply with the re-
QUESTIONS Of the Constitution Of the United
States, form plan Of II State constitution, and
submit the same TO Congress, with prayer for
admission into the Union rs u State" ...
He further says:
In advising an early application by the peo-
pie of these Territories for admission as States,
was actuated principally by an earnest desire
to afford to the wisdom and patriotism of Con-
gress, the opportunity of avoiding occasions of
bitter and angry discussions among the people
of the United States" "" ... .'.
Now, sir, must be permitted to say, that if
ever there was an occasion on which the Chief
Magistrate of this Confederacy ought to have
hesitated," this was such an occasion. Know
ing as he did, that great question was then
pending, involving the vital interests Of one sec
ton of this Confederaey, ought he not to have
"hesitated" before advising n course which with
the evidence before him, he must have known
would result in the utter exclusion of that sec
ton from all participation in the fruits Of com
mon victory? Whilst he did not "hestate to
advise so Important measure as State Gov
erment, ought he not to have gone one step fur
ther and have advised the people of California
not to extend their boundaries below the line,
SO deg 80 min? Ought he not to have "eX-
pressed to them his desire" that they should
leave open this door Of reconciliation through
which the people Of this Confederacy had once
before passed? Would not such a recommends
ton as this have shown Mt least, decent respect
for the rights and feelings Of one portion Of his
And yet the President says he
was actuated principally by an earnest desire
to afford to the wisdom and patriotism Of Con-
gress, the opportunity of avoiding bitter and
angry discussions" Sir, is it any thing but cruel
and bitter mockery to make snch an appeal to
the wisdom ond patriotism of Southern men!
What my wisdom may be, it does not become
me to say. Wisdom is jewel OF rare posses
sion, but patriotism is more equally distributed
and may be permitted, without overstepping
becoming modesty, to claim my share of this
homely virtue ask, then, does my duty, as
patriot, require me to give up all the rights Of my
constituents! Why, sir, the injunction of the
divine command itself, requires me to love my
neighbor only as myself not more. Shall sur
render all, then, to others, and retain nothing for
myselfs Shall become the willing instrument
of my own degradation, and consent, asa PATROL,
to be expelled from the common territory of my
country, as unworthy to dwell therein, because
| am a stakeholder? No, sir yield to no such
appeal acknowledge no such obligation. May
| not be permitted to reverse our positions, and
appeal TO the wisdom and patriot
ism " of the President, TO come forward and set
tie this disturbing question on terms of justice
and equality TO all ! But he has thought proper
to yield to other counsels, and what, let Inc ask,
have been the consequences OF the course pur-
sued by the administration Has it brought
peace and harmony TO our councils, or has il not
rather widened our differences and increased our
difficulties! Is not this whole Confederacy, from
the Arostook to the Rio GraDde now conyulsed
with agitation, and our Government brought TO
the very verge of dissolution a ra - .a,.
But it is xid that the question Of slavery was
left exclusively to the people of the territory