The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-30
THE PROPOSED DIVISION OF CALIF0R-
NIA-THE PLOT REVEALED.

foot to make new slave State on the shores OF
divide the State of California, on the grounds
Ostensbly that the taxes of the large landhold-
ers in the southern half of it were extremely
oppressive, and the geographical features of the
country indicated the propriety of a division
that the feeling in favor of it was sought to be
increased by the imposition of burdens falling
with peculiar weight upon the lower half OF the
State that the real object of the movement
was the introduction of slavery, which was sup
posed to be adapted to the lower ATTITUDES, and
would find ready admission under Territorial
! Government: that the principal conspirators
were pro-slayery men, determined to carry out
policy to which the South had been warmly COM
mitted and for which its Senators in Congress
had labored and struggled 1t was these men
who, through combination of Hunker Wings
| and Heydenfelt Democrats, sought to defeat
Fremont, and succeeded in preventing the cleo
ton of United States Senator. We quoted
particularly an extract of a letter from citi-
zen of Ohio, in California, to whom had been
offered the editorship of the new paper to be
established for he Hss~,s.-s~af "ss'VssS0g @y-
sion; his testimony to the fact of the plot and
It's design being explicit and conclusive.
A few papers took up the subject but the
press generally and even our Free Soil cotem-
poraries rested in security
The late news from California will convince
every true friend of freedom, that we raised no
false alarm. The project Of division is now
openly discussed and the San Francisco papers
admit that the movement is not only a formida-
BILE one, but that the consequence Of it. if sue
cessful will probably be the extension of slavery
to the Pacific coast Indeed they say that this is
the " true object"
1--WE have every kind of reason to believe"
says the San Francisco Evening Picayune, and
in our minds are absolutely certain, that the
scheme of division was 80 originated with a
view of converting the South into slave terri |
tory--although it has since assumed different |
form, and is now advocated upon different |
grounds" The Herald says that the desire
to introduce slavery into Southern California"
is cherished by many and the formation of a
Territorial Government will afford them the de-
sired opportunity
The Su, Francisco Sunday Dispatch of the
lith September advocates division, while ad-
hitting " the great probability of the intro
duction of slavery into South California 1t
closes an article on the subject as follows:
awe will admit that if separation tax. !
place there is great probability of the introduc-
ton of slavery into the Territory. But consist
ency is jewel, and they have the same right
to Introduce IL as We had 10 exclude it.
The only argument we have seen urged
against a division appeared in the Herald
day or two since, and it il certainly deserving
of serious consideration Ii is in substance that
by allowing the southern coast portion of Cali
fornia to leave us slavery might be introduced,
and thus the Union again be put in jeopardy.
Were the storm which threatened to wreck the
Union passed, were the compromises likely to
satisfy forever the North and the South, there
would be weight in this argument But we
look upon the tempest rs but Just commenced
The South are determined to introduce new slave
States and the North are just rs determined
that they shall not Why is there such rOus-
ing from South Carolina TO Louisiana, in favor
of the independent movement in Cuba Does
any one doubt for moment that Cuba will
eventually throw off the yoke! Does any one
doubt that her independence will be recognised
by the Federal Government Does any one
doubt that she will finally ask admission into
the Union Does any one doubt that she will
he allowed to come in We can sit with our
hands idle in California, but storm is sure TO
burst upon our country. Again, what are we
to do with the Sandwich Islands. The North
want them for free State What are we to
do with every inch of land around our borders
so long as the United States have boundaries
not identical with those of the coatinent 80 long
will the storm impcnd over b4r
"Abolitionism il fire watch has been lit in
the North Within the last ten years we have
seen it spread to r,ntlagration, and it never
can rest satisfied antl slavery is licked from ex-
istence. We are ina lull not in settled calm.
And while il seems to us that the action of
California will make but little difference in the
great result we think the Southern counties are
under the circumstances, making a reasonable
demand and one which it is our duty as repub-
0cans to grant"
The pro-slavery men must feel a conscious
ness Of strength, when they thus boldly avow
their policy For, if this paper mean anything,
it means that there is a general movement
to extend slave territory and counter move
ment to prevent its extension, the question must
be agitated in California, and the Southern
Caliiornans are determined to go for Terrific
rial Government and Slavery
A committee appointed at late meeting Of
citizens of San Diego, has issued an address in
favor of division and called Convention ON the
subject which was to meet at Santa Barbara
ON the third Monday in October
The Philadelphia North American says that
" a State cannot be divided except by or with
the consent of Congress" The language of the
Constitution is No new State shall be form
ed or erected within the jurisdiction of any
other State, nor any State be formed by the
Junction OF two or more States or parts of
States, without the consent of the Legislatures
OF the States concerned, as well as of Congress-
This provision, we suppose, does not prohibit a
State from withdrawing its sovereignty from a
portion OF It's territory and the People thereof
might organize a Government for themselves
but the validity of that act would, we presume,
depend uron the consent of Congress. Should
the Legislature of California assent to the divi-
sion, the next step would be- an attempt ON the
part of the Southern Caliionians to obtain the
consent Of Congress to their Territorial exist
ence and government The agitation of the
question Of Slavery, the power of Congress over
territory, and the Wilmot Proyiso, would of
course be renewed, and what then would be-
come of the boasted Compromise The first
and essential feature of that series of measures
was the organization and admission of Calior-
MIA rs State, with the boundaries defined by
herself and with her fundamental law exclu-