The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-10

rived from the government of Spain II is almost thirty
wears since California was severed from ihe Crown al
Spain and every claim originating with that govern
ment would be confirmed by the law OF prescription in-
troduced into this bill.
Now. what becomes OF this charge OF depressing
The claimants under Spanish titles in California
Scattered to the four winds Of heaven Not only
are they not oppressed, but they NEST carefully
aud doubly projected. The passage OF this law con-
firms every of these claims II is only necessary to
show thai they glnated with the Spanish government
and their continuation follows a matter OF
And confess had this object in view when introduced
the bill These old Spanish claims in contest in
California, and never have been, There is no difficulty
about them and will not be- II is the recent grants held
by lew individuals covering immense extent OF the
most valuable portion of the country, that wish
amined and decided--clams where the property is
assessed at tens Of millions Of dollars, and daily becom
ing valuable claims about the validity of which
there is great difference o opinions and fierce and bloody
collisions have grown out OF these different opinions We
wish these settled and BY the highest judicial tribunal u
the country--a decision by which all must and will
abide.
Mr.. President, conceive il to be my duty to notice
other portions of the speech of the senator from Mis-
souri, Thursday last regard to the effects
the interests OF my constituents that will result from the
passage of this bill into law. After describing the
manner in which Spain by munhcenl donations, induced
colonists to settle upon her public domain, he says
Nov sir when 20, possess OF such people
as this. how strange IL Is to find ourselves arrasning at
once every sls holding every ,itle 10 be fraud against
ren courts, and OF them the Supreme Court of the
United Sa'es that they were not frauds against the United
States"
need only repeat what have said before that this bill
araigns Spanish title; that il holds up no Spanish
title fraud against the United States that such titles
do have pass through the ordeal of three different
courts, OF them the Supreme Court of the United
States, 10 establish their validity. The grants made
der the government of Spain in California, as has been
before stated, principally in Pueblo and mission lots
These the commissioners confirm outright, or under
the tenth section. report upon them to the Secretary OF
the INTERIOR to be laid before Congress for confirmation
and in the of larger grants il there be any SUCH the
commissioners bound to confirm them, under the law
OF prescription adopted in this bill AS have stated
before and now repeat this law of prescription was in
forna. The claimants have only 10 prove that their
claims originated under the government Of Spain, and
they confirmed matter OF course never heard
of charge of frauds agains, Spanish grant The
ator further says
MIR President, when California settled I About
the time Of the commencement OF revolution speak OF
long before that day But speak Of thai California which
is now ours. 1t was settled conemporaneoasIy with The
vito the settlement of Kentucky. Now, suppose
which ght be analogous: suppose Kentucky had either
joined as Texas did. that she had been ceded
by foreign power Ia either suppose any power
propose undertake enforce upon Calilons requiring
every citizen 70 10 before tribunal and make good his
tide his land, and then before another tribunal and
make II good there, and after that make him bef
The supreme Court of the United States, and if he did
make II good IN all three cases, take his land and
give II to the public suppose we undertake to do such
thing as that IN Kentucky sir. we would have Ieyol,
ass. w:'s' A' me" A'"'o'1' would a' 's'' United
From this the inference may he drawn that the people
OF Kentucky would quit the Union rather than pass
through the ordeal that the people OF California
qured 10 do by this bill Now SIR let me ask the sena-
tors from Kentucky whether the citizens of that State
have not passed through much more fiery ordeal in the
final adjudication OF land claims in that State Was not
The whole State shngled with conflicting claims
Were not ejecmen suits thick blackberres in their
cours' Yet during these trying times to the people OF
that State hear of suggestion revolt to quit
the confederacy. II it could so happen that Kentucky
should be ceded BY this government 10 foreign power,
every land claim in that State would be found OF record
in the county where it is located They have been ad
Indicated and settled by the highest judicial tribunals OF
the country. and could be disturbed Such is not
the in California But this bill proposes speedily 10
bring about this desirable result and venture TO pre-
dict il becomes law, that there will not be one ap-
peal from the tribunal that investigates these claims
where there were fifty in the adjudication OF land claims
in Kentucky.
Again, the senator says: "There may be hundred
thousand people there, for augh know, who want the
lands OF the few And again u DO not care how few
there who have claims or how many there are
who want their property" II from this the inference
may be drawn that any portion OF the people OF Cafo
MIA desire to appropriate TO themselves any lands lawfully
granted BY the governments OF Spain and Mexico, meet
II with unqualified contradiction. No portion OF the
people OF California will counienance violation OF
the rights Of prepery GUARANTEED to any portion Of the
All they desire is that some competent and impartial tn
bunal, such as Is provided for N this bi Will decide
what is private property, and IT Will be respected.
Again, the senator says
.Ms President say that people, unless they
eIy fight, would submit TO what we propose,
and who have been weak 10 fight have revoltsd
under such circumstances under slight suspicion
that such hings to be forced upon them SIR, the
most terrible IN the annals OF the human
race, perhaps, that which occurred In October,
l77S in the city Of Caoa revolt against the power OF the
Fnch That revolt which ragged during four days,
when the French sssaed in heir houses many of
whom were killed and which required the artillery force
Of the greatest general In Europe to qoe A. What did II
from Ii from merely request to Tie people
in list OF their titles in order that they might be re-
gistered."
Sir this is dangerous historical reference Il points
out where the people OF another nation have revoted
for what the senator from Missouri calls less provoca
ton tha the people OF California will have II this bill
becomes law These people have lately been IncorPo-
rated into the Union The act OF cession was consum
mated without consulting them, and without their knowl-
edge They not familiar with our institutions
or form Of government They have been subjected TO the
iron rule OF military governors and as yet are ignorant OF
the constitutional by which their property
projected under our government They may be stmu-
lated revolt against government by this speech II
may, and probably WILL be read by hundreds who never
may see the bill il denounces From the dstng rep.
the true exposition OF the law and that they will be de.
graded they submit 10 it, In fact the senator inmates
much--for he says
Now f the people OF Cairo were in California; and II
we proposed their es might bring on
revolt but the people of California may not revolt They
bat few their source VIII be 10 ny frosl tho conn-
try and that will be DONE" tE
This will be interpreted to mean. il the people OF Cali
fona are brave the people OF Cairo were. there
might be q revolt but they are not 40 brave they
viii submit and quit the country No greater insult can
be cast upon the people OF nation than the lnmaon
that the people of another nation that exists or has ex
isted Drawer than themselves deplo.e this tone OF
- ~ ~ Ak. nVor