The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-22
rhe Rslurn Of the senora E.psdltlen.

ton of an expedition under General Morehead
to invade Sonora, and annex that wealthy pro-
vince TO California. The expedition fell
through, but no tidings were received of the
party We find in late Los Angeles paper, the
following interesting notice of their finale:
1t will be remembered that in May last
company of forty men passed through this city,
on their way to Sonora, in Mexico. Three of
them arrived i'll town yesterday, having been
absent about five months. The rest of the par
ty, exceptinr one who has died, are on their
way hitner, and may be expected daily. Their
object has been to explore the country, and pros.
pect for gold. They stated that they found gold,
silver and cnnabar all through the southern
part of California, but the gold, as general
thing s not sufficiently abundant to pay for
working On the north side of the Gila they
found very rich silver mine, where they stop.
ped about six weeks. While there, Il large
party of Mexicans arrived from Sonora, but the
Indians attacked them, and forced them to leave.
In Sonora they went as far as the town of Altar,
about 100 miles from the boundary line. In
the northern part they found silver and gold,
but the expense of transporting provisions to
the mines, and the scarcity OF water prevents
their being worked with profit. 49,. b..
"The men stated that they were courteously
treated in every town through which they passed.
The authorities would not grant them permits
sion to mine, but told them they were at liber-
ty to prospect as much rs they pleased.
"The country Of Sonora they represented as
in many places destitute Of vegetation, and tn
inviting in every respect. Water is very scarce,
In coming up, they were two days and two
nights without water. ...
AT some places, the MeXicans mistook them
for Morehead and his party, regarding whose
conte hpated expedition they I'd heard"
THE DIVISION OF CALIFORNIA ..>
1t at last appears TO be agreed upon that the
convention of the Southern counties to consider
the proper steps to be taken towards securing,
it possible, division of the State shall assem-
BILE at Santa Blrblra on the third Monday of
this month. The citizens of Los Angeles were
to assemble on last Wednesday afternoon,
to nominate delegates for the convention.
Other counties are taking the same step. A
meeting was held at San Luis Obspo on the
4th inst, at which delegates were chosen.
At a meeting Of the citizens of Santa Cruz,
on the oath ult, Messrs William Black burn, II.
r. Per Lee, Gregory Speel, and C. p Steven
son, were appointed delegates.
The following address sets forth the grounds
upon which the division of the State is desired:
ADDRESS or THE MONTEREY DELEGATION
MONTEREY, Oct 9Th.
The convention called to meet at Monday on
the 9th of September last, for the purpose of
considering the propriety Of division of the
State of California, and the formation of ter
rtorlal government, to include the counties
south of the bay of San Francisco, having failed
to meet up to the present time-the under
signed delegates, and sub-delegates elected from
this county, feel called upon to express their
sentiments on this matter to them and their
constituents, of vital Importance.
AT the time OF the formation of the constitu-
iion Of California, great fears were expressed BY
the citizens of our neighborhood, and those
south and east of us, (many Of whom had re-
sided fifteen years or upwards in the country,)
that the bringing into immediate operation, in u
newly acquired country, ard under such peculiar
circumstances ~ then existed, a set of new laws
new officers, and new modes of legal procedure,
would be attended with great confusion and diff
ficuIty, and that the ultimate effect would be
that the laboring classes, and the land and pro-
perty holders in the State not situated in the
gold districts, would have to fool all the costs
and expenditures Of the State government, the
result of which would be ruin to every man who
owned foot Of land or dollars worth of per.
sona property
These sagacouS fears have in a great part
been already realized.
We have the indubtab!e cvidence in the
records Of the State government that the pas.
toral, agricultural and shipping portions of the
State, have contributed an undue share Of taxes
FIR the support of the State government, and the
mining counties, which are inhabited BY at least
two.thirds Of the population, though the richest
parts, pay but a mo'icum of the burlhens Of
this most expensive OF all Anglo-Saxon com
monwealths.
Another great feature presents itself to our
citizens The most densely populated, ener.
getc, and wealthy counties of the State, not
satisfied with the possession of that which is
their fair earnings, have, TO every appearance
and undoubtedly in effect, oppressed their fcl
ow-citzens of the thinly.setted ouatics, by
unequal, expensive, tardy, and useless laws.
passed without due examination and care, and
resulting in dismay. confusion and ruin, to
thousands Of industrious and valuable citizens.
who are republicans in heart, and American and
Californian in feeling, and bound by every tie
that can bind man 10 his native land and this
fairest portion of Gods earth
As an instance Of our anamalous condition in |
thi- part Of the State we have only 10 state that
laws have been passrd nj the last Legislature.
and we are yet in profound ignorance of their |
character, although we are bound by them |
More than six months have elapsed since the
passage Of some Of them, and vet they have |
not been prOmulg itca in the manner required |
by the constitution, Indcrd we fear IN u new |
system will be sprung upon us b,forc Ia prin |
ters get through with the last laws. To BE- |
governed and bound by laws that are not made |
public is wrong too great to be endured long |
by reasonable people
The products Of the mines and placers of |
California for three years are estimated by some
a. high as one hundred and fifty millions of
dollars IL would be n cuious subject Of en-.
qGiry TO know how murh the diggars Of this
vast amount Of money have paid into the treas.
ury Of the State, and what proportion Of the
States bnrLhens these fortunate men have
borne. If they should say, Gas has been the
Argument Of many that they are living and
working on government land which the State
has no right to tax--the same principle would
apply TO our section of the country, as our titles
tn land are unacknowledCed by the United
States, and by parity Of reasoning we ought
also TO be exempt from State taxation But
while tho uptual u1iunrs have NOT maid