Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-03-18
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE.

l. nc to1UUeTy question:.
MT. Crabb's bill entitled ian act respecting
fugitives from labor and slaves brought to this
State prior toher admission into the Union.''
The fourth section of the bill was the princi-
| pal subject of controversy.
| Section 4. Any person or persons held to la
Dor or service i'll any State territory of the u.
S. by the laws of such State OF Territory and who
were brought or introduced within the limits of
this State, previous to the admission ofthis State
as one of the u. States of America and who shall
refuse to return to the State or Territory where
| he or they owed such labor or service, upon the
demand OF the person or persons, his or their
agent or attorney to whom such service or Ia
Dor was due, such person Or persons so refusing
to return shall be held and deemed fugitives
from labor within the meaning of this Act,
and all the remedies, rights and provisions here
in given to claimants of fugitives who escape
| from any other State into this State are hereby
given and conferred upon claimants of the fi1gi-
tives from labor within the meaning of this sec
ton.
Mr.. Ellis of Nevada contended that the Of
feet of this section would be to establish state
OF slavery i'll California for an unlimited series
Of gears that it would hold persons to labor
who are not ''fugitives,' within the meaning of
the act. He.opposed it in an argument of great
ingenuity and effect. He was answered by Mr.
mond, (the Speaker,) from San joaquin.
A motion was made to strike out tho fourth
section, but disagreed to without division.
Mr.. lngersoll introduced duplicate of the
bill introduced in the Senate, by Mr.. Cook, be-
ing bill to amend the act to fund the debt of
the State. 1t requires that all scrip issued for
civil services previous to January l, 1858, shall
be funded, provided the whole amount of the
funded debt shall not exceed 100000.
A communication was laid before tho SEN
ate from the Recorder, of Ell Dorado county, sta
ting that V. Daniels, late Judge of that county,
had absconded from the State, after drawing ST.
500 in advance for salary. The case was refer
red for investigation.
In the California Assembly, Feb. 10, Mr..
Peachey presented memorial from number of
farmers or planters of South Carolina and Flor
ida, asking the privilege to bring their families
and colored domestics into this State, and that
they may be protected in their property. The
memorial was referred to Committee on Fed
eral Relations.
On this memorial the Editor of the Wes-
tern American thus comments. We quote as
specimen of the spirit of some of the California
Press:
''To speak our individual preference, we
would gladly California become slave
State; but never such base and infamous
TERMS as nave, Dy 1Oul arrangement and agree
ment, long since been made between certain re-
negade, false-hearted Southerners of this city,
and pack of blue -bellied Yankee and-pirates,
who were formerly of the Abolition stripe, but
now by this arrangement turned pro-slaverists,
and are bound by the contract, to use all means
in their power to have the institution introduce
ed into California.
Before Mr.. Peachy Or anybody else attempts
to induce Southerners or grant them permits
sion to bring slaves into California for the pur-
pose of eultivating the SOIL he had better try
firstand fix permanent and proper title to that
soil. This is question of first consideration
and paramount importance.
SIT is unwise and impolitic to breach this sa-
very discussion at present. and we would advise
gentlemen to let it alone. We have enough
other distracting questions to divide us without
introducing this.
Besides, there is too much ignorance amongst
the masses in California, too much false preu-
dice against this slavery institution amongst
them, and no unity of public opinion or calm
familiar intercourse and discussion as vet, to
warrant belief, an attempt to alter the Constitu-
ton now, in this particular, can succeed.
The committee to which may have been refer
red this petition of course report but one
way, to reject it, as the prayer is in violation of
the constitution -