Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-05-27
California News.

The Illinois has arrived, since our last,
with million end half of gold, and news
ten DAYS later than that of any previous ar
rival. Among the mass Of items, we select
the following as most important :
The Fugitive Slave Bill, which has been
before the Legislature of California for
most Of the session, has finally passed. l.
provides for the surrender, to their original
masters, of all colcred people in California,
thus virtually Iepudiating the doctrine Col.
Benton and others, that California was
free territory by virtue of its old Mexican
law, and that slaves could not be held there
to service aQsE The conquest.
On the psgage Of the bill the ayes and
nays stood as foIiows-the friends of the bill
having gained one vote during the discus
sion of four days:
Ayes-Messrs. Canver Estell, Hubs,
Keene, Keyser, Lewis McKibben, Miller,
Roach Robinson, SouIe, Tingley, Van Blu.
rem and Wambough-l4.
Nays-Messrs. Broderick Cooke, Foster,
Frye, Loa, Ralston, Spyder, Sprague and
Waiton-9
Mcssrs. Lind and Warner not voting.
LAST MoMENT.-The Assembly have
lust concarred in the Senate amendments
to the Fugitive Slave bill.
Commenting upon this bill before its f.
nal passage the Picayune said
awe trust the Senate will not permit any
Of these bills to become law. The Fugi-
tive Slave bill can do no good There are
no slaves i'll the country, TO whom It's pro
visions will be applicable. If there be the
compromise measures of the Thirty first
Congress give all the protection necessary
This bill, wish the two others mentioned
can only beviewed as all insidlous attempt
10 accomplish furtively, what no one dares
to openly-to make this slave state. In.
deed, Mr.. Cfabb, the member for San Joa-
gun, one Of the principal advocates of
these measures, with manliness worthy Of
a better cause, openly proclaimed, in some
remarks lie made upon one of them in the
Assembly, that such was his intention"
The COOLEY BILL.-This scheme for
importing slaves from the United States
under the pre'ence of wanting Coolies and
Cinnamon, we are happy TO learn, was de-
feated in the Senate by lnrge majority.
GOV. Blgler has sent special message
to the Legislature, proposing an appropria-
ton and proper measures for the relief Of
the overland emigrants who may be in the
mountains.
The Chinese emigration to California in
creases prodigiously. Nearly 200 arrived
in little over two weeks, and ii was report
ed that ,ghoIe feet of vessels were taking
in passengers at Hong Kong, for the same
destination,
An animal of different species from any
before seeEi in California, has been taken
by Mr.. Hill, of Nevada. 1t is called the
California cat. II is described as being
very beautiful and bearing resemblance to
the martin, differing from it, ho1 ever, in
color, beng dark grey, encircled with
bright brown rings, similar to the raccoon.
The fur is very soft and beautiful. It's body
about the size of grey squirrel, but about
fifteen inches long, and its tail sixteen or
seventeen inches long,
The U. S. sloop of war Vincennes, w
L. Hudson, commander, arrived at San
Francisco on the llih inst, from Astoria,
Legal proceedings are about to be instituted
by some IF the passengers of the wrecked
steamer North America, to test the liability
of the line for damages sustained by them
The bark "Backus" arrived on the llth
uIt, 10 daysGo the Russian settlement Of
Suka, bringing cargo of two hundred and
fifty tons of ice, for the Pacific Company Of
San Francisco.
y, California continues to sustain her char.
acter as the land of wonders. An aston
ishing product of her prolific soil was exhlb
lied III our Office few days since, says the
Picdyune, in the shape of an enormous
caulltower. 1t weighed eighteen pounds
and was three feet four inches in clrcumfer
ence What was peculiarly remarkable
aside from its extraordinary dimensions
was the fact that it was the growth of but
six weeks from the time the seed was de
posted in the soil. 1t was raised at the
Mission Dolores, three miles from the city
China news to the 18th Feb has beer
received at this place. The clipper shiJ
Challenge had experienced more difficulties
through refractory and mutinous crew.
They compelled her 10 put into Hong Kong
where they we're put in irons for their pains
She was destined for Shanghai A terri.
bIe massacgsxfls committed on the EngIsl
bark Herald on her passage home Fl ON Chi
ma, Her crew of Manlamen murdered tn,
captain, officers, cook and steward, aud
Abandoned the vessel, VIII ch had been pre-
viousIy scutlled with the captains wife
locked up in the cabin. The murcerers
landed on the coast Of Java, and were ar