The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-19

7Idt FTesldcnt
was II you choose 10 take that course as can by no
recommendation Of mine obtain any kind of protection for
YOU, as can obtain government Tor YOU AS you are IN
state Of anarchy you shall not be resisted by me- An
agent was sent out by the President for the purpose merely
OF assuring the people of California OF the paterna regard
OF TINS government; and Mr. King OF Georgia was Sc
ected because he member of the other house aud
therefore well acquainted with all the circumstances which
prevented justice being done TO California at the previous
session Of Congress but before his arrival the people had
themselves moved in the business OF forming State gov
ernnent They compelled to do it, or TO encounter
all the horrors of anarchy.
So in regard to New Mexico The senator from Virginia
and the senator from Texas viii search IN vain through The
documents and records OF Congress 10 find thing To
show that there Executive dctaon in regard TO the
very same recommendation made by President Taylor
as had been made by his predecessor the senator will
look at the annual message Of President Polk Of the very
year previous he viii that he himself said to Congress
that in Bhe absence Of an ability the part Of Congress
% als.r.eting questions n any other mode,
to the Pacific by the courts by the doctrine Of
interference all of which he recommended) there was
another and said he the time is not distant when
if you viii wait these people will make government for
themselves General Taylor advanced an inch be-
yond that recommendation made by his predecessor
II Mr. MASON Will the senator allow to ask him this
question When General Riley issued his proclamation in
yng the people assemble al places of election which
he designated to elect members 10 State convention did
he do it with the appreciation of the President OF the United
i Mr. CLAYTON. Sir he did il before the President of
the United States had given him word OF advice upon
the subject lie acted upon his own personal responsible
ty and there has been The fatal OF the honorable SEN
aor and great many Others who have talked about this
matter this floor know how easy 1t was for them TO
get mistaken time that the truth history should
be corrected beg pardon Of my friend from California
for having taken up much time by his leave could
not be well restrained from expression of some feeling
on this occasion, and now Iyieid the floor TO him
Mr. GWiN. Mr. President, what the senator from Dela-
in regard 10 the proclamation Of General Riley
lis strictly true General Smith sent seamshp-ofwar
down Mazaan early in s4a to ascertain what the
action Congress- n Territorial
ernment and he received intelligence that there had been
no such government formed for California Upon receipt
Of that information, General Riley, who then the ds
Jacfo governor being in command, issued proclamation
calling upon the people 10 elect delegates 10 convention
to form State constitution nasmuch rs Congress had
failed to create government at all for them This proc
lamaon issued before the agent OF the general gov
ernment of whom much has been said arrived there
went up with him, and so did my colleague
1t s well known in California that the whole movement
for State made outside Of any executive
influence and without any knowledge the part Of the
administration here that such movement was in coniem-
i Mr. CLAYTON. Certainly.
j Mr. GWlN. The senator from Virginia says the ex-
penses Of the convention paid of the military
chest The senator is just much mistaken in that in
his other assertion Sir there military exaction,
military contribution levied upon the people OF California
without the authority OF law, which formed what was
called tue civil fund There law and no authority
for the collection of thai money but the dc aco governor
used portion of tat fund 10 pay the expenses OF his d.
aco government and also pay the expenses of the
i yention.
4 Mr.. MASON win the allow moment 2
i lie says made mistake J ask him If ha, fund--ea il
The civil fund what pleasewas not from the milf
ary chest Of the federal treasury Was IL not federal
money OF the United States?
/ Mr. GWiN. No, sir; not a dollar Of il ever col
lec,ed by authority Of law and up last session there
not scrap of paper in the treasury to show anything
about 1t.
i Mr. CLAYTON Nothing not a line.
i Mr. GWIN IL then unjustly paid into the treasury
Of the United States 10y the action OF this body and the
other house years after il collected Not dollar OF
4 military fund paid for such purposes When the fund
paid into the treasury these credits were allowed to
Gen Riley for his disbursements Sir the executive gov
Of the United States had nothing 70 do with the
formation of the government of California was mem
ber Of the convention which formed her constitution We
permitted government officer to approach dictate
] TO us and tell us what should do.
Il Mr.. RUSK. Mr. President the honorable senator from
Delaware in appealing TO his recoectons and cor
recting in regard TO history, makes slight mistake
himself He viii find by reference to the documents that
at the time the administration with which be
neoied into power there substng order from
the proper department Of the previous administration TO
the officers OF the United States in that region to aid the
authorities OF Texas in extending her jurisdiction
what is the Territory of New Mexico this side the
Rio Grande He win find further that shortly after the
incoming OF the Taylor administration, that order
changed by the War Department and the officers there
were then directed TO stand back and side neither with the
people OF New Mexico with Texas in that controversy
or In other words that they should remain neutral in the
controversy which known be existing al that time
days before the next session OF Congress another
order issued to Lieutenant Colonel Mccall Of the army,
p
other purpose In that order Mccall directed to aid
and encourage the people Of New Mexico in forming a
State government if they desired to do These were
the Recommendations upon which those people acted
Il Mr. CLAYTON. No, sir
II Mr. RUSK. | remember 1t denied at the time that
any such order had been issued know that the agent
who was sent up from Texas Mr. Robert s Neghbors in
his report the governor Of Texas stated that he had
been with order of that description. ltwns stouy
denied at the time that any such order had been issued
and the records then were searched in vain for IL and
now S Won look through the Presidents message and
cornpanying documents Of that year you cannot find il
hut other documents will show that II issued If the
senator denies IT, win produce II,
4. Mr. CLAYTON. Mr.. President the senator from Texas
may search the records from until Christmas and
he find anything 10 show that the Executive nj the
time 10 which he refers initiated attempted TO initiate,
the steps for the organization Of State government either
in California New Mexico He can find there however,
that President Taylor willing to do precisely what
President Polk willing o and had signfed in bis
last annual message 70 Congress ought to be done That
admit but he not lot beyond it. President Polk
had suggested ultimate remedy in the event Of the
failure of all other Of extending government
those Territories that Congress should await the action
the people Of New Mexico and California and said that
az distant day they would form State governments for
themselves The order which the senator from Texas
refers order the officer not to exert himself to
prevent the action Of the people to form State govern
but that any agent any servant Of the Executive
~ that day at any other time within my knowledge,
the knowledge Of any other as believe was instruct
cd initiate the steps aid the language Of the
honorable in the business Of forming State
ernment deny.
j Mr. HUNTER. Is this discussion in order7 have
waited for some time TO IL would be disposed Of but
constrained inquire whether il is In order to
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