Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-10-03


The admission of California into the Union, fur.
nishes the most memorable instance of the applica-
ton of the principle of Squatte Sovereignty, and the
most signal Illustration of its in Justice and absurdity
At the period of It's conquest by American enter
prise, California sparsey populated by mixed
Mexican and Indian The discovery of It's
hidden treasures of gold directed the eye OF the
world upon it, and stimulated an immigration to
which there is no parallel in history. To its solitary
shores people of every land, and religion crow
ded in countless mutudes. Never since the frus-
tration of mans vain ambition at Babel, had there
been witnessed such confusion of tongues and COM
binaton of complexion.
The promise of sudden and easy wealth, the
main principle of attraction but the absence of the
ordinary legal restraints OF a stable society, con-
trbuted not little to swell the volume of mm gra-
ton. OF course these circumstances determined the
character of the ear y population of California. Flu
giive felons, the desperate victims of misfortune.
needy adyenturers gamblers, and harlots constituted
the chief element in the first colonization OF the
territory. No idea of nationality, principle Of
patriotism, unity OF race or tongue, existed among
these people. Never were any people so utterly in
capable of selfgOVernment and SO unfit for the ex
ercise of political sovereignty.
Nevertheless, the Military Governor of California,
without authority of law, assumes the prerogaive of
Convoking Convention Of this Heterogeneous mass OF
aliens, criminals and paupers. This first step in
the organization of the government of California,
as fragrant act of despotlsm as any illustrated
IN the pages of history.
California had gone through no preliminary pupil
lage of territorial government She had 10 political
existence Her inhabitants not an organized
people. They were nothing but equatters Their
numbers had not been ascertained by legal census,
so as to determine whether they entitled 10 o
Congressional representative. Yet, they responded
to the of their military master, and assem-
bled in convention to organize State constitution
This convention called without legal sanction.
It's members were endowed with political priVi-
leges Nevertheless, they assumed absolute sover
eighty to themselves, claimed complete dominion over
the federal territory ventured upon the exercise OF
the supreme act of popular power, promulgated an
organic instrument of State Government.
BY this instrument which void both for want
of authority to enact it, and because of its own in
trnsc illegality. the squaters of California inerdic
ted slavery in the territory and excluded the South
from equal participation in the common domain
This was Squatter Sovereignty with vengeance
aggravated by every circumstance OF illegal assump
ton of authority and oppressive exercise of arbitrary
power, The Topeka Convention of Kansas, distin
gulshed by many similar instances of outrage AM
wrong, affords hardly striking an illustration o.
the absuIdity and injustice of Squatter Sovereignty
Yet billiard Fillmore signed the bill for the admission
OF California; and by this high official act atesec
and recorded appreciation of The principles of Aller
and Squatter Sovereignty