The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-17
For the National Era.
AFFAIRS IN CALIFORNIA.
Appointments the Pro-slavery Party is
fostsred by Federal Patronage.

Brevet Brigadier General Riley was ordered
10 California by President Polk, in the fall of
l848. at time when that distant Territory
was regarded as Of very little interest or i'm
Portance. Sailing round Cape Horn, he reach
ed Monterey in April, II think,) l849, and
made that place the headquarters, civil and
military, of the country. He superseded Col.
Mason. the General Commandment at the time
Of his arrival and although under General
Persifer F. Smith in military matters, (who had
been ordered there after General Riley had
sailed he became, under authority from Wash
ingtOn, the Civil Governor of California. His
Secretary and chief adviser was Captain Il. ".
haleck, Of the army, native of Central New
York. General Riley, though rough, uncul-
tivated soldier, was admired for his honesty
and ncOrruptible integrity, and became, in
consequence, very popular among the people.
tie was a native of Maryland, but man of
Propagandist. For him, however, we were In
debted to President Polk, who did not foresee
lie future and its consequences.
In the summer of l849, proclamation was
issued by General Riley to the people of Cali
NFAia to choose Delegates to Convention, TO
II III Monterey in September, to form a State
Constitution, which proved to be free Const-
'@ton; and, as such, was adopted by the Y ople
IA The fall election, when members were ch asen
"' the State Legislature. The order for this
Constitutional Convention at this early day,
DeioFe Slavery had acquired a footing on the
Fae1hc coast, emanated from General TAYLOR
aaa his Cabinet; and TO their wisdom and fore.
ssnt in the matter, as well as to the faithful
ohduct OF GeLeral Riley and his Secretary, in
arriving the order cut, is California largely in
ssFed, IN my opinion, for her present Consti-
-4on: Had such an order been deferred to a
"eI o2y-even one year later, when the coun-
'! iei SO entirely under Southern influence
As result might have been entirely different:
"al one-halt OF California, if not the whole,
might now have been slave Territory or State.
ms taxing matters by the forelock, and an
nicipal'ng, as it were, the gathering strength of
Ie southern party on the Pacific, has been
o'.eh most bitterly condemned by Southern
sen residing there, and its author or authors
sen denounced most severely. Thus much, in
i-lee 70 General Taylor, for the early course
pursued by him towards California.
! would here remark, that in December,
- IN the same steamer that bore General
MN |; to the Pacific, President Polk dispatched
= an Voorhees,, a Tennessean, and conf
T12l friend of his, as mail agent; who, al
Ign not ire-eater," has ever since &C.
~, -rel rather prominent position in Southern
g.-1cs IN California, and now land has for a
liz l,,ar ~ az
''Ilscton with the Customs
az 10 the ether Federal appointments under
M. .s'ai Taylor, I think Colonel Collier, of
W. was appointed Collector, man of rather
s ssIeent note. Under Mr.. Fillmore, Judge
T'SS12n' of New York city, was appointed
District Judge. a fair and satisfactory
~ and /. Butler King. Collector, L believe,
H.. Iseiupulous man; Brinley Saunders,
Ea!snoer of Southern affinities, followed
iI,Ls, GENERAL Douglas, through Texas or
lt5aa'es was made U. S. Marshal; through
q b;,naa mhaence, Mr.. Moore, of New Hamp-
Ia very good man, was appointed Post
ne - ~ President Pierce, Colonel Hammond,
tr,a.5I us Mexican cronies, Southerner, de-
Ies,. N the Pacific and one or two other
cto. l MS lmmoralities, was appointed Col
= M W al San Francisco.
To- l. ). Henley, an Indiana man, dem
IEs uhserupulous, a very tool of the South,
tra..I rene me doughface. was made Postmaster;
NJ. richardson, a Marylander, appointed
! iab1 formerly Member of Congress from
Ia. 3D., appointed U. S. District Attorney.
H. D. ,imore, | should have remarked, Cal.
j \ tO,1Darnu Of Kentucky, was U. S. District
u lep,., -
Isd nooa1 Beale, Democrat, energetic,
Sp ~ with Californians, held for a time
Ia no. ne Indian agencies and, while agent,
EN- toe. iIr that race, in gathering tribes Of
I'll e'ner IN retired valley, and teaching