Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1857-05-28

FlILIBusrER CHIEF.-Henry Crabbe. the
leader OF party Of California adventures who,
according to report, were captured in the Mexi-
caa territory and shot as fillibusters, was
young probably net more than thirty -fye--and
man OF much talent. He arrived in Califor.
MIA not long after the discovery of the gold mines,
and settling in Stockton became u prominent
man there He was good lawyer and first.
rate politician. His Southern blood and tastes
his hatred of freesosm, and his jealous Slave
ry-propog andism, made him popular with the
majority of the Stecktonians, and they elected
him to represent them in the Legislature. He
Immediately became leader, and soon the
leader of the Wing party in that body. He was
the author of the bill to provide for the recap
ture of slaves brought into California by their
masters previous to the admission of the State
into the Union-though Slavery never was law.
full in the territory, and had been expressly
prohibited by the Constitution nearly year
before the admission. Mr. Crabbe was also
the author of secret circular issued by the
Wing members of the Legislature in 1859, ad-
crossed to Wing editors and leaders, advising
division of the State. This was Pro-Slavery
measure, though the circular declared on the
part of the signers desire that there should be
no excitement in regard to Slavery, and express
sed hope that the new State to be formed out
OF Southern California would frame Constitu.
ton without any mention Of that subject. The
circular was very cunningly worded, and was
signed by several persons whose views differed
very much from those of Mr. Crabbe on tho
Slavery question. Mr. C's term as State
Senator expired in '52 or '5S; after which timo
he held no public Office; but bis activity as
party leader did not abate In 1855, when
the Known othings had the majority in the
Legislature; he was, next to Gov. Foote, the
most popular candidate with the party for the
United States Senatorship; but some of the
Northern knowNotLings thought it better
that the State should have no Senators than
SD, h men as Foote and Or bbe. Six or seven
years ago Mr.. c. fixed his eyes upon Sonora,
and has kept them fixed there ever since. He
was probably one of the chief plotters of the
first expedition of Walker At any rate, he
was d warm friend Of the expedition. The
Stockton paper under his influence was always
bitter against those who denounced the fllibust.
ers. About the year 1853 he married Son.
orta N1nsa, the daughter Of merchant in San
Francisco who had removed thther from Her
mozillo, Sonora. Senior Ainsa, the father, was
wealthy and very respectable gentleman; and
0 his daughter was probably very well worthy of
MT Craboe, even II she had not offered him an
opportunity to connect himself with one of the
first families of province which he had chosen
as held for his ambition. Mr. c. had enca-
ged his passage on the vessel in which illibuster
Walker made his first foray from San Francisco
upon The unfortunate Lower Callifornian> but
alter the vessel had arrived at the mouth of the
n harhor, Crabbe die vr that the Il, edition
}. was so evidently hostile in its character, thcs
} he could not go in it without being comp, missed,
and he returned to San Francisco in tug, pilot
i or perhaps small boat. Well his career is
at an end He was much ADLER man than
t. Walker, at least as writer and party mana.
ger and probably he would have made better
l. General. But his ami ion itched for the glory
g OF extending the area Of freedom and the donlin-
e Oh of slavery, AMI his blood has paid the
j. J. penaIty Peace be to his ashes, and to all
" 6lbusters