New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-05-11
DIVISION or CALIFORNIA.

The prospect Of dividing Cslifornis, no doubt
with the idea of the erection Of the southern part
Of il into new Slave State, is again on the taPs
A bill having that object in view has passed both
branches of the California Legislature, and at the
last accounts, osIy wanted the signature Of the
Governor, which will no doubt be given to it.
This bill appears 10 have passed the House in the
fint place without attracting much attention "A
motion to reconsider gave rise to long debate, IN
which the Slavery question was discussed at length,
and with a good deal of warmth on both sde'
Finally. the motion TO reconsider defeated by q
vote of thirty one to twenty. seven. OF the pro-
ceedipgs in the Senate we have yet no accounts
beyond the facts Of favorable report upon the bill
by the Committee to which it was referred,
and its subsequent passage. The California pa
pers do not seem to feel, st least they have
not expressed. much interest in the question. nor
do they throw any light on its reagitation at the
present moment The San Francisco Times, which
opposed the bill, being the only paper of that
city which noticed it, suggested that it is uncon-
s,itutionsl inssmuch as the existing boundaries of
the State are established by Constitutional pro-
vision IT, however there is prevalent desire to
carry out this policy of DIVISION that obstacle need
not stand long in the way Both branches OF the
California Legislature have already passed bill
submitting to the popular vote the question oil
amending the Constitution. Whether this bill was
passed with view to the division Of the State does
not appear; but it might easily be avaed of for
the removal of any existing Constitutional objection
TO that proceeding.
As there does not seem 10 have been any recent
popular agitation in the southern part Of the State
having this division in view the passage Of this bill
is probably mere xpedient of the G win. Buchanan
Pro.Slavery politicians, Il part of the same system
Of Pro.Savery agitation with the proposed organi-
zation of the prospective Territory of Arizona.
The projected acquisition of Sonora and Chihuahua,
to be organized as slavehoding Territories, and
the recent recognition Of Slavery as an institution
entitled to the protection of law by the Territorial
Legislature of New Mexico, are parts Of the same
scheme
The district which the Legislature Of California
has thus undertaken to set off from itself comprises
six counties. Not content with relinqushing these
counties to the United States, the Legislature ap-
pears 10 have assumed to erect them into Terri
tory by the name of Colorado. These six counties
contained, by the last census, some IA, 900 inhabit
ants nor is it probable that the number has much
increased since that period. They include all the
territory south of the thrtysixth degree Of north
latitude, having thus coast line of moro than two
hundred miles in extent, and a territory Of from
fifty to sixty thousand square miles. But except
very narrow strip along the coast, the whole is
waterless desert incapable of ever being inhabited,
while even the more favored portion, bordering on
the sea, cannot be cultivated except by irrigation
There are no mines or minerals Of value in this
part of California
Meanwhile another project has been brought be-
fore the California Legislature for docking the
State at the north as well as at the south. bill
has been introduced into the House of Represent
aiiyes for erecting the six counties north Of the
thiItysixth degree of north Latitude into separate
Territory. Perhaps this bill may have been intro
duced as a sort of offset to the southern project,
though separation from California and xation
to Oregon has formerly been suggested by the in
habitants Of these counties, with view to their
own local convenience. They embrace rough,
mountainous district, some thirty thousand square
miles in extent, and are thinly inhabited BY pOpu.
laton of pioneer miners. No further progress ap-
pears TO have been made with this bill beyond re-
ferring it to the delegations from the counties to
L. 81 h.;