The Shasta courier., 1872-05-25
CALIFORNIA IN. CONGRESS.

John W. Fornev, in his interesting IAN.
ecdotesof Public Men. thus sketches some
o. the earlier California representatives in
An attack upon. the policy of the Mexican
war and the annexation Of Texas always
dispose me to direct attentionte the results
OF the conquest of purchase of California,
Fnnd the opening of our way to the Pacific on
the tbirty-second parallel. When Robert
y. walker, who was perhaps the most active
engineer of the annexation scheme, wrote
his celebrated letter in its favor, be pleaded
with prophetic ken for its effect on the Whole
country. The future yindicated his views,
and gave him an opportunity to resist, on q
broader field and with resplendent disinter
estedness, the efforts of the disunionists to
use their new advantage for the overthrow of
the Government The Shareholders gave
quick and earnest support to the Texas pro.
gramme, and they sent their best material
into the war against Mexico but they soop
realized that Freedom could spred as we'll as
Slavery, and tha. the more it was disterbed
the stronger it was. They met a fearful fall
! when they tried to divide California in 1850,
so as to reserve half for the peculiar in
stitution; and they we're still more disap-
pointed when California refused to follow
them in their spoliations of Kansas in 1855
Sc 81 and still later in 1861 81. when the
Pacific State, set apart as an outlying fors
ress of Slavery, became one of the chief
bulwarks of the Union.
But did not sit down to write politics, or
to show how Providence overthrows the best
laid plans of ambitious men, but to restore
to the memory of my readers some of those
who figured in the early days of California.
These were all in the prime of life. most Of
them young, and all of them seeking their
fortunes. They came from various sections.
Young Fremont, when in his 9th year, ex
plored the South Pass. afterwards penetrated
to the Rocky Mountains and the Great Salt
Lakes, and still later unfolded Alta Califor-
mia, the Sierra Nevada aud the San Joaquin
and the Sacramento, and was the first United
| States Senator after the war and the ratifca-
tion of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
This was in 1850, when be was 36 years old .
/ remember him we'll lis quiet anners and
his youthful figure. His colleague, DR..
William M. Gwn, of Mississippi, who had
grown to be a veteran in the bitter conflicts
of the South, where he had held any number
of places, emigrated to California like the
rest. to better his condition. and was made a
Senator in Congress in 1850 for six years.
He was just As, full of vigor, resources busy.
contriving and resolate, not over-scrupulous,
and intensely ambitions. His wife was ex.
actly the mate tor such man; fashionable,
liberal, dashing, and full of Southern par
tialties. Their house was as hospitable as
plenty of money and pleasant people could
make it. George ". Wright was then a
| Representative in the House in 1850 l. He
is now resident of Washington, and a
sound Republican. In 1852 Milton S.
| Lott thop 20 Voe d
tive from California. He was Just twenty.
five when he took his seat-a handsome boy,
who, after short career in Alabama, had
emigrated, in his twenty third year to the
Golden State. He was modest and graceful,
made good sophomore speech, was never
violent, and soon conciliated great favor
Few men have enjoyed more of the world s
smiles aud favors, and few deserved them
more than this young man. lie was clerk
of the Recorders Court of San Francisco in
1850. District Attorney of Sacramento
county in 1851 Representative in Congress
in 1852, and declined re election; was
| Collector of the port OF San Francisco in
1856; elected Governor of California in
1859, and three days after his Inauguration
was chosen Senator in Congress for six
years. lie was always moderate in his poll
tics, though Democratic liked Douglas and
Breckenridge was close friend of Andy
johnson, and never"fell out" believe, with
Hotspur Wigfall or dogmatic Toombs. lie
was even and genial to all had no angular
points, and made money with the ease of a
fortunes favorite. lie is now living in San
Francisco, millionaire at forty five, having
had an experience of a quarter of a century
unusual in any mans history, with perhaps.
as many years before him in which to in
crease and enjoy in possessions. OF a widely
different type was E. c. Marshall. who went
forth from Kentucky to California about the
same time, and sat in the House with Latham
as his colleague. He was a genius impetu-
Gus, blind, reckless true scion of a gifted
and eccentric race. Some OF his speeches
were gems, but he had no system, and vast
ed his gifts lavshly, while the more prudent
Latham carefally garnered and added to his.
Then came the big Drained James A. Nc
| D. ugal. born in New York, thence remov-
ing to Illinois, and in 1850 settling down in
| Cal fornia, where, after other service, he was
chosen to succeed Latham in the House,
| What handsome fellow in 1885, in his thirty
seventh year, and how be famed in debate
| He ought to be living to-day, and would be if
| he had been little less selfish. John B
Weller, of Ohio, transplanted himself to
| California in the exodus of l849, succeeded
Fremont in the Senate in 1852, and was
afterwards Governor of the State. He is.
believe, still living in California. Thomas
j. Henley, of Indiana. belonged to the same
emigration. He made the longest and best
stump speeches ever heard, and could hold
a crowd together for hours at stretch.
Broderick, ''the noblest Roman of them
them ALL" was, 1 think. in the mines as early
as lS49 He fed from New York and its
degradations and dug for living in the
| gulches but he was soon called forth TO
| lead in the formation of the Constitution of
the new State. and to sit in and preside over
1 the Senate. Chosen Senator in Congress
in 1850, and refusing to sanction the treach-
cry of Buchanan on the Kansas question, be
was killed in duel by Southern seces
sionist in September of 1859. John Conness
one of the disciples of Broderick, was of the
first emigrants of California, and served in
various public positions, till he was chosen
| Senator in Congress in 1868. New
men have succeeded the pioneers; men like
| Cole. Sargent and Low. The bad influence
that ruled the State has passed away. The
old slow ocean passage has yielded to the
genius of the rail. Continents make treaties
by telegraph and interchange commodities
by steam. Distant nations are made neigh.
bors, and thoughts that could only be spoken
or written twenty years ago, fly into millions
of minds in the remotest regions. The
ideas of Broderick, and BAKER. and Starr
KING snrviva the evil -sophistrjes of GWin