Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1891-01-03
A Possibility that it Will Soon Belong to
Uncle Sam.


Uncle Sam.
WAsHzseToN. January 2d-"Sooner or
later, and it may come very soon, there is
going TO be trouble between the United
States and Mexico over Lower California, !"
said General Cadwalader, of San Diego, to
Post man. Geographically it is piece
of country that fits into our area much
more naturally than as possession of
Mexico. The miners from our side are
continually going down there prospecting,
and if there should be any big gold discoy-
cries, as it is quite probable, seeing that it
is very rich in minerals, there would be a
rush of people into Lower California who
would no more pay respect to the Mexican
authority or Mexican laws than they
would to the Chinese Empire This may
not be the origin of the difficulty, but it is
only question of time when trouble will
arise, and the best thing to do is to dis
count such contingency by buying the
country from our Mexican friends Con-
gresham Vandever intends to see if he
cannot persuade Congress of the utility of
such action before the present session ex
pires. l don't know what the Mexicans
would want for it, or even if they would
be willing to sell at all, but they are
shrewd people, and doubtless have long
ago found out that the strip is of far more
value W tue Onllcu ClhleS luau To Them.
THE ENGLISH oCTAPUs.
The press dispatches from Ensenada,
Lower California, regarding the alarm of
American settlers on the peninsula over
the recent treatment of Americans by Eng
fish landowners and agents.of the London
syndicate, who nov control the peninsula
under American concession, have created
considerable interest in the matter at the
State Department.
Private dispatches from Eusenada have
also been received at the State Department
1t will be remembered, that when an al
legged scheme to capture Lower California
was made public, Colonel E S. Foster, spe.
cial agent of the State Department., was
sent to Lower California to investigate and
report to the Department the real state of
affairs. While he confirmed the report of
the filibustering scheme ito capture the
peninsuls. the great volume of testimony
taken by him has never been made public
In view of the reported agitation on the
peninsula, it is believed that the Foster
testimony will be given to the public soon
A good deal OF interest is manifested here
over this affair.
If it has no other effect it may result in
the establishment of large military post
at San Diego
General Vandever, Governor Murray and
General Cadwallader of San Diego, are
using every effort in this direction. To-
morrow's Post will contain an interview
with CONGRESSMAN Vandever regarding the
to pnrcnase. At one time it
was fact that conditional grant had been
made by the Mexican Government to
what was called the international Com
pany Of Mexico. The grant was first
held by Connecticut parties. They
afterwards transferred it to an English
syndicate, who controlled it in the interest
OF the English and against the interests of
the large number of colonists who had
gone into that country from the United
States. While the Connecticut company
owned and controlled this grant they in
duced the investment Of large amounts of
money by American citizens, mostly living
in Southern California Contracts which
they entered into have, since the English
syndicate came into control, been disre-
garded, causing an immense loss to the
people living in Southern California.
Il have now in my hands, 10 be pre-
sented to Congress-" ssys General Van
dever, "a petition, setting forth substan-
TALLY these facts, signed by hundreds of
the best people in the southern part of my
district, calling upon Congress to author
ize negotiation with Mexico for the purpose
of protecting their interests, and reimburs
Ing them Tor money OF which they have
been defrauded by this English syndicate.
The latter have controlled the peninsula
through military officers, notably Colonel
Scott, of the British army, but this fact,
while unpleasant to Americans, is a small
matter beside the more important fact that
the English are now establishing coaling
station at San Quentin on the peninsula
Another matter which is too important
for the Government to overlook is this: If
the English are allowed to continue in the
possession of Lower California, they will
control the mouth of Colorado river, one OF
the principal rivers of our country, and
one that 0raius large amount of country
in the States of Colorado, Nevada and
California. The outlet of this river ought
not to be in control of European power
General Murray's presence in this city
has occasioned considerable speculation
among the Western men. It is now be-
lieved that he, as well as General Cadwal.
lader, are at work urging the adoption BY
Congress of Vandever's scheme for negotia
tons with Mexico. 1t will be remem-
bered that General Murray, with other Salt
Lake business men, left Utah to engage in
land speculation at or near Ensenada