Year: 1859




The bill. introduced some weeks ago, by Mr..
Pics, of Los Angeles, having for Us object the
division of the State, passed the Assembly on
Friday, by vote Of 80 ayes to rs noes. The
bill as passed proposes to submit the question
Of division to Q vote Of the people Of the coun-
ties to be set Oh, and II two-thirds Of the voters
Of those counties are in favor Of the measure,
the consent of the Legislature TO the division
Is to be regarded a. consumated. II will then
enly remain for Congress to pass en- act organ
king a State or Territorial government, % the
people Of the southern district may determine.
There is said to be fair prospect that the bill
will pass the Senate.


The passage Of this bill by the Assembly will
be somewhat sur prising to the people, from the
fact that tho impression is quite general that
the Legislature has no right to give its consent
to change Of the boundaries Of the State.
The arguments advanced by the members from
the southern counties, in favor of the constitu-
tionality Of the measure, were far from being
convincing. The boundaries Of the State are
6xed by the Constitution, and the Legislature
cannot give its consent to change the bounda-
res except in the manner pointed out in the
Constitution to amend that instrument. If one
provision of the Constitution is to be set ct
nought, why not discard the whole, and invest
the Legislature with unlimited power to play
'such fantastic tricks" as suit majority Of its
members?


So far as the measure itself is concerned, we
are In favor Of letting the southern counties
.'sliden out of the State IL such is the wish of
their people. The native Californians have
contracted the notion that the evils which they
have suffered since California was acquired by
the United States, are owing entirely to their
connection under the same government with
the mining counties, and they imagine If the
connection we're once severed, that the halcyon
days of yore would again dawn upon them
They have been taught to believe, too, that the
expense OF the State government is borne en-
tirely by the agriculturists, and that the miners
are wholly exempt from taxation. 1t is certain
that the cause of their misfortuues is not attrb-
uted to the proper source, nor do We believe
that their expectations of return OF old times
are ever destined to be realized; but since they
believe themselves to be held in the condition
of vassels to the more populous portions of the
State, we are perfectly willing they should try
the experiment Of separate government.


Many substantial reasons can be urged for
dividing the State. Our territory is so large,
that The interests Of different sections are con-
fcting, and the habits and wants of the people
are so diverse that it is almost impossible to
frame laws applicable to all. Laws necessary
for the government of an agricultural popula-
tion. are not suitable to an exclusively mining
people, and vice versa. We're it practicable,
We should favor project to divide California
into two States-ene an exclusively mining.
and the other an agricultural State; but such
division is not practicable. The southern Sec
tion, however, that Is proposed to be set of, is
on exclusively agricultural and grazing coun-
try, the wants of the population are identical,
the territory is sufficiently extensive to make a
good State and will support large popula-
tion.


But while the advantages of the division may
not be overlooked, those more Immediately in
terested should take the proper iuitatory steps
to accomplish their object. An attempt to di'
vide the State, by nullifying provision Of the
Constitution, will create suspicion as to the mo-
tives Of those who are urging the measure for
ward, and will rather retard than hasten its
consummation.


We have long been Of the opinion that Cali
fornia would, at no distant day, be divided into
two or more States, and as the northern section
can gain no particular advantage by longer
connection with the southern, we care not
how soon the division is accomplished. ThePa-
ci6o Slope In the course of a few years will form
an important and populous section Of the Amer
lean Confederacy, and it will be to the advan-
tage Of the Inhabitants to have the territory
divided into as many States as practicable.