SARGENT at San Francisco, August 14, 1887. FIRST CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. The first official act looking to the establishment of a State government for California, was the issuance of a proclamation on June 3, 1849, by Brigadier-General Bennett Riley, U. S. A., the then Military Governor of the Territory, "recommending the formation of a State Constitution or a plan of a Territorial Government." The Convention was made to consist of thirty-seven Delegates, to be chosen as follows: District of San Diego, two Delegates; of Los Angeles, four; of Santa Barbara, two; of San Luis Obispo, two; of Monterey, five; of San José, five; of San Francisco, five; of Sonoma, four; of Sacramento, four; and of San Joaquin, four. The districts named were limited as follows: San Diego bounded on the south by Lower California, on the west by the sea, on the north by the parallel of latitude including the Mission San Juan Capistrano, and on the east by the Colorado River. Los Angeles bounded on the south by the District of San Diego, on the west by the sea, on the north by the Santa Clara River and a parallel of Latitude running from the head waters of that river to the Colorado. Santa Barbara bounded on the south by the District of Los Angeles, on the west by the sea, on the north by Santa Inez River and a parallel of latitude existing from the headwaters of that river to the summit of the Coast Range of mountains. San Luis Obispo bounded on the south by the District of Santa Barbara, on the west by the sea, on the north by a parallel of latitude including San Miguel, and on the east by the Coast Range of mountains. Monterey bounded on the south by the District of San Luis, and on the north and east by a line running east from New Year's Point to the summit of the Santa Clara range of mountains, thence along the summit of that range to the Arroyo de los Leagas, and a parallel of latitude extending to the summit of the Coast Range, and along that range to the District of San Luis. San José bounded on the north by the Straits of Carquinez, the Bay of San Francisco, the Arroyo of San Francisquito, and a parallel of latitude to the summit of Santa Clara Mountains, on the west and south by the Santa Clara Mountains and the District of Monterey, and on the east by the Coast Range. San Francisco bounded on the west by the sea, on the south by the Districts of San José and Monterey, and on the east and north by the Bay of San Francisco, including the islands in that bay. Sonoma included all the country bounded by the sea, the Bays of San Francisco and Suisun, the Sacramento River, and Oregon. Sacramento bounded on the north and west by the Sacramento River, on the east by the Sierra Nevada, and on the south by the Cosumnes River. San Joaquin included all the country south of the Sacramento District, and lying between the Coast Range and the Sierra Nevada. The election for delegates was held on August 1, 1849. The Convention met in Colton Hall, in the Town of Monterey, at twelve M. on Saturday, September 1, 1849, and adjourned on Saturday, October 13, 1849. The Convention admitted to seats quite a number of delegates in excess of those contemplated in the proclamation of General Riley. On organization the following were chosen officers of the body: President, Robert Semple; Secretary, William G. Marcy; Assistant Secretaries, Caleb Lyon and J. G. Field; Reporter, J. Ross Browne; Sergeant-at-Arms, J. S. Houston; Doorkeeper, Cornelius Sullivan; Interpreter and Translator, W. E. P. Hartnell; Clerk to Interpreter and Translator, W. H. Henrie. The Constitution framed by the Convention was adopted by the people at an election held November 13, 1849. SECOND CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. On March 30, 1878, an Act was approved to provide for a convention to frame a new Constitution for the State of California. The Act provided for an election to be held on the third Wednesday in June (19th), 1878, for delegates to the convention, and that the number of delegates should be one hundred and fifty-two-one from each Senatorial District, one from each Assembly District, and eight from each of the four Congressional Districts. The convention met in the State Capitol, at Sacramento, on Saturday, September 28, 1878, and adjourned on Monday, March 3, 1879. The new Constitution was ratified by a vote of the people on Wednesday, May 7, 1879. The officers of the Convention were: Joseph P. Hoge, President; Isaac S. Belcher, President pro tem.; Joseph A. Johnson, Secretary; Edwin F. Smith, Secretary after January 17, 1879; George A. Thornton and Edwin F. Smith, Assistant Secretaries; J. M. Wright, Assistant Secretary after January 24, 1879; E. L. Crawford, Minute Clerk ; George E. McStay, Journal Clerk; T. J. Sherwood, Sergeant-at-Arms; Benj. Chambers, Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms. The following is a list of the delegates to the two Constitutional Conventions: |