other hand, the sudden abundance of means exploded economic habits in general, and the prevalence of high prices and speculative ideas, together with the absence of restraining family ties, did not tend to promote prudence. agen In this short, spirited race between representatives of all nationalities and classes, save the very poor and the rich, all started under certain primitive conditions, unfettered by traditional and conventional forms, yet assisted by the training and resources derived from their respective cultures. Some aimed short-sightedly only for the nearest golden stake, and this gained, a few retired contented; most of them, however, continued in pursuit of ever-flitting visions. Others, with more forethought and enterprise, enlisted wider cies, organization, machinery, and for a greater goal; and seizing other opportunities by the way, they multiplied the chances of success in different directions. While accustomed to subdue the wilderness, Yankee character and institutions have here demonstrated their versatility and adaptiveness under somewhat different conditions, and in close contest with those of other nationalities, by taking the decisive lead in evolving from magnificent disorder the framework for a great commonwealth, the progress of which structure is presented in the succeeding chapters. $2 82 For fuller and additional authorities bearing on early California society, I refer to Burnett's Recoll. of Past, MS., i.-ii., passim; Bartlett's Statement, MS., 2-3, 7-9; Barry and Patten's Men and Mem., 46, 61-92, 144-8, 223, 251, 351; Carson's Early Recoll., 21, 25-6, 29; Janssen's Vida y Av., 198; Armstrong's '49 Experiences, MS., 8, 12; Larkin's Doc., vi. 41, 43, 51–2, 66, 144, 172, 175, 195, 198; vii. 92, 140, 206, 219, 231, 287, 338; Clarke's Statement, MS., 1-2; Hyde's Hist. Facts on Cal., MS., 9-13; Dow's Vig. Com., MS., 2, 5; Davis' Glimpses, MS., 265–78: Farnham's Cal., 22-7, 271-4; Fay's Historical Facts, MS., 1-3, 10; Fernandez, Cal., 184, 189-92; Annals of S. F., passim; Du Hailly, in Rev. des deux Mondes, Feb. 15, 1859, 932; Bauer's Statement, MS., 2-3, 5; Alger's Young Miner, passim; Bouton's Cal. Indians, MS.; Arch. Monterey Co., xiv. 18; Beadle's Western Wills, 38; Averill's Life in Cal., passim; Bancroft's Hand-book; A View of Cal., 167; Ariz. Arch., iii. 297; Antioch Ledger, July 1, 1876; Barstow's Statement, MS., 1-4, 7-12; Cal., The Digger's Hand-book, 7, 36-41, 49-54, 65–71; Buffum's Six Months, 83-4, 117-18, 121, 124; Dutch Flat Enquirer, Nov. 26, 1864; Farwell's Vig. Com., MS., 5; Johnson's Cal and Ogn, 96–209, 236, 244; Kelly's Excursion, ii. 244-9; Schmiedell's Statement, MS., 4-6, 145-6; Frisbie's Reminisc., MS., 36-7; Garniss' Early Days of S. F., MS., 8-23, 29–32; Frink's Vig. Com., MS., 25; Blurome's Vig. Com., MS., 1, 5; Gerstücker, Kreutz und Quer; Kip's Cal. Sketches, 18-19; Lambertie, Voy. Pittoresque, 202-9; Lett's Cal. Illust., 48–55, 70–129; Alameda Reporter, May 31, 1879; Kanesv., Iowa, Front Guard, May 16, 1849; Feb. 1850; Polynesian, iv. 162, 183, 207; v.-vii., passim; Merrill's Statement, MS., 2-6, 9-10; Lawson's Autobiog., MS., 11-17; Currey's Incidents, MS., 4, 8; Frémont's Year Amer. Travel, 66-8, 98-103, 112-13, 148; Brooks' Four Months, 83, 201-2; Doolittle's Statement, MS., 21-2; Drinkwater, in Miscel. Statements, 1-2; Gillespie's Vig. Com., MS., 1-6; Carson City Trib., Sept. 23, 1879; Chico Enterprise, Aug. 8, 1879; Bryant's What I Saw in Cal., 427; Schenck's Vig. Com., MS., 14, 16, 20, 22, 44-8; Earll's Statement, MS., 6, 8-10; Cox's Annals of Trinity Co., 62-3; Conway's Early Days in California, MS., 1-2; Brewer's Reminisc., MS., 35-7; Helper's Land of Gold, 36–9, 47, 63-75, 82-4, 144, 158, 167-9, 237-53; Delano's Life, 249-54, 289-90, 365; Grimshaw's Narrative, MS., 14; Borthwick's Three Years in Cal., 46-67, 77, 83–5, 127, 151-4, 165–6, 289, 334, 357-74; Hancock's Thirteen Years, MS., 119-20; Hall's Hist., 232; Green's Life and Adv., MS., 17, 19; Guide to Cal., 80-132, 157; Kirkpatrick's Journal, 14-16; Gold Hill News, Nov. 29, 1867; Geary, in Miscel. Statements, 5; Hawley's Observations, MS., 5, 9-10; Bolton vs U. S., App. to Brief, 99-101; Bingham, in Solano Co. Hist., 333; Dameron's Autobiog., 22-3; Hunt's Merch. Mag., xx. 458; xxi. 136; xxii. 696; xxxi. 114, 386; Los Ang. Star, May 14, 1870; King's Rept on Cal., 7, 215; Hittell, in Dietz' Our Boys, 166–8, 174–7, 179; Brown's Statement, MS., 14; Dean's Statement, MS., 1-2; Marin Co. Hist., 121; Mason's Rept; Massett's Exper. of a '49er, 10; Bennett, in Sawtelle's Pioneers, 5; Ward's Letter of Aug. 1, 1849, in New York Courier and Enquirer; Nevada Journal, Dec. 19, 1856; Nevada Gaz., May 2, 1864; Sonora Union Dem., Sept. 29, 1877; Morse, in Direct. Sac., 1853-4, 5-10; Berkeley Advocate, Dec. 25, 1879; Cray's Vig. Com., MS., 1; Costa R., Atl. and Pac. R., R., 7-16; Hübner's Ramble around the World, 146; New West, 342; Evans' A la California, 226, 236, 272, 359, etc.; Dilke's Greater Britain, 209, 228-32; Red Bluff Sentinel, June 14, 1873; New and Old, 35, 37, 69; McCollum's Cal. as I Saw It, 33-6, 60–3; Dana's Two Years, 432; Nidever's Life and Adv., MS., 139; Low's Observations, MS., 4–7; Hutchings' Illust. Cal. Mag., i. 33, 78, 83, 215, 300, 416, 464; ii. 401; iii. 60, 129, 210, 254; v. 297, 334-7; Holinski, La Cal., 108-10, 136; Benton, in Hayes' Scraps, Cal. Notes, v. 60; Bigler's Diary, MS., 77–9; S. I. Friend, vi. 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72, 80, 85, 88, 96; vii. 8, 15, 69, 74; viii. 28, 95, etc.; S. I. News, ii., passim; Morse's Pion. Exp., MS., 7; Colton's Deck and Port, 352, 386, 401; Proche Journal, June 4, 1875; Pierce's Rough Sketch, MS., 105-8, 111; Cole's Vig. Com., MS., 3; Mex., Revol. Sta Anna, 154; Pan. Star, Feb. 24, 1849; Commerce and Navig. Repts, 1850-67; Overland Monthly, xiv. 320, 327-8; xv. 241-8, etc.; Nouv. Annales, 1849, 3, 224; Parson's Life of Marshall, 96, 99-103, 157; Connor's Early Cal., MS., 2; Coast Review, Oct. 1877, 377; Oakland Transcript, March 1, 1873; May 5, 1875; March 25, July 14, 1877; Monterey Herald, Feb. 13, 1875; Le National, Oct. 4, 1869; Russian River Flag, Jan. 9, 1873; Morse's Statement, MS.; Henshaw's Hist. Events, MS., 1-2, 7-8; Hesperian, ii. 10, 492, 494; Rednitz, Reise, 105; Olney's Vig. Com., MS., 1-3; Ventura Free Press, Sept. 29, 1877; Mining and Scientific Press, Aug. 3, 1878; Lyon Co., Nev., Times, March 24, 1877; San Diego Arch., 331; San Diego Herald, Dec. 5, 1874; Frignet, La Cal., 83, 94, 117, 121–2, 135; Foster's Gold Regions, passim; Cerruti's Ramblings, 25-7, 50, 67; Clemens' Roughing It, 410, 417, 444; Home Missionary, xxii. 92–3, 163–7, 186; xxiii. 208-9; xxvii. 159-60; London Quart. Rev., Jan. 1881, 45-6; Pion. Mag., i. 174; ii. 80; iii. 80-1, 147; iv. 314; Player-Frowd's Six Months in Cal., 22-3; Placerville Republ., July 19, 1877; Coke's Ride, 354-7; Pion. Arch., 29-31; S. F. Occident, March 5, 1874; S. F. News Letter, Jan. 17, 1874; S. F. Exchange, Jan. 13, 1876; Elite Directory, 1879, 11-19; S. F. Golden Era, March 8, 1874; Jan. 26, 1878; S. F. Chronicle, July 6, 1878; June 4, 1879; Oct. 3, 31, 1880; S. F. Call, Jan. 6, 28, March 1, Aug. 23, 1865; Sept. 1, 1866; Aug. 1, 1867, etc.: San José Pioneer, Aug. 4, Dec. 1, 14, 1877; Feb. 16, May 4, July 27, 1878; Aug. 16, 1879; Hist. San José, 209-16; San Joaquin Co. Hist., 21, 23, 34-5; S. F. Times, Jan. 12, 1867; S. F. Town Talk, Apr. 10, 1857; S. F. Post, Apr. 3, 1875; Feb. 10, 1876; July 27, Nov. 1, 23, 1878; Chamberlain's Statement, MS., 1; Cassin's Statement, MS., 5-7, 10-18; Hist. Doc. Cal., 1-508; Olympia Standard, July 22, 1876; Sargent, in Nevada Grass Val. Direct., 1856, 29-31; Sta Cruz Sentinel, Feb. 20, 1875; Sta Cruz Times, March 12, 1870; Ross' Narrative, MS., 12, 15-18; Roach's Hist. Facts, MS., 3; Modesto Herald, Feb. 14, 1878; Richardson's Mining Exper., MS., 10-11, 27–30; Melbourne Morn. Herald, March 29, 1849; Hist. of Los Ang., 73-4; Lloyd's Lights and Shades, 18-21, 513-16; Robinson's Cal. and its Gold Regions, 10, 105, 214; Capron's Hist. Cal., 125-6, 129, 146, 165, 220, 233; Roach's Statement, MS., 2-3, 9; Campbell's Circular Notes, i. 98-129; Revue des Deux Mondes, Feb. 1, 1849, 475; Miscellany, ix., pt. i. 77; McDaniels' Early Days, MS., 6, 49-50; Sac. Union, Dec. 16, 1854; Sept. 1, 1855; March 13-15, Apr. 4, May 21, June 26, Sept. 16, Dec. 25, 26, 31, 1856; Sept. 14, 1858; Sept. 4, 1865, etc.; Sac. Bee, June 12, 1874; Sac. Wkly Bee, Aug. 16, 1879; Shasta Courier, March 25, 1865; Shaw's Goblen Dreams, 37-42, 47, 179-83; Catholic World, 795, 807; Cal., Pop. and Col. Scraps, 126-7; Sayward's Pioneer Remin., MS., 4, 29-33; Ryan's Pers. Adv., ii. 170-220, 250-7, 265–6; Id., Judges and Crim., 80-2; Cal. Pilgrim, 54, 136; S. F. Bulletin, Jan. 2, March 29, Apr. 1, July 7, 8, Aug. 5, Sept. 15, 20, 25, Nov. 27, Dec. 4, 1856; Sept. 27, 1862; Feb. 28, Oct. 28, 1865; Apr. 30, 1866; Jan. 23, 25, 1867, etc.; Cal., Pion. Celebrations Scraps, 8-10; Id., Polit. Scraps, 123; Cal. Archives, Unbound Doc., 20, 55, 56, 58, 59, 64-7, 224-6, 228, 319-20, 322-3, 328-9; Cal., Advent. of a Captain's Wife, 18, 20, 27-8, 41-2; Cal. Past and Present, 107-9, 149-50, 159–60, 163; Sacramento Illust., 8, 12-13; The World Over, 92-110; The Mines, Miners, etc., 790-1; Thomas, in Sac. Direct., 1871, 52-3, 76, 1034; McCabe's Our Country, 1054-6; Mayne's Br. Columbia, 157, 163; The World Here and There, 14-27; Matthewson's Statement, MS., 2-3; Sutton's Early Erper., MS., passim; Stockton Indep., Aug. 31, 1878; July 28, 1879; Soule's Statement, MS., 2, 4; El Sonorense, May 2, 1849, p. 4; La Armonía Social (Guadalajara), March 2, 1849; Miller's Songs of the Sierras, 69, 70, 280; Solano Press, Dec. 11, 1867; Solano Co. Hist., 164; Wilmington Enterprise, Jan. 21, 1875; Tuthill's Hist. Cal., passim; Vanderbilt, in Miscel. Statements, 32, 35; Shuck's Repres. Men of S. F., 936–7; Shinn's Mining Camps, 137; Virginia, Nev., Chron., May 21, 1877; Sac. Record, March 6, 1875; Tinkham's Hist. Stockton, 166-75; Sherwood's Pocket Guide, 64-5; London Times, July 25, 1850; Little's Statement, MS., 3, 11, 16; Upham's Notes, 221-2, 225-6, 265–72; Mrs Tibbey, in Miscel Statements, 19-20; Tiffany's Pocket Exch. Guide, 16, 124-6; Tyler's Mormon Battalion, 242-334; Taylor's Oregonians, MS., 1-2; Id., Spec. Press, 11, 50, 57, 500-3; Id., Eldorado, i.-ii., passim; Id., Cal. Eife Illust., 164–7, 190-4; Crosby's Events in Cal., MS., 10-17, 22–3, 25, 38–9, 46; Torres, Perip., 62, 99– 100, 109, 112, 145; La Motte's Statement, MS., 1; Ryckman's Vig. Com., MS.; Van Dyke's Statement, MS., 3; Voorhies' Oration, 1853, 4–5; Vinton's Quartermaster's Rept U. S. A., 1850, 245-8; Cal. In and Out, 254, 344, 380; Ver Mehr's Checkered Life, 344, 367-8; Todd, in Miscel. Statement, 21; Watkin's Vig. Com., MS., 1, 24; Vallejo Wkly Chron., July 26, 1873; Velasco, Son., 325; Soc. Mex. Geog., Bolet., xi. 129; Vallejo, Col. Doc., xxxv. 47, 148, 192; Willey's Thirty Years, MS., 37, 39; Id., Personal Memoranda, MS., 127-8; Wheaton's Statement, MS., 2-4; U. S. Govt Doc., 31st Cong., 1st Sess., H. Ex. 17, pp. 693, 845, 968-9; Yuba Co. History, 147; Wilmington Enterprise, Jan. 21, 1875; Williams' Statement, MS., 3-14; Id., Rec. of Early Days, MS., 1–13; Id., Pion. Pastorate, 44-8; Carson State Register, Oct. 19, 1871; Upton, in Overland Mthly, ii. 135-7; Winans' Statement, MS., 3–6, 14–18; Turrill's Cal. Notes, 22–7; Shirley, in Miscel. Statements, 13-16; Woods' Pion. Work, 17–18; Id., Sixteen Months, 46, 62, 68, 72, 74-6, 87, 148, 167; Cal., Statutes, 1850 et seq.; Id., Journal House, 1850, p. 1344; Id., Journ. Sen., 1850, pp. 481, 1299, 1307, 1340, and index; 1851, pp. 921-4, 999, 1516-34, 1583, 1658–76; S. F. Alta Cal., Jan. 25, June 5, 14, Aug. 2, Dec. 15, 1849; Jan. 14, 16, May 27, June 25, July 1, Dec. 19, 21, 24, 1850; 1851-2, passim, etc.; S. F. Daily Herald, 1850, passim; Feb. 19, Sept. 30, 1851; Apr. 7, 1852; Neall's Vig. Com., MS., 3-5, 14-16, 23-8; S. F. Minutes Assembly, 1849, passim; Id., Munic. Rept, 1859-60, pp. 167-8; 1861-2, pp. 259-60; 1866-7, p. 520; Id., Manuel, pp. ix.xvi.; Sac. Transcript, Apr. 26, May 29, June 29, Sept. 18, 30, Oct. 14, Nov. 14, 29, 1850; Jan. 14, May 15, 1851; Hittell's Hist. S. F., passim; S. F. Paci fic News, Nov.-Dec. 1849, passim; 1850, passim; Jan. 1, 10, 21, 23, Feb. 7, 14, Apr. 11, 1851; Parker's §. F. Direct., 1852-3, 7-18; Kimball's S. F. Direct., 1850, 124-30; Sac., Placer Times, May 5, 12, 19, 26, June 2, 30, 1849, passim. CHAPTER XII. POLITICAL HISTORY. 1846-1849. THE SLAVERY QUESTION BEFORE CONGRESS-INACTION AND DELAY-MILITARY In the anthem of human progress there is here and there a chorus of events which rolls its magnificent volume around the world, making all that went before or that follows seem but the drowsy murmur of the night. In this crash of chorus we regard not the instruments nor the players, but are lifted from the plane by the blended power of its thousand-stringed eloquence, and under the spell of its mighty harmonies become capable of those great emotions which lead to heroic deeds. The political history of California opens as such a chorus, whose mingling strains, distinctive heard for more than a decade, come from a few heavy-brained white men and four millions of negro slaves. Calhoun, the great yet sinister Carolinian, knew, when he opposed the conquest of California, that the south, and he more than all, had brought about the event; and while pretending not to desire more ter 1 Benton, in the congressional debates of 1847, in which Calhoun opposed the acquisition of more territory, and into which he introduced his firebrand resolutions-see Cong. Globe, 1846-7, p. 455-made a clear case against Calhoun, showing unequivocally that either he had three times changed his ritory, the slave power was covertly grasping at the Spanish-speaking countries beyond the Rio Grande, policy, or that he was the Machaivelli of American politics. Benton's history of the causes of the war was as follows: 'The cession of Texas is the beginning point in the chain of causes which have led to this war; for unless the country had been ceded away there could have been no quarrel with any power in getting it back. For a long time the negotiator of that treaty of cession [Mr J. Q. Adams] bore all the blame of the loss of Texas, and his motives for giving it away were set down to hostility to the south and west, and a desire to clip the wings of the slave-holding states. At last the truth of history has vindicated itself, and has shown who was the true author of that mischief to the south and west. Mr Adams has made a public declaration, which no one controverts, that that cession was made in conformity to the decision of Mr Monroe's cabinet, a majority of which was slave-holding, and among them the present senator from South Carolina [Mr Calhoun], and now the only survivor of that majority. He does not contradict the statement of Mr Adams; he therefore stands admitted the co-author of the mischief to the south and west which the cession of Texas involved, and to escape from which it became necessary, in the opinion of the senator from South Carolina, to get back Texas at the expense of a war with Mexico. This conduct of the senator in giving away Texas when we had her, and then making war to get her back, is an enigma which he has never yet condescended to explain, and which until explained leaves him in a state of selfcontradiction, which, whether it impairs his own confidence in himself or not, must have the effect of destroying the confidence of others in him, and wholly disqualifies him for the office of champion of the slave-holding states. It was the heaviest blow they had ever received, and put an end, in conjunction with the Missouri compromise and the permanent location of the Indians west of the Mississippi, to their future growth or extension as slave states beyond the Mississippi. The [Missouri] compromise, which was then in full progress, and established at the next session of congress, cut off the slave states from all territory north and west of Missouri, and south of 364° of north latitude; the treaty of 1819 ceded nearly all south of that degree, comprehending not only Texas, but a large part of the valley of the Mississippi on the Red River and the Arkansas, to a foreign power, and brought a non-slave-holding empire to the confines of Louisiana and Arkansas; the permanent appropriation of the rest of the territory for the abode of civilized Indians swept the little slave-holding territory west of Arkansas, and lying between the compromise line and the cession line, and left the slave states without one inch of ground for their future growth. Even the then territory of Arkansas was encroached upon. A breadth of 40 miles wide and 300 long was cut off from her and given to the Cherokees; and there was not as much territory left west of the Mississippi as a dove could have rested the sole of her foot upon. It was not merely a curtailment but a total extinction of slaveholding territory; and done at a time when the Missouri controversy was raging, and every effort made by northern abolitionists to stop the growth of the slave states. [The northern states, in 1824, gave nearly as large a vote for Calhoun for vice-president as they did for Adams for president.] The senator from South Carolina, in his support of the cession of Texas, and ceding a part of the valley of the Mississippi, was then the most efficient ally of the restrictionists at that time, and deprives him of the right of setting up as the champion of the slave states now. I denounced the sacrifice of Texas then, believing Mr Adams to have been the author of it; I denounce it now, knowing the senator from South Carolina to be its author; and for this, his flagrant recreancy to the slave interest in their hour of utmost peril, I hold him disqualified for the office of champion of the 14 slave states, and shall certainly require him to keep out of Missouri and to confine himself to his own bailiwick when he comes to discuss his string of resolutions. I come |