448 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



ANNUAL ADDRESS. 



By General N. P. Chipman, of Red Bluff, Tehama County, California. Delivered at the 

 Pavilion Thursday evening, September 20, 1888. 



THE EVOLUTION OF CALIFORNIA. 



Mr. President, Ladies, and Gentlemen: In casting about for a subject 

 upon which to address you, I have determined to use the hour you have 

 kindly offered me in showing the evolution of California, with a word at 

 the close in relation to the part your four counties — San Joaquin, Merced, 

 Stanislaus, and Tuolumne — are performing in the marvelous development 

 now taking place in this marvelous State. 



California, the second largest State in the Union, contains one hundred 

 and eighty-eight thousand nine hundred and eighty-one square miles; was 

 acquired by the United States in 1848; the people met in convention to 

 form a government at Monterey in September, 1849; the Constitution was 

 adopted and a Legislature elected in November, 1849; the Legislature met 

 and the Governor was inaugurated in December, 1849; and by Act of Con- 

 gress, approved September 9, 1850, California as a State took its place — the 

 thirty -first in the galaxy of the American Union. 



This is the skeleton outline of California's birth. What pen shall write 

 her proud history and prouder achievements ? What prophetic vision shall 

 unfold her grand future and grander achievements? 



Nations are made up of units of very unequal value. Territory is sought 

 by governments often, I may say usually, with little conception of their 

 ultimate value or importance, but rather to aggrandize territory, or secure 

 positions of importance in giving strength and self-protecting power. 



The thirty-first unit in point of seniority, and when admitted probably 

 the thirty -first in elements of Statehood, California has risen in rank and 

 influence until she is one of the most conspicuous of the group of American 

 States, and is more widely known throughout the globe than any State in 

 the Union. 



California was a trophy of war. Almost at the same moment that the 

 United States and Mexico were signing the treaty of peace, the ratification 

 of which by the several governments gave to us this rich heritage, gold was 

 discovered under circumstances such as soon after created the wildest 

 excitement and the most intense interest of any event that had occurred 

 on the continent. There were then probably not to exceed fifteen thousand 

 white population in the country, most of whom had, since 1843, come from 

 the East and Oregon Territory. Some cereals had been grown, some fruits 

 raised, and enough of agriculture pursued to show something of the capa- 

 bilities of the soil and climate, but the people were mainly engaged in pas- 

 toral pursuits. 



In the days of the greatest prosperity of the missions there were more 

 cattle and horses in the valley regions of Southern California than are now 

 in the entire State. 



