HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 427 



MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 

 STATES, 



Transmitting information in answer to a resolution of the House 

 of the 3lst of December, 1849, on the subject of California and 

 New Mexico. 



To THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 

 UNITED STATES, I transmit to the House of Repre 

 sentatives, in answer to a resolution of that body 

 passed on the 81st of December last, the accompany 

 ing reports of heads of departments, which contain 

 all the official information in the possession of the 

 Executive asked for by the resolution. 



On coming into office, I found the military com 

 mandant of the department of California exercising 

 the functions of civil governor in that Territory ; and 

 left, as I was, to act under the treaty of Guada- 

 lupe Hidalgo, without the aid of any legislative pro 

 vision establishing a government in that Territory, I 

 thought it not best to disturb that arrangement, made 

 under my predecessor, until Congress should take 

 some action on that subject. I therefore did not 

 interfere with the powers of the military commandant, 

 who continued to exercise the functions of civil 

 governor as before ; but I made no such appointment, 

 conferred no such authority, and have allowed no 

 increased compensation to the commandant for his 

 services. 



With a view to the faithful execution of the treaty, 

 so far as lay in the power of the Executive, and to 

 enable Congress to act, at the present session, with as 



