HISTOEY OF CALIFORNIA. 



429 



of any census taken in cither of the Territories men 

 tioned in the resolution, as I have no information on 

 those subjects. 



As already stated, I have not disturbed the ar 

 rangements which I found had existed under my 

 predecessor. 



In advising an early application by the people of 

 these Territories for admission as States, I was actu 

 ated principally by an earnest desire to afford to the 

 wisdom and patriotism of Congress the opportunity 

 of avoiding occasions of bitter and angry dissensions 

 among the people of the United States. 



Under the Constitution, every State has the right 

 of establishing, and, from time to time, altering its 

 municipal laws and domestic institutions, independent 

 ly of every other State and of the general govern 

 ment ; subject only to the prohibitions and guaranties 

 expressly set forth in the Constitution of the United 

 States. The subjects thus left exclusively to the 

 respective States were not designed or expected to 

 become topics of national agitation. Still, as, under 

 the Constitution, Congress has power to make all 

 needful rules and regulations respecting the Territories 

 of the United States, every new acquisition of terri 

 tory has led to. discussions on the question whether 

 the system of involuntary servitude which prevails in 

 many of the States should or should not be prohibited 

 in that Territory. The periods of excitement from 

 this cause which have heretofore occurred have been 

 safely passed ; but during the interval, of whatever 

 length, which may elapse before the admission of the 

 Territories ceded by Mexico as States, it appears 

 probable that similar excitement will prevail to an 

 undue extent. 



