480 HISTORY OP CALIFORNIA. 



that time in force, and the difficulties Tvith various as- 

 semblies elected in the northern part of the terri- 

 tories. 



Executive Department of California, 

 Monterey, June 30, 1849. 



General : I have the honor to transmit herewith 

 copies of all civil correspondence and papers since 

 the 13th of April last, at which time I relieved Colo- 

 nel Mason from his duties as Governor of California. 



It was (with the advice of Colonel Mason) my in- 

 tention, on assuming the direction of civil affairs in 

 this country, to complete the organization of the exist- 

 ing government ; at the same time to call a convention 

 for forming a State Constitution, or plan of territorial 

 government, to be submitted to Congress for its appro- 

 val. But on further consultation it was deemed best 

 to postpone all action on this subject, until I could 

 ascertain what had been done in Congress. On the 

 first instant I received reliable information by the 

 steamer "Edith" that that body had adjourned with- 

 out organizing any territorial government for this 

 country ; and accordingly, on the 3d instant I issued 

 my proclamation to the people of California, defining 

 what was understood to be the legal position of affairs 

 here, and pointing out the course it was deemed ad- 

 visable to pursue in order to procure a new political 

 organization better adapted to the character and 

 present condition of the country. The course indi- 

 cated in my proclamation will be adopted by the 

 people, almost unanimously, and there is now little or 

 no doubt that the convention will meet on the first of 

 September next and form a State Constitution, to be 

 submitted to Congress in the early part of the coming 

 cession. 



