HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 481 



A few prefer a territorial organization, but I think 

 a majority will be in favor of a State government, so 

 as to avoid all further difficulties respecting the ques- 

 tion of slavery. This question will probably be sub- 

 mitted, together with the Constitution, to a direct vote 

 of the people, in order that the wishes of the people 

 of California may be clearly and fully expressed. Of 

 course, the Constitution or plan of territorial govern- 

 ment formed by this convention can have no legal 

 force till approved by Congress. 



On the receipt of the treaty of peace with Mexico, 

 doubt was entertained by a portion of the people here 

 respecting what constituted the legal government and 

 laws of the country. A few contended that all 

 government and all laws in California were at an end, 

 and that therefore the people, in their sovereign 

 capacity, might make such government and laws as 

 they should deem proper. Accordingly, in two of the 

 northern districts, local legislative assemblies were 

 organized, and laws enacted for the government of 

 the people of these districts. The members of the 

 Sonoma assembly, however, soon became convinced 

 of their error, and that body was dissolved. But in 

 San Francisco the assembly continued its sessions, 

 making laws, creating and filling offices, imposing and 

 collecting taxes, without the authority and in violation 

 of law, and finally went so far as to abolish the office 

 of alcalde, whose records and papers were seized and 

 forcibly removed from his custody. On receiving 

 official information of these facts, I issued my procla- 

 mation of the 4th instant. Since then I have made 

 a personal visit to San Francisco, and find that the 

 more respectable members of the so-called district 

 assembly are convinced of the impropriety of the 



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