HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 427 



MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 



STATES, 



TransmiUing information in ansiver to a resolution of the House 

 of the Zld 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 31^t 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 arrano-ement, 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 authoritv, 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 



