HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 507 



from the Colorado to the Pacific, thus separating a 

 kindred people, and exposing the governments of the 

 two territories to continual collisions, the propriety of 

 retaining Lower California is, in mv opinion, now no 

 longer an open question. When this country was fii-st 

 taken possession of by the forces of the United States, 

 the people were promised the protection of our govern- 

 ment against Mexico, and guarantied the rights secured 

 by our Constitution; and in November, 1847, they 

 were assured by the commander-in-chief of the Paci- 

 fic squadron, (with the approbation of the Secretary 

 of the Navy,) that this territory would be permanent- 

 ly retained by the American government ; and again, 

 by the President of the United States, in his annual 

 message of December, 1847, that it " should never 

 be given up to Mexico." Acting under these assur- 

 ances, all the most respectable people of the territory 

 not only refused to take part with the Mexican forces 

 which were sent to attempt the recapture of that country 

 from the Americans, but many of them actually took 

 up arms in our defence, and rendered most valuable 

 services in ridding the peninsula of the guerrilla hordes 

 sent over from Mexico for the purpose of efi'ecting 

 our expulsion. In this conflict, some who thus sided 

 with us lost their lives, many their property, and all 

 have exposed themselves to the vengeance of the 

 Mexican government. But these losses and dangers 

 they have willingly encountered, in the hope of ob- 

 taining the better government of the United States. 

 They have regarded these promises as made in good 

 faith, and have been guided in their conduct by the 

 assurances thus held out to them by the agents of the 

 American government ; and now, for the United 

 States to voluntarily surrender this country to the 



