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![handle is hein.statecon/canmpotus0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 31st CoNGREss, [O. OF REPS.] Ex. Doc.
lst Session. No. 17.
CALIFORNIA AND NEW MEXICO.
M ESSAGE
FROM
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
TRANSMITTNG
-JIformiation in answer to a resolution of the HN.use of the 31st of De-
cember, 1S49; on the subject of California and New Mexico.
JANUARY 24, 1850.
Committed to the Coommittee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be
printed ; and a motion to print 10,000 extra copies referred to the Committee on Printing.
FEBRUARY 6, 1850.
Ordered, That 10,000 copies extra be printed.
To the House of Representativ's of the United States:
I transmit to the House of Representatives, in answer to a resolution of
that body passed on the 31st of December last, the accompanying 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 commandant of the depart-
ment of California exercising the functions of civil governor in that Terri.-
tory; and left, as I was, to act under the treaty of Guadalupe IIidalgo,-
without the aid of any legislative provision establishing a government in.
that Territory, I thought it best not to disturb that arrangement, made.
under my predecessor, until Congress should take some action on that sub--
ject. I therefore did not interfere with the powers of the military com-
mandant, who continued to exercise the functions of civil governor as be-.
fore; but I made no such appointment, conferred no such 4uthority, an&,
have allowed no increased compensation to the commandant for his ser---
vices.
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 ses- -
sion, with as full knowledge and as little difficulty as possible, on all matters=
Sof interest in these Territories, I sent the honorable Thomas Butler King-
as bearer of despatches to Cliifornia, and certain officers to California and
New Mexico, whose dut.* s are particularly defined in the accompanying-
lettere of instruction addrssed to them severally by the proper departments.
I did not hesitate to oxpress to the people of those Territories my desire.
that each Territory should, if prepared to comply with the requisitions of tha-
-constitution of the United States, form a plan of a State constitution and sub-,
lmit the samo to Congress, with a prayer for admission into the Union a-s a](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.statecon/canmpotus0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)