composed of the famous and noble hunter and guide, Kit Carson, and others like him, ready, with sinews of steel, to do or to dare;-furnished with artillery, and armed with Colt's revolvers. If Mr. Polk's object was to counterwork the British plot, his measures and agents were well chosen, and his plans completely successful. The Mexican treaty, signed at Gaudalupe Hidalgo, Feb. 2, 1848, added to the American Republic vast tracts, of which the California portion had a framework of society adverse to our own, many patriots looked with apprehension for the result, knowing that ordinarily the full river keeps the course first taken by the rivulet. Would enough of our citizens go thither to turn this course-to fuse this portion into the common mass? Providence presented a material to draw them so quickly, and in such ample numbers, that they at once constituted the principal stream of Californian society, into which all minor currents, not excepting the original, were merged; and GOLD, the curse of other lands, was a blessing to this. In February, 1848, a private discovery of gold was made on the grounds of Capt. Sutter, by a Mr. Marshall, then in his employ, twenty-five miles up the American Fork of the Sacramento. It was soon found in other localities. Rumors of California gold reached the Atlantic States, which were converted to certainty by the President's message of December, 1819, accompanied by a letter from Gov. Mason, who had been in person to visit the gold "diggings." As he passed along, he found houses deserted, and fields of wheat going to ruin; their owners having left them to dig for gold. Such had been the quantities found, that every convenience of life bore an enormous price. Capt. Sutter paid his blacksmith ten dollars per day; and he received five hundred dollars per month for the rent of a two-story house within his fort. Gov. Mason followed up the American to the sawmill, in whose raceway the golden scales were first discovered. He visited other placers," and saw multitudes engaged in the beds of streams, and in dry ravines, where water-courses had once existed. In a little gutter two men had found the value of seventeen thousand dollars. The ordinary yield for a day's work was two ounces. Such were the facts reported from unquestionable sources; and California at once became the one luminous point, to which all eyes were directed. There was a rush for the land of gold, not only from the United States, but from Europe, Asia, South America, and the isles of the sea. From December, 1849, to January, 1850, 99 vessels from the United States. 52 from New York; 29 from New England. From October, 1849, to October, 1850, one year, arrived at San Francisco, 48,615 immigrants by sea, and 33,000 by land. The 13th of October, 1849, will be memorable in the annals of California. On that day the members of the Convention elected to draft a constitution set their signatnres to this noble instrument. The President of this body was Robert Semple, a native of Kentucky; the Secretary, Wm. G. Marcy, of New York. The constitution was adopted by the people Nov. 13, 1849. Population, in 1850, 200,000. CONSTITUTION. ARTICLE I-Declaration of Rights. SEC. 1. All men are by nature free and independent, and have certain inalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness. 2. All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of the people; and they have the right to alter or reform the same whenever the public good may require it. 3. The right of trial by jury shall be secured to all, and remain inviolate forever; but a trial by jury may be waived by the parties in all civil cases, in the manner to be prescribed by law. 4. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed in this State and no person shall be rendered incompetent to be a witness on account of his opinions on matters of religious belief; but the liberty of conscience hereby secured shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace or safety of this State. 5. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require its suspension. 6. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor shall cruel or unusual punishments be inflicted, nor shall witnesses be unreasonably detained. 7. All persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, unless for capital offences, when the proof is evident or the presumption great. 8. No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime (except in cases of impeachment, and in cases of militia when in actual service, and the land and naval forces in time of war, or which this State may keep with the consent of Congress in time of peace, and in cases of petit larceny under the regulation of the Legislature), unless on presentment or indictment of a grand jury; and in any trial in any court whatever, the party accused shall be allowed to appear and defend in person and with counsel, as in civil actions. No person shall be subject to be twice put in jeopardy for the same offence; nor shall he be compelled, in any criminal case, to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation. 9. Every citizen may freely speak, write, and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right; and no law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press. In all criminal prosecutions on indictments for libels, the truth may be given in evidence to the jury; and if it shall appear to the jury that the matter charged as libellous is true, and was published with good motives and for justifiable ends, the party shall be acquitted; and the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the fact. 10. The people shall have the right freely to assemble together to consult for the common good, to instruct their representatives, and to petition the Legislature for redress of grievances. 11. All laws of a general nature shall have a uniform operation. 12. The military shall be subordinate to the civil power. No standing army shall be kept up by this State in time of peace; and in time of war no appropriation for a standing army shall be for a longer time than two years. 13. No soldier shall in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner; nor in time of war, except in the manner to be prescribed by law. 14. Representation shall be apportioned according to population. 15. No person shall be imprisoned for debt in any civil action on mesne or final process, unless in cases of fraud; and no person shall be imprisoned for a militia fine in time of peace. 16. No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, shall ever be passed. 17. Foreigners who are, or who may hereafter become bona fide residents of this State, shall enjoy the same rights in respect to the possession, enjoyment, and inheritance of property, as native born citizens. 18. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, unless for the punishment of crimes, shall ever be tolerated in this State. 19. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable seizures and searches, shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue but on probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons and things to be seized. 20. Treason against the State shall consist only in levying war against it, adhering to its enemies, or giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the evidence of two witnesses to the same overt act, or confession in open court. 21. This enumeration of rights shall not be construed to impair or deny others retained by the people. ARTICLE II.-Right of Suffrage. SEC. 1. Every white male citizen of the United States, and every white male citizen of Mexico, who shall have elected to become a citizen of the United States, under the treaty of peace exchanged and ratified at Queretaro, on the 30th day of May, 1848, of the age of twenty-one years, who shall have been a resident of the State six months next preceding the election, and the county or district in which he claims his vote thirty days, shall be entitled to vote at all elections which are now or hereafter may be authorized by law: Provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent the Legislature, by a two-thirds concurrent vote, from admitting to the right of suffrage Indians or the descendants of Indians, in such special cases as such a proportion of the legislative body may deem just and proper. 2. Electors shall, in all cases except treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest on the days of the election, during their attendance at such election, going to and returning therefrom. 3. No elector shall be obliged to perform militia duty on the day of election, except in time of war or public danger. 4. For the purpose of voting, no person shall be deemed to have gained or lost a residence by reason of his presence or absence while employed in the service of the United States; nor while engaged in the navigation of the waters of this State, or of the United States, or of the high seas; nor while a student of any seminary of learning; nor while kept at any almshouse or other asylum at public expense; nor while confined in any public prison. 5. No idiot or insane person, or person convicted of any infamous crime, shall be entitled to the privileges of an elector. 6. All elections by the people shall be by ballot. ARTICLE III.-Distribution of Powers. The powers of the government of the State of California shall be divided into three separate departments-the Legislative, the Executive, and Judicial; and no person charged with the exercise of powers properly belonging to one of these departments, shall exercise any functions appertaining to either of the others, except in the cases hereinafter expressly directed or permitted. ARTICLE IV.-Legislative Department. SEC. 1. The legislative power of this State shall be vested in a Senate and Assembly, which shall be designated the Legislature of the State of California, and the enacting clause of every law shall be as follows: "The people of the State of California, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows." 2. The sessions of the Legislature shall be annual, and shall commence on the first Monday of January next ensuing the election of its members, unless the governor of the State shall in the interim convene the Legislature by proclamation. 3. The members of the Assembly shall be chosen annually, by the qualified voters of their respective districts, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, unless otherwise ordered by the Legislature, and their term of office shall be one year. 4. Senators and members of Assembly shall be duly qualified electors in the respective counties and districts which they represent. 5. Senators shall be chosen for the term of two years, at the same time and places as members of Assembly; and no person shall be a member of the Senate or Assembly who has not been a citizen and inhabitant of the State one year, and of the county or district for which he shall be chosen six months next before his election. 6. The number of senators shall not be less than one-third, nor more than one-half of that of the members of Assembly; and at the first session of the Legislature after this constitution takes effect, the senators shall be divided by lot as equally as may be, into two classes; the seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the first year, so that one-half shall be chosen annually. 7. When the number of senators is increased, they shall be apportioned by lot, so as to keep the two classes as nearly equal in number as possible. 8. Each house shall choose its own officers and judge of the qualifications, elections, and returns of its own members. 9. A majority of each house shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may 'compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties, as each house may provide. 10. Each house shall determine the rules of its own proceedings, and may, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all the members elected, expel a member. 11. Each house shall keep a journal of its own proceedings, and publish the same; and the yeas and nays of the members of either house on any question shall, at the desire of any three members present, be entered on the journal. 12. Members of the Legislature shall, in all cases except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest, and they shall not be subject to any civil process during the session of the Legislature, nor for fifteen days next before the commencement and after the termination of each session. 13. When vacancies occur in either house, the governor, or the person exercising the functions of the governor, shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies. 14. The doors of cach house shall be open, except on such occasions as in the opinion of the house may require secrecy. 15. Neither house shall without the consent of the other adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which they may be sitting. 16. Any bill may originate in either house of the Legislature, and all bills passed by one house may be amended in the other. 17. Every bill which may have passed the Legislature shall before it becomes a law be presented to the governor. If he approve it he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his objections, to the house in which it originated, which shall enter the same upon the journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration it again pass both houses by yeas and nays, by a majority of two-thirds of the members of each house present, it shall become a law, notwithstanding the governor's objections. If any bill shall not be returned within ten days after it shall have been presented to him (Sunday excepted), the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Legislature by adjournment prevent such return. 18. The Assembly shall have the sole power of impeachment; and all impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. When sitting |