To the Honorable The Senate & House of Representatives of the U.S. in Congress assembled,
the undersigned present their humble Petition,
Taking a deep interest in the prosperity of our Country, & in the peace & wellfare
of our own Citizens, your petitioners cannot calmly contemplate the condition of California,
now an important section of our Teritory—or of its population in prospect, without
fearful apprehensions. The immense richness & Extent of the Golden Mines in that region
are producing an intense Excitement in large portions o f the civilized world. Tho.
scarce mine mouths have Elapsed, since these mines became known, yet, even now, a
great portion of America, & many places in Europe are awake to the subject, & hastening
with a rush to participate in the Treasures of this modern Eldorado.
Of our own citizens thousands are already there, & thousands more are following them.
And Even this population—the citizens of our own country—is & will be made up of such
a heterogeneous character—& probably not all men of the most morral & honest principles—that
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alarming collisions terminating in crime & blood are gerally to be feared among them.
But when we take into view the mighty influx of foreigners already there & hastening
there who have no right to the soil or any of its treasures—& yet who seize on[...?] them with remorseless avidity, the prospect becomes truly frightful.
Our american citizens, located, & to be located there, cannot be Expected to look
on & see their rights invaded—& their treasure filched from their hands & make no
insistance. They will insist—& fearful must be the consequences.
In view of these threatening circumstances & seeing no other way to avert them, Your
petitioners pray your honorable body to take this subject under your serious consideration.
It is a subject that none but Congress have the right or power to regulate.
In the mean time your petitioners beg leave to suggest a course to be pursued which
to them appears feasible, leaving it with your honorable body to make what use of
it, in your greater wisdom you shall think best
Your petitioners would suggest that a body of responsibe men of from 3 to 5000 be
raised immediately by Congress to be denominated the army of Protection that they
be conveyed to the seat of occupation with all possible despatch—That Government make
suitable provisions for
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their subsistence & set them to digging in the mines under the following restrictions—viz
That they be divided into a competent number of sections or squads, that these squads
take their regular weekly turn in succession in discharging military duty—& Exercising
a protective supervision over the whole population. That except when on this duty
they employ their time in digging the precious metal. Let Government receive a certain
percentage of all that is gathered & the residue be equally & statedly divided among
the whole (in part or all) for their compensation. These sections or squads may be
distributed at convenient places in the gold region & on any special emergency be
required all or a part to assemble at what ever point they are needed—& to unite their
strength for the suppression of Mischief. Such an army, bound together by personal
& common interest, would be united & vigelent. Their very presence would Exert a salutary
influence over the whole population, & prevent any serious outbreak or collisio among
the diggers—& no force which such a confused mass (without any organization or discipline)
could bring against them, could make any serious impression
A few rules might be established by Govnt to regulate the movements of the army & the dggers and suitable officers appointed
to carry out the object
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In this way the threatened evil would be arrested—Government would receive probably
large sums into the publick Treasury & Each soldier receive more than a liberal compensation
for his services.
In conclusion Your petitioners beg leave to say—that they have only hinted at the
subject in some of its outlines, & would most respectfully submit it to your honorable
body to mature a plan of operations, & carry it into effect.
And Your petitioners will ever pray
Wm KingsburyJohn [K?]eysWm V. Kingsbury[ docketing
]
Ohio
A Petetian from Citizens of Maumee city, O, for the extentian of the Laws of the u.S. on Callifera
Refered to the Comit on Teritories
A Petetian from Citizens of Maumee city, O, for the extentian of the Laws of the u.S. on Callifera
Refered to the Comit on Teritories
[ docketing
]
February 16. 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.
[ docketing
]
√
[ docketing
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Mr Sawyer.
Autograph Document Signed, 4 page(s), RG 233, Entry 367: Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, Thirtieth Congress, 1847-1849, Records of Legislative Proceedings, Petitions and Memorials, Resolutions of State Legislatures, and Related Documents Which Were Referred to Committees, 1847-1849, NAB