1849 - Speech of Mr. William B. Preston, of Virginia, in the House of Representatives on the Formation of a New State of the Territories of California and New Mexico

Files

Subject

Formation of California and New Mexico as new states

Description

The speech of William B. Preston of Virginia, given in the U.S. House of Representatives in which he introduced a bill that gave the consent of Congress to the people of California and New Mexico to create a government for themselves. The bill that Preston advocated invited the people of California the opportunity for the creation of a government founded upon their own will. It renounced the exercise of your territorial authority and jurisdiction and recognized the "great principle of popular supremacy and popular government." He was especially concerned that the bill not be perceived as a compromise between the North and the South as it related to the question of slavery. Preston offered his bill as a preferable solution to the "Missouri compromise." He proposed that the the question of whether slaves could be taken to a region while still in a territorial condition should be submitted to the Judiciary of the United States. He was concerned that other bills pertaining to statehood contained "anti-slavery" provision. and that the North might insist on adding it to his bill as a condition on which the Territories would b permitted to create a State government.

Source

Internet Archives

Format

PDF

Language

English

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | Education | Law | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Original Format

Paper

Document Type

Document

Recommended Citation

"1849 - Speech of Mr. William B. Preston, of Virginia, in the House of Representatives on the Formation of a New State of the Territories of California and New Mexico" (2019). Miscellaneous Federal Documents & Reports. 16.
https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/hornbeck_usa_2_f/16