s, said he, "we all look forward
with confidence to the time when Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky,
and Missouri, and probably North Carolina and Tennessee will adopt a
gradual system of emancipation." Douglas was one of the first to favor
the admission of California as a free State. According to the Missouri
Compromise law and the laws of Mexico, all Western territory was
free, and he was opposed to interference with existing conditions. The
Missouri Compromise was still held sacred. Finally, however, it was with
Douglas's assistance that the Compromise measures of 1850 were passed,
one of which provided for territorial Governments for Utah and New
Mexico with the proviso that, when admitted as States, slavery should be
permitted or prohibited as the citizens of those States should determine
at the time. Congress refrained from any declaration as to slavery in
the Territories. It was this policy of "non-intervention" which four
years later furnished plausible excuse for the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise.

It was not strange that there was general ignorance in all parts of the
country as to the resources of the newly acquired territory. The rush
to the goldfields precipitated action in respect to California. Before
General Taylor, the newly elected President, was inaugurated, there
was imminent need of an efficient government. An early act of the
Administration was to send an agent to assist in the formation of a
state Government, and a convention was immediately called to frame a
constitution. By unanimous vote of the convention, slavery was excluded.
The constitution was approved by popular vote and was presented to
Congress for final acceptance in December, 1849.

In the meantime a great commotion had arisen among the people. Southern
state legislatures passed resolutions demanding that the rights of their
peculiar institution should be recognized in the new Territory. Northern
legislatures responded with resolutions favoring the admission of
California as a State and the application of the Wilmot Proviso to the
remaining territory. Northern Democrats had very generally denied that
the affair with Mexico had as a chief purpose the extension of slavery.
Democrats therefore united with Whigs in maintaining the principle of
free soil. In the South there was a corresponding fusion of the two
parties in support of the sectional issue.

General concern prevailed as to the attitude of the Administration.
Taylor