” 4—Gen. Taylor inaugurated President.
May 7—Gen. Worth, a very gallant officer of the Mexican war, died.
Sept.—A State Constitution is formed by the people of California, which excludes slavery.
Dec. 31—The House of Representatives ballots 63 times for a speaker, and now elects Howell Cobb, of Geo.
Gold was discovered in California, in Feb. 1848, and through 1849 emigrants—gold seekers—were arriving there by tens of thousands. By the end of this year it was a populous region. The mass of American immigrants were from the northern States, and disapproved of slavery, while the special end of the Mexican war was to procure more territory for that institution. At this time a violent contest was waged in Congress over that admission. It was not ended until late in the following year.
1850.
Jan.—Gen. Twiggs obtains the consent of the Seminoles of Florida to emigrate to the Indian Territory.
Feb. 13—President Taylor sends the constitution of California to Congress. There were many threats of secession in case California was admitted free.
Mar. 7—Mr. Webster’s great speech for the Union.
May 8—The “Omnibus Bill” reported by Henry Clay.