This great State was ceded to us by Mexico, being part of that country
before the war. In 1848 gold was discovered by Capt. Sutter in a river
near Sacramento. On examination gold was found to occur in abundance.
News of the wonderful discovery drew an immense emigration into
California from all parts of the world, the majority of those traveling
across the plains by the way of the Isthmus of Panama being, of course,
from the United States. The people who poured into the golden State
lost no time in applying for admission into the Union. In 1849, one
year after Sutter’s discovery, the State presented itself at the door
of Congress. In 1850 California was admitted. The celerity of the
operation was due to the fact the North recognized, that California
would offset to an extent the growth of slave territory actually made
by the admission of Texas and threatened in Arizona and New Mexico,
areas peculiarly adapted by climate and other conditions to the
institution of slavery.
Oregon, Washington and Idaho were part of what was called the great
Oregon country. They were acquired under an agreement with Great
Britain in 1846. The United States claimed the territory up to the
parallel of 54° 49′, but a compromise was made and the 49th parallel
accepted as the dividing line between the United States and the British
possessions. The country north of the line is now known as British
Columbia.