The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 16, July 1912 - April, 1913 Page: 254
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
grated to California from New York. Halleck and Sherwood,-
the former the author of the proviso clause in the Gwin-Halleck
proposal and a strenuous supporter of the extreme eastern boun-
clary-were both born and raised in New York. Of the seven sup-
porters of the small state who have been quoted above, Price, Shan-
non, McDougal and Lippitt were from the northern states, while
Semple,' McCarver and Botts were from the South. No man in
the Convention more earnestly urged the narrow boundary than
Botts.
The usual supposition has been that the extreme eastern bound-
ary was supported by pro-slavery men for the purpose of making
California so large that a subsequent division, by an east-and-west
line, would result in the establishment of two, large states on the
Pacific, one to be dedicated to freedom and the other to slavery.2
This view, however, is not substantiated by facts. On six different
occasions members of the Convention expressed fear that such a
division might occur. The first was by the Committee on the
Boundary, which was made up of one northern man, two foreigners
and two natives.3 The second expression of fear of such a division
was by McCarver, a native of Kentucky;4 the third by Semple,
also a native of that state; the fourth by Snyder of Pennsylvanitay
the fifth by Sherwood of New York,7 and the last by Gwin.8 The
last named has usually been considered the arch-villain in the
southern plot. Thus three southerners, three northerners, two
foreigners and two native delegates clearly expressed a fear of
such an event.
But the votes taken on the different proposals show even more
clearly that there was no attempt on the part of delegates from
'Semple, the president of the convention, did not speak very often on the
subject. The speech made by him quoting King might lead one to think
he favored the extreme boundary, but an examination of the votes cast will
show that he supported the more contracted limits on every occasion.
2Bancroft, History of California, VI, 291 and 294-5; Royce, California,
264-66; Hunt, Genecsis of Californa's first Constitution, 49; Coman, Eco-
noneo Beginnings of the Far West, IT, 248. The last named author also
implies that the native delegates were assisting southern men in bring-
ing about such a result.
"Browne, Debates, 123.
lIbid., 170.
Ibid., 176.
'Ibid., 182-83.
'Ibid., 182 and 184.
"Ibid., 445.254
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 16, July 1912 - April, 1913, periodical, 1913; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101058/m1/262/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.