At the end of the war the annexation of C. to the United States came with the treaty of peace, ratified May 19, 1848, and then the question became pressing whether it should be a free or a slave state—a question hotly discussed long before. Up to the adjourn ment of congress, on the 4th of Mar., 1849, nothing had been done towards organizing either state or territorial government except making San Francisco a port of entry, and extending the customs and revenue laws over the country_ The people of C. then took affairs into their own hands, and in Sept. of that year held a convention, which framed a state constitution in which slavery was expressly forbidden. On the 7th of Sept., 1850, a bill was passed by congress admitting C. as a state without slavery, but €: 4'4 4,51 leaving New Mexico and Utah (organized into territories on the same day) open to its introduction. This legislation was the "omnibus bill" and a part of the famous com promise measures through which it was hoped that the question of slavery would be permanently settled, or at least removed from discussion in congress.
The discovery of gold at rapt. Sutter's mill, in Feb., 1848, attracted towards C. a tide of emigration unparalleled in modern times. From 40,00 a year or two before the war, the white population rose to 323,000 in 1860, and 500,000 in 1870. The gold fever was the phenomenon of the age. The emigrants were nearly all young or middle-aged men, scarcely a hundred women going out for the first year or two. Nine tenths of the adven turers rushed at once to the mines, or prospected for new ones. The organization of so ciety was neglected, and in many places the only law was the momentary decision of the people themselves. Fortunes were made in a day, and the golden stream flowed east ward with steady and rapid increase, so that the gold production of the United States for the 17 years from 1849 to 1875 averaged $15,600,000 per year. In 1853, the product of the C. mines was $65,000,000. All property was affected by the fever; lots in San Francisco were worth gold coin enough to carpet them; speculation ran wild; all forms of gambling were recognized as legitimate business; adventurers and criminals flocked in, and society became chaotic. Self-preservation soon demanded order, and the cele brated vigilance committee enforced it. The latest of those committees assumed the proportions of a regular government, and resisted the efforts of the state power to disband it; but formally resigned near the close of 1856, after hanging four culprits, and driving hundreds of the worst from the state.
C., popularly called the "golden state," is bounded on the n. by Oregon, the line running e. on the 42d degree to the 120th parallel, thence s. to the 39th degree, thence s.e. to the intersection of the 35th degree on the Colorado river, thence along that river to the Mexican or lower California boundary about 33° n., and thence direct nearly w. to the Pacific. The extreme length from s.e. to n.w. is about 750 m., and the breadth an average of about 240 m. The area given in the census of 1870 is 188,981 sq.m., but
that amount is probably too large by 25,000 sq.m. Near the coast below 34° are the islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Santa Catalina, San Nicolas, and San Clementes, but none of them are important, and but one or two are under cultivation.
The principal harbors on the Pacific are San Francisco, San Diego, Humboldt, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Bodega, San Luis Obisbo, and Tomales. The hay of San Francisco is the finest harbor on the Pacific coast. Entering by the `.` Golden Gate," a strait only a m. wide and 5 m. long, vessels are in a land-loeked bay about 9 m. wide by 50 in length, sheltered from the ocean by ]and from 6 to 15 m. wide. The bay of San Pablo is a portion of that of San Francisco. San Diego, in the s., is also an important harbor. The surface of C. is generally rough. There are two mountain chains running through; the Coast range, and the Sierra Nevada, or snowy mountains, the latter forming in some parts the eastern boundary of the state. Both ranges are united at the n. and s. end. The Coast mountains are comparatively low, seldom showing peaks as high as 5000 feet. The range is near the ocean, and there are but few available harbors along the 700 in. of coast. The bay of San Francisco pierces this range, which is further divided by valleys such as the Napa, Sonoma, Los Angeles, and Salinas. In breath the Coast range is from 20 to 40 miles. The plains and valleys are fertile, and generally have a delightful climate. A lesser chain, the Mount Diablo range, is about 150 m. in length by about 25 wide. One of the prominent natural features near San Francisco is the Contra Costa range of hills, running from Carquines bay about 50 m. in a s.e. direction. Some of the higher of the Coast mountains are: Mts. Diablo, 3881 ft.; Ripley, 7500 ft.; Downie, 5675 ft.; and San Carlos, 4977 ft. All these mountains are heavily clothed in verdure, and nearly all contain minerals of value. In the n. part of the state numerous branches of the Coast range and the Sierras intermingle, rendering that portion extremely rugged. The Sierra Nevada range, starting from Mt. San Bernardino, about 34° n., runs n.w. and n., and reaches the Coast range again at 41° 15' by a western spur. The summits of the Sierra mountains are in many instances above the snow line, and there are but few available passes. The range is about 450 m. long, and from 50 to 80 m. wide. The mountains are thickly wooded as far as trees will grow, and above the green pines shoot up bare and snow-covered granite peaks. Some of the altitudes are: Shasta, 14,442 ft.; Tyndall, 14.386 ft.; Brewer, 13,886 ft.; Dana, 13,277 ft.; Castle, 13,000 ft.; Lassen, 10,577 ft. The Johnson "pass" over this range is 6752 ft., and that of the Central Pacific is 7042 ft. above tide. Mt. Diablo. about 28 m. n.e. from San Francisco, is a lone and very conspicuous peak, affording from its summit a comprehensive and pictur esque view; and the same is true of Mt. Helena, at the head of Napa valley, 60 m. n. from San Francisco.