Alta California : embracing notices of the climate, soil, and agricultural products of northern Mexico and the Pacific seaboard : also, a history of the military and naval operations of the United States directed against the territories of northern Mexico, in the year 1846-'47 : with documents declaratory of the policy of the present administration of the national government in regard to the annexation of conquered territory to this union, and the opinion of the Hon. James Buchanan on the Wilmot Proviso, &c
Description of area: p. 9-12; history and documentation: p. 13-64.
Anti-annexation tract.
Summary
The 1847 publication briefly address climate soil and agriculture in Alta and Baja California in chapter I. The following eight chapters consist of communications from the U.S. Government consisting of instructions in the event Mexico declared war, justification of and motives for war, various reports to Washington, communications with Mexican officials in Alta California, accounts of the military operations in California, the articles of capitulation entered into at Rancho of Cowanga on January 13, 1847, all of which are interspersed with personal observations and comments by the author. The final chapter deals with the question of whether slavery would be allowed in California, the policy of the South and its motive for a slave market and emigrants to California and Northern Mexico [from California State University's Digital Commons]
"This lovingly written book, accompanied by more than 75 of the author's own sketches, provides a reliable record of those vanishing forms of architecture. Accurate line drawings depict a variety of barns, such as those in Maine, attached to houses; an 'open' log barn in Virginia, and a 'top hat' barn in North Carolina. Covered bridges - like barns, built for soundness and endurance - are also illustrated, among them a saltbox structure in New England, a bridge with a pedestrian walkway in rural New York State, and a 10-span-long bridge at Clark's Ferry, Pennsylvania." [from the publisher]
376 p. illus. (part col.) ports. (part col.) col. maps. 29 cm.
Contents
Chapters: New England - Atlantic gateway - Appalachian frontier - The old South - The great river - Lakes and prairie - The great plains - The Spanish southwest - The farthest frontier.
Summary
"A pictorial history of America in terms of the places where history was made--places that you can visit today. The book is divided into nine geographic sections, each abundantly illustrated with rare photographs, eyewitness paintings, drawings, engravings, and sketches." [from the publisher]
American historical and literary curiosities : consisting of fac-similes of original documents relating to the events of the revolution, &c. &c. with a variety of reliques, antiquities, and modern autographs