Immediately upon the inauguration of Governor Burnett, General Riley
issued this remarkable proclamation:

"To the People of California: A new executive having been elected and
installed into office, in accordance with the provisions of the
Constitution of the State, the undersigned hereby resigns his powers as
Governor of California. In thus dissolving his official connection with
the people of this country he would tender to them his heart-felt thanks
for their many kind attentions and for the uniform support which they
have given to the measures of his administration. The principal object
of all his wishes is now accomplished - the people have a government of
their own choice, and one which, under the favor of Divine Providence,
will secure their own prosperity and happiness and the permanent welfare
of the new State."

No matter what the legal objections to this course might be,
notwithstanding the fact that Congress had as yet passed no bill for the
admission of California as a State into the Union, and might never pass
one, California broke all precedents by declaring itself a State, and a
free State at that, and sent its representatives to Washington to hurry
up the passage of the bill which should admit it into the Union.

The brilliant audacity of California's method of admission into the
Union stands without parallel in the history of the nation. Outside of
the original thirteen colonies, she was the only State carved out of the
national domain which was admitted into the Union without a previous
enabling act or territorial apprenticeship. What was called the State of
Deseret tried it and failed, and the annexation of Texas was the
annexation of a foreign republic. The so-called State of Transylvania
and State of Franklin had been attempted secessions of western counties