Chapter 108: Fremont's Fury

Fremont sat in his seat anxiously waiting for the result of the vote, his heartbeat was very fast.

Soon, the voting results were announced: 46 votes in favor, 11 votes against, and 4 abstentions.

Fremont's heartfelt speech only won the sympathy of a few senators.

Except for Texas and a few southern senators, the remaining votes against Fremont were almost all from new states in the west.

The representatives of these new states do not have much say in Congress. The most powerful voice in Congress is still the old states in the east, especially the thirteen founding states.

This is the case in the Senate, which has a relatively balanced population, not to mention the House of Representatives, where the eastern representatives account for the majority. Because the members of the House of Representatives are allocated according to the population of each state, the eastern states have an inherent advantage.

Fillmore could not help with this result. If Fremont could win more than one-third of the votes against, he could also use the veto power in the hands of the president to veto the bill.

Unfortunately, Fremont did not even win one-third of the votes.

Fillmore was also worried that the forced recovery of California's land would have serious consequences.

However, the representatives of these consortiums in Congress did not care about these things. They only had gold and US dollars in their eyes.

"The bill to recover the land donated by the Mexican government in California was passed."

Fillmore announced the result in a sad tone.

Even if this was a result he did not want to see, he could only accept it, because this was the rule of the American political game, and even if he was the president of a country, he could only act under the constraints of this rule.

"Fremont, I'm sorry."

Fillmore walked off the stage and came to Fremont. He gently patted Fremont's shoulder and comforted him.

He knew that this bill would cause great harm to a new state. After the bill was introduced, California's attraction to the people in the East would be greatly reduced, and California would become a paradise for the eastern consortiums.

Fillmore and Fremont were surrounded by cheering senators. This was a victory for them. They cheered for the victory in Congress.

In the days to come, California's gold will not only flow into the pockets of the eastern consortiums and nobles, but also into their pockets.

Calhoun also showed a proud smile. He also knew that he had not much time left. This bill would be the last one in his life. Calhoun was very satisfied that he could put a perfect end to his political career.

"Mr. President, you should be happy about this. The successful passage of this bill is a good thing for the federal government. The income from the auction of California land will be used to fill the treasury of the United States."

Secretary of State Webster said to Fillmore.

Fillmore sneered. He knew very well that the Secretary of State from New Hampshire seemed to be honest and upright, but in fact he was a hypocritical hypocrite.

When Fillmore was still a lawyer, he personally gave money to Webster, who was already a prominent figure in the political arena at that time, in order to win a real estate lawsuit.

But in the end, Fillmore still lost the case. Although it has been more than 20 years since this happened, you still remember it clearly.

"Mr. Webster, how generous do you think these consortiums will be to the federal government?" Fillmore said in a very indifferent tone.

"Since you insist on doing it your way, as a senator from California, I have to remind you that I, Fremont, will never accept this result! The people of California will not accept this result either!"

Fremont, in grief and indignation, slammed the table and walked to the podium, tearing Calhoun's speech and bill to pieces.

"If you want to take away the land of California, please step on the bodies of the people of California to take it! I will return to California and fight you to the end just like I fought with the Mexicans!"

After that, Fremont, with blurred vision, left the Congress directly.

The senators of the Congress did not take Fremont's words seriously. In their eyes, Fremont was just a newcomer in the political arena who spoke without restraint.

A newcomer could not stir up much trouble, and they did not take Fremont's words seriously.

"I guess this guy must be from the South!"

"I bet five dollars, it must be from the South. Only southerners can be so barbaric, fighting at every turn, as if they want to declare war on the whole world."

"We northerners will never have such an uncultured senator."

"Keep your voices down." Seward reminded the congressmen who were talking about Fremont, "Fremont alone cannot represent the entire South."

The congressmen's eyes fell on the wheelchair pushed by Seward. Mr. Calhoun, who was slumped in the wheelchair, looked a little unhappy.

They reacted and stopped talking about southerners, because Mr. Calhoun's hometown was South Carolina.

Although Mr. Calhoun's ancestors were also northerners, he was born and raised in South Carolina.

After Fremont left, the two Texas senators also put on their hats and left Congress.

"Ron, I think we should send a telegram to Bell."

After leaving Congress, Espy said to his companion Ron.

"I think so." Ron agreed. "You should inform Mr. Bell to postpone the withdrawal of troops from New Mexico. Oh, damn, what New Mexico? Those places originally belonged to Texas."

If it is true as Fremont said, Californians will defend their land, which is good news for them, the Texans.

If Californians are strong enough, Mason, that annoying guy, is likely to be transferred from the US-Mexico border to California.

In this way, the pressure on Texas will be much less.

Whether out of sympathy or for the interests of Texas itself, they should stand on the side of California.

Ron and Espy do not want Texas to be the next California.

The news that Congress passed the bill to take back the land grant from Mexico in California was quickly transmitted to New York and major cities in the east by telegram.

The New York noble families and consortiums had long anticipated the result. Wall Street even laid out a map of California, dividing the known and unknown gold producing areas and all possible places into pieces with straight lines.

The New York consortium representatives, represented by William Buckhouse Astor, also known as Astor Jr., pointed at the map of California, as if the whole of California was already a cake on their table, allowing them to share it.

In order to pass the bill to take back the land donated by Mexico in California, their New York consortium contributed the most and should get the most and richest gold producing areas.

"Mr. Vanderbilt, I heard that you and your short-sighted friends have invested a lot in California."

Buckhouse noticed that Vanderbilt, who was watching coldly from the side, was full of gloating in his words.

"I think your investment in California is going to go down the drain. If you are willing to join us and participate in the bidding for this land auction, we don't mind giving you some gold-producing areas."

"Buckhouse, you are just like your stingy father, a complete nuisance." Vanderbilt smiled faintly, "I have the richest gold production in California, and Staten Mining Company can bring me tens of thousands of dollars in income every day. Why should I participate in your land auction?"

"But unfortunately, the mining areas you occupy are illegal, and your gold is also illegally obtained! It will be confiscated sooner or later!"

Knowing that Vanderbilt's Staten Mining Company can bring Vanderbilt at least tens of thousands of dollars in income every day, Buckhouse was jealous.

"Not necessarily. We have legal procedures. I have to remind you, Buckhouse, that California is not a territorial state now. There is a legal government there. The resolution of Congress to confiscate California land is unconstitutional."

Vanderbilt's confidence comes from his confidence in Liang Yao. He has always been very accurate in judging people. He believes that he has not made a mistake in judging people, and Liang Yao will never give in easily.

"Part of the proposals in this year's compromise bill are also unconstitutional. What will be the result?" Buckhouse retorted.

"I think you will be disappointed soon. Californians will not compromise."

After saying this, Vanderbilt did not want to continue arguing with Buckhouse.

In front of gold, not only Liang Yao and he will not compromise, he believes that thousands of gold diggers and miners in California will not compromise either.

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