<P> In Taylor's view, the best way forward was to admit California as a state rather than a federal territory, as it would leave the slavery question out of Congress's hands . The timing for statehood was in Taylor's favor, as the Gold Rush was well underway at the time of his inauguration, and California's population was exploding . The administration dispatched Rep. Thomas Butler King to California, to test the waters and advocate on behalf of statehood, knowing that the Californians were certain to adopt an anti-slavery constitution . King found that a constitutional convention was already underway, and by October 1849, the convention unanimously agreed to join the Union--and to ban slavery within their borders . </P> <P> The question of the New Mexico--Texas border was unsettled at the time of Taylor's inauguration . The territory newly won from Mexico was under federal jurisdiction, but the Texans claimed a swath of land north of Santa Fe and were determined to include it within their borders, despite having no significant presence there . Taylor sided with the New Mexicans' claim, initially pushing to keep it as a federal territory, but eventually supported statehood so as to further reduce the slavery debate in Congress . The Texas government, under newly instated governor P. Hansborough Bell, tried to ramp up military action in defense of the territory against the federal government, but was unsuccessful . </P> <P> The Latter Day Saint settlers of modern - day Utah had established a provisional State of Deseret, an enormous swath of territory which had little hope of recognition by Congress . The Taylor administration considered combining the California and Utah territories, but instead opted to organize the Utah Territory . To alleviate the Mormon population's concerns over religious freedom, Taylor promised they would have relative independence from Congress despite being a federal territory . </P> <P> Taylor sent his only State of the Union report to Congress in December 1849 . He recapped international events and suggested several adjustments to tariff policy and executive organization, but such issues were overshadowed by the sectional crisis facing Congress . He reported on California's and New Mexico's applications for statehood, and recommended that Congress approve them as written and "should abstain from the introduction of those exciting topics of a sectional character". The policy report was prosaic and unemotional, but ended with a sharp condemnation of secessionists . It had no effect on Southern legislators, who saw the admission of two free states as an existential threat, and Congress remained stalled . </P>

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