Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
This executive order, signed by President Millard Fillmore on 1851-12-31, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "—Modifying and Reducing the Reservation at Port Point and Point Jose, San Francisco Harbor, California." It is a direct, concise executive instruction delivering focused administrative or military commands to department leadership.
Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.
Key Directives & Operative Actions
▪The reservation, including Fort Point, Point Jose, and the Presidio, at the entrance of the Harbor of San Francisco, California, made by an order dated November 6th, 1850, is hereby modified and reduced so as to embrace only the following described two tracts of land, viz.: 1st.
Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted
🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants
Total Words
207
1,269 characters
Estimated Read Time
1 min
@ 200 words / min
Flesch-Kincaid
12.7
Post-Grad reading level
Constitutional Polarity
+0.02
Framers' Alignment index
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Scholarly & Legal Citations
Exec. Order, "Executive Order—Modifying and Reducing the Reservation at Port Point and Point Jose, San Francisco Harbor, California," Millard Fillmore (Dec 31, 1851). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-modifying-and-reducing-the-reservation-port-point-and-point-jose-san.
Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
War Department, Washington, December 20th, 1851. Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith, for your consideration, the draught of an order modifying and reducing the reservation at Port Point and Point Jose, San Francisco Harbor, California, prepared in conformity with the recommendations of the Chief Engineer, herewith inclosed, and to request your approval of the same. Very respectfully Your ob't serv't, C. M. CONRAD, Secretary of War. * * * To the President. The reservation, including Fort Point, Point Jose, and the Presidio, at the entrance of the Harbor of San Francisco, California, made by an order dated November 6th, 1850, is hereby modified and reduced so as to embrace only the following described two tracts of land, viz.: 1st. The promontory of Point Jose, within boundaries not less than eight hundred yards from its northern extremity. 2d. The Presidio tract and Fort Point, embracing all the land north of a line running in a westerly direction from the south-eastern corner of the Presidio tract, to the southern extremity of a pond lying between Fort Point and Point Lobos, and passing through the middle of said pond and its outlet to the channel of entrance from the ocean. MILLARD FILLMORE. Executive Chamber, Washington, December 31st, 1851.
