The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-19

TIE LtBnletufs, III TIC stOo clAISepe u tn0
state, 10 e1,irpate there prevailing crimes In
the early periods OF IL has often been
70 adopt MS1s 's ~ better
ulaed and Older stetee The state OF Tennesses vas
infested at early day With bands OF horse
snd the forced TO adopt capital punishment In
such easesS and Jew years rigid and prompt cxscu-
tion the Law Eventually checked TIE commission OF
BY an act Of the Legislature psrtiee to eortrscts are
allowed bind themselves pay sAy rate CT interest
tary may agree sp.s arr support Of the pYipeee
involved in tins measure. it has oeeK often urged
that money is but an sItss,s Of eoImerce and tha.
fer the of it. they rurely have tte right to
charge soy interest Tor The of it, they surely have
charged. as the landlord who rents out bro use
farm; and THAT the aw has right 20 interfere, bit
enforce the contract in the one promptly
~ in che other.
Hevever timple and apparently unanswersblc this
plausible theory may bo all experience has deus on
etrstsd Its ruinoup sec upon tee
and, therefore, itmust be wroRg in principle. ap.
prvhend the error consists in soIsdsr ring mc0ey rs
simply an article OF commerce when il l. in truth.
seand ard OF vxlue made by law, and must be re-
ceived in satisfaction OF all debts.
The credit system itself is efficiently dangerous but
when connected with OK travsgsnt and 9nlinited
of interest 1t produces ruin to Large
portion Of the community Few men rightly calculate
for money. II an individual bcrrows q considerable
cum OF money at high rate OF interest, epd snouli
few months interest puts forever beyond his power
to pay. He sees himses. ruined Tor life makes no
further efforts to pay leaves his creditor 70 sustain
the both principal and interest wtiis the oor
rover himself becomes Q hopeless idler and freen
thepcetorwaId a useless, not an evil, member OF
society If each individual stood alone, disconnected
with others there mi be truth In the principle
assumed But the State has interest in tine protec
lion Of pdviduss the prosperity ruin OF indiv
duals makes up the prosperity rnin of the whole.
II practice be Injurious to psblic moraie or pcble
policy II lie the right oithe State to restrain It,
The idea that competition among lenders would re-
euce the rate OF interest to sir and Just standard
such az the Legitimate profits Of business would Isty
seems TO be delusive. Our own sad experience 10 Cali
iorna has cusively sho that % lion
the lenders DOES diminish the rate Of interest but
the rates nov asked and the amount of security oos
demand ed equal to- IL ct greater, than taose
CURED year age cannot but express the opinion
that the late monetary crisis in California has beer
more the legitimate result CT The oppressive rates OF
interest charged than OF any other cs1se The
r.sul. in many II not in the most has been run
10 both borrower sod lender. II the system lie per
ritt.d 70 coLtinue fer some years longer the pro-
ouctve industry OF the state viii be seriously Grip
pied.
have already bsen in the creased pulse given
TO our seric during the pas. year The large
tracts land have, In many cases been eutdivlted
snc sler portions cold to agrcultursts who have
thus become permanent and prosperous residents.
greater than have ususlly been supposed. aoa are
equal to those OF most OF the States In the language
Of o. her mott intelligent citizens, her fertile
valleys and rich prsries ecapsbe when cultivated
Of producing upted store OF agricultural wealth "
In pursuance OF Al act Of the Legislature defining
the duties Of the Surveyor General i. expected
that that officer would bepsbied to embody in bis re-
p,r much useful statistical information in reference
10 .bs geography ami agriculture Of the Stats For
resstns stated in his report be mas not been able
90 60 This information would have been exceedingly
useful IN lie present infant state Of that branch sf
Industry The climate and coil OF California pscu
Liar and the mode of cultivation best ada ted the
10 consequently very little understood. The result
tertansd by most persons in refereuce to
teri While the opinion has generally been INDUCED,
that irrigation was indispensable to the OF the
farmer the psst ytars experience has shown that al
ggains. nearly all the garden vegetables can he
grewn in great abundance without IL.
Were net for the fact that state lie emil
IN her finances she uld the
Of separate and distinct Bureau OF Statistics bat
the duties Of the Surveyor General are not 60
10 prevent his stten TO this sub and they
are. from their nature Somewhat connected with It,
would recommend the centp usnce Of tbs provision
curing him to collect infor nation from different
county surveyors.
In connection with this subject, cannot bu: ex.
pres my regret that the Legislature owing to dir.
terence Of opinion to tie beet model failed to
~ ont that ~ise and humane provision Of the Cons
tution which was deNgn-d TO protect from forced
rae certain portion OF the homestead OF Gil heads
% families. This provision Is peculiarly appropriate
10 California and is another evidence o, the wisdom
and .Lligktened hoerslity Of the trainers Of
e~leLt Constitution without familie. IL lie inpos-
sibs Tor any State CT community exist aud pros
per This irovsior II carried ou, xth tn. sam- en-
ghtsnec spirit 10 which u originated; and especially
" ionss.d tas IL ~ hoped il will be by act .;
Cor gre,s making grants in limited quantities to ac-
tral rettlsrs upon the pLblc land. will I'LL up
cur etate with energetic, industrious and viz.
tsuliss who viii thut tecuEe permanent home. not
CO,eLceL, upon the fluctuations OF trade and busi-
n.ss There can be 10 doubt but that the practical
operation efttis jul Gnd liberal provision viii b.
'minentiy bsushe-nt to both debtors aud creditors
- II vii have atndsney 10 cheek the exeesses o.!
The credit seetsn and 20 nsie the credit OF ndisid
ua!s Ie IL should ever be- depebcn: u2oE their
integrity, espscity and indu,uy. than upon the
amount nd value Q; The property they may tempo.
rhIiy centre!
At the late g.ns.s election there "a, elected su
ptrintrncept Of Public Instruction Ii will be
,sry 10 pass act prescrit5g his duties and fixing
be eoEpenfAtion. lLder exciting circumstances b.,
lore any q the public land 10 which the state viii
be entitled have been assigned TO her, aud while ws
have so fev families in the state aud opuAtion
20 unsettled il may not be prsstics bic T. establish
unworthy But the time must soon arrive when Z
sbs have both the families and the means TO adop.
and carry cot euch system n the me snticae IL
might be made the duty Of the superintendent to col
lect us ful statistical Information to be reported
nptlly TO the executive and by him laid before the
Lssi.iai ure at each regular session.
Ky the provisions Of the second section Of the moth
article OF the constitution, al estates o, deceased
psr,ons Nho may have died without leaving will or
heir. .bsl remain perpetual fund. the interest OF
which sha be inyioably appropriated to the support
Of common schools thros zhout the state IL would
he vice 10 make some efficient provision By law tor
The security OF ,ueh uRis and Tor lending them out
BY re,ponsible cfhcsrs would recommend that they
BE- oepoffed ia the State treasury and invested in
State securities
take great pleasure in referring to the passage BY
Consr.s at i,s lat. ..ssiop Of the act granting the
,vsmp and oyeffored public lands 10 the several
S,at.s in which they may be situated BY this laW the
state q Cslorni. will be entitled to in bodies
OF rtie land bordering upon the bays OF San Francis
90 ssn Pablo and suisun, and upon the rivers saa
Joaquin snd Sacramento. These lands IL IL thought
by many intelligent persons when properly drained
snd cultivated viii produce teauiigl crops Of rice,
Q nd psrhsp. Of sugar cane.
for TIE want Of the necessary surveys and psts no
esitmst. approaching towards accuracy can be made
a. 10 their extent and quantity, and q considerable
time must lapse before their limits be defined IL
vii be sITedsnt fer the Legislature at early p,-
riod 20 dept some permanent line Of policy In rsf-
renee TO the Opposition to be made OF these lands and
the rroeted arising from the after ded-ctirg the
cs.ary expsn.ss of the levees and drains.
without the pssssgs 81 this set the rxnt OF eminent
domsn which resides Ia the STATE would entitle her
upon general principle to all the lots in the city Of
can FIsnciseo covered BY ordinary high tide 90 soon
as the zane should be reclaimed from the dominion Of
The sea. BY this act he~eyer every doubt may b.
6 nsdsrsd as rtmoved; would therefore recommend
that these lets be osded 70 that city upon such copd
tnrs 40 may be Just would also recommend that
the rrht Of pton be granted 10 actual settlers
upon these lands on such ,Quitah aud liberal terms
~ may best promote their rapid improvement add
cultivation.
- 4.