The Nevada journal., 1852-02-26
MAJORITY AND MINORITY
Reports OF the Select Committee on the He
vision OF the Constitution.
MAJORITY REPORT.

MAJORITY REPORT.
4HT. Speaker The select commit
tee to whom was referred so much OF
Governor McDougals Message as re-
lated TO unequal taxation and the call
ing Of a convention to revise the Con-
stitution, respectfully ask leave to sub
nit to the Assembly the following re-
port:
Conscious of the numerous difficult
ties which are presented in the consid-
Grafton of this subject, and the weight
Of responsibility resulting from a de-
cision as to the course of policy to be
adopted, we are nevertheless neither
too diffident nor too timid, to point out
the legion of evils which exist under
our present government, and advise Il
speedy application of the only political
panacea. Those crying evils have
their tap-root in the Constitution, and
they can never be eradicated save by
the hand of the People, in Convention
assembled. If ever young and vi
gorous country was the victim of "a
blind experiment in government,
California is entitled to the rank Of
martyr.
We will first advert to the origin,
progress of formation, and final estab-
lishment of the Constitution after
wards proceed to enumerate few of
the intolerable grievances which flow
from it; and then propose a plan
whereby, with Herculean might, to
cleanse the Augean stables.
The territory of California, as we
all know, was acquired by virtue of
the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo !;
which, after mutual ratification, was
exchanged at Queretaro, on the 30th
May, 1847. At the time of its acqui-
sition, it was thought to be worthless,
compared with the blood and treasure
which it cost; but the discovery OF
gold fast following, and the tremen-
dous results springing from that i'm
portant event, soon demonstrated to
the world the brilliancy and glory of
its destiny. When this intelligence
went abroad upon the swift pinions of
the wind, from every State in the
Union and every nation on the globe,
the tide of emigration poured into this
land of promise )" and seemingly by
the power of magic wilderness was
suddenly translated into theatre, for
the enactment of the varied drama of
life by the restless children of Adam.
While all were bent upon gathering
the golden harvest, and lost to every
thing but rapid accumulation Of
wealth and speedy return to their
homes and their families, a bevy Of
hoary politicians looked calmly on the
scene; and amid the din of picks and
spades, of rumbling rockers, of noisy
monte dealers, and shouting muleteers,
conceived the grand project of creating
a government, and appropriating the
offices incident thereto to their own
exclusive use and behoof. A fabric
of government conceived in sin and
brought forth i'll iniquity," it is not to
be supposed, can stand the test OF time,
the scrutiny oi experience, OF .Ae
'oueh tone Of practicai operation. 1t
was determined hy that band Of patri-
ots, that there should be State, and
there was State. On the Sd day of
June, l849, the fiat went forth, calling
together the elements of chaos, and
commanding the wild principles of free
dom that run riot through the land, to
resolve themselves into State. The
proclamation of Bgevet Brig. Genl
Riley, er-c6icio Civil Government of
the Territory of California, recommen-
ded the people to assemble together on
the Let August thereafter, and elect
Delegates to "a General Convention
for forming State constitution, or a
plan for Territorial Government" to
be holden at Monterey, on the lst Sep
tember next ensuing. On the 9th of
November Of the same year, the Con-
stitution then and there formed, was
submitted to the people, for their rat
ification or rejection,
The election was ordered, Delegates
were elected, the Convention assem-
bled, and the Constitution was formed
and adopted, all within the little space
of five months. Verify, those venera-
BILE sages allowed the glowing ardor of
their patriotism to lead them into an
act of shot haste" which is supposed
to be the peculiar characteristic Of in
genuous youth, and made themselves
obnoxious to the imputation Of lacking
that soberness of purpose and discreet
deliberation, which is the property of
old ,oe and experience. Nav, on the