The Nevada journal., 1852-02-28
US, was tedious delay to them.


cannot forgive them for their blunders
1t becomes US to take warning by theil
> example. And yet the prudent mer
of these contemplative and reforming
times, who rebuke the fire and rash
ness of others, desire to run swift
race over the same course, needless
not only of the warning example bul
Of the good advice and precepts Of
their predecessors. We are not rs
they were--we have a government
and yet these champions of instant
perfection cannot wait during the lit
tie probationary year prescribed by
/ law--cannot prudentiy amend, section
by section, the faulty parts. A new
and perfect constitution must be made,
with dangerous and much condemned
haste.
/ The whole debt Of the state has
been charitably laid at the door of the
constitution by the majority Of the COM
mittee. Two thirds of that debt ap.
pears, by the late report of the Comp
troller, to have been caused by Indian
wars. What unwise provisions of our
constitution have caused--what unwise
omissions have permitted, the hostile
attacks of Indians, or the military ex-
peditions in FL Dorado. Mariposa, Los
Angeles, or to the Gila? OF the re-
mainder of the debt, more than $780,
600 is interest. Would it be well
that the constitution should deprive the
Legislature of the power to allow in
terest on the debts of the state? The
state debt, then, independent Of war
and interest, is $692,767 "a.
| We should remember that the state
was organized and necessarily increa-
sing expense for nearly one year be-
fore it began to receive any reve-
nue.; that it was first necessary to
make laws for the organization Of the
counties--to print those laws when
there were but few presses in the state,
and those inefficient ones--to send the
printer copies to distant parts where
there were no steamers and no mail
routes, except between the larger cit
ies-to elect county officers, and put
the newly constructed machine into
working order. The same statement
is, in part, applicable to the new coun-
ties organized during the past year.
When carpenters received $25 per
day, and lawyers were clearing $780,
600 year, the salaries of Governor,
Judges, and other state officers, were
necessarily high.
In the year l849 and so, the wisest
constitution could not have rented
public buildings for nothing--could
not have printed public documents and
statutes for nothing--could not (when
eggs, potatoes and onions were worth
one dollar each) provide the state with
officers rejoicing at the same time in
wise heads and cheap appetites. Thus
we see that the same extraordinary
circumstances, existing here for the
last three years, have been necessary
causes both of enormous expenditures
and deficient revenue.
With regard to the unequal taxa
ton mentioned in the Governors Mes
sage, we think it has arisen from eau
ses temporary in their nature, from
laws unnecessarily imperfect, and from
the careless aud ,u,i,iibful admins
tration of thoso Law !; oul iot from the
Constitution.
Without doubt, the southern coun
ties have, in proportion to their wealth,
paid an undue portion Of the taxes /
Those counties have, for many years,
been permanently settled; md it has
therefore been easy to assess and col
lect the revenue. In the mining coun-
ties, the rowing habits of the people
have prevented the same exactness.
But their habits are fast becoming |
more settled. Stationary and expen- |
sive quartz machines are taking the
place of the wandering and solitary
stranger, with his wash pan and knife
The gold digger no longer, at the ap-
proach of the collector,
"Fold up their tents like the Arabs,
And as SILENTLY move away"
They live in substantial. taxable hou-
ses. The earth is no longer carried in
sacks from its native bed TO some dis
tant stream but artificial canals, that
cost more than the yearly revenue of
the state, lead rivers into the desert.
Everywhere are growing up cities,
each Of which will soon equal in value
a whole grazing county. We believe
that an ineligible revenue law made
under our present constitution, if prop
erly enforced, will in two years give
the south no cause TO complain of un-