The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-03
California News.

The Picayune gives the following items Of
news;
No one can tell who is governor ofCalifor.
mia, who is mayor Of San Francisco, where the
seat Of government is at San Jose or at Vale.
10, what set of claimants has the best right to
upward of half dozen contested seats in the
next legislature, or what party has the best tile
to the municipal government Of San Francisco.
With regard 10 the governorship, there Is lit
tie doubt but gross fraud has been committed
with the ballot box in several counties-and,
although Il may be difficult, If not Impossible, to
prove it legally, il is not the less fact from the
investigation recently made, that Major Reading
received majority Of all the votes cast for gov
ernor at the late election.
As 10 the mayoralty, majority Of the SUI
prene Court, to the establishment OF the legal
profession end tie citizens generally, have lately
decided that DR.. Harris was the mayor Of San
francisco since September last, although Capt
Brennan has been acting in that capacity.
/. The location of the seat of government il 10.
volved in as deep MYSTERY as ever--ihe partisans
Of San Jose ard Vallejo sparing no exertion on
either side to secure IL. On tie Both ult, a
meeting, consisting of forty-one members elect
10 the legislature, was held In San Francisco,
for the purpose Of consulting together rs 10 the
place where the next Legislature should be held
when the question was decided in favor Of
Vallejo, by majority Of 2s to l3 But as the
Mole meeting did not con .ti'ute one-hslf ofibe
members Of the legislature, il is impossible, Of
course, TO consider that vote as setting the qucs.
ton ut rest
The claimant, TO contested seats 10 the legis-
la,ure must, of course, await the action Of that
body upon their respective cases.
In the city OF San Francisco we have now two
sets Of civic rulers in full blast. The gentlemen
elect, d in September were sworn In on Mon.
day last, the 29th ult., by Mayor Harris, and
they held their first meeting on the same even
ing. The gentlemen who have hitherto admin
ister,d the municipal government with such
credit to themselves and such advantage to the
city, will, Of course, adopt every legal and con.
stitutonal means IN their power TO resist these
pretensions; and they depend for success on the
chaig e which is 60 take place in the constilu-
lion OF the Supreme Berch, nj the next term, by
the substitution Of Chief Iustice Solomon Hey
denfeldt for Chi Justice Hastings, the gentle
man whose decision h the case Of Harris rs.
Brennan has lately excited 50 much astonisb-
ment.
The Democratic party are torn a under by
dissensions, and, from the luminosity exhibited
on both sides, there il little prospect Of union
among them. One portion, who come princi
pally from New York, were anxious TO have
preponderance for their section by the choice Of
delegates 10 State convent'n, TO be held
shortly, for the appointment Of delegates 10 the
Democratic National Convention and for the
nomination ofcandidates for electors Of Presi-
dent and Vice Presideut--while the other party,
who hail from the more Southern States, were
influenced by similar motives. Both parties are
unyieIding and both will send delegates TO the
State convention.
The atmosphere itself has symp ithized. in
some degree, with the stormy spirits who bave
apitated the political world since the departure
Of the last steamer. For the last ten days The
rain has fallen almost every day and night, and
we have had two or three very severe south
eastern gales, accompanied, on one or two occn.
sions. with hail. thunder and lightning. Two
or three slight shocks Of an earthquake, which
lasted for few seconds, have been felt in San
Francisco.
The news from the mines the
yield 10 the placer diggings being very boantiful
since the rain set in.
The survey the railroad from San Francisco
10 San Jose has been completed. Its total cost
is estimated at Sl,5s9,126 H. We fear that
considerable time will elapse before the work
can be commenced. No further steps, that we