The Nevada journal., 1853-09-23
Incorporation of Nevada,

altenIlOn 10 tne important SUBJECT o. securing
for yourselves, Municipal form of government
as provided for the incorporation of towns by
the Legislature of 1850. By availng of this
statute, the manifold advantages are so clearly
obvious, that it would be source of wonder
why so much Indifference has hitherto been
manifested touching the matter, were it not
almost proverbial that the cause originates from
the disastrous experience of the past, under the
| ill-advised and unasked for city corporation of
1851.
The great fear at the present moment is that
the expense of any town organization will fall
heavily upon a few citizens This is an erroneous
impression which careful reviewer of the
statute will correct 1t is well known that
since the repeal of the city Charter we have
endured certain minor evils in our midst, the
suppression ofwhich, the general law but vague
ly and indirectly provides for, and under which
nine cases in ten, it is impossible to get con-
viction. Thus Nevada from being for time
governed too much goes to the other extreme,
and for two years past has wholly relied upon
the general good character and integrity of its
citizens for the preservation of order and the
citizens have done much in this respect but
now the time has come when the voluntary pro-
visional government falls to heavily upon the
few, and is irksome to the majority of those
vino have participated in it, and such latterly
has been the rapid stride syand growth of the
town, and the unmistakable indications of con-
tinued increase and pernanency, that an i'm
perative demand is now made upon you to take
more active measures for the preservation of the
morals, the peace, comfort and safety of the
community, than are now or can in any way be
vOuchsated under the present disorganization,
And especially is it your privilege and duty to
do this, if you still desire to hold out induce
ments for families and for parents with children
of a tender age, TO make Nevada permanent
and happy home. But what father or mother
can without more or less repugnance do this
now? Exemplary as are the majority Of the
citizens tand we have many noble examples)
we nevertheless know that open and unblush-
ing debauchery of both sexes exists amidst us
in the most revolving form, corrupting the
morals and offending the common decencies of
life in the neighborhoods which they infest-
We know that obScenity of conduct and Ian
guage in these resorts are public as the noon
day-and equally as public disgrace that
the Sabbath is desecrated and religious services
| frequently disturbed by the shout of the bach
analian--that the hour of sleep is made hideous
by the midnight cries and howls and the ndis-
criminate discharge of firearms sending ter
ror to the heart-that the reckless without
remonstrance, may wear concealed weapons
with which to deal with on the slightest real or
imaginary provicatiOn-that furious driving
through our narrow streets may be indnlged in
to the imminent danger of the fife and limb of
men, women and children-and that many other
crying evils exist, which can with no certainty
>be reached by the law, but which q iudicious
municipal code may effectually suppress. Nor
are these the only advantages to be derived
from corporate powers-the citizens can i'm
prove their sanitary regulations by a more sys-
tematic removal of offensive accumulations-
fire brigade may be established in conjunction
with the present private organization for the
preventure, and water introduced for extin-
gushing fires-side-walks can be graded and
their Instructions removed and many other To-
cal benefits derived and all these combined may
be founded on a rigidly economical form of
government. Can any one set forth valid
reason why such q government should not be
at once adopted? The expense, compared with
the beneficial results to accrue therefrom, will
be but trifing and nominal and upon the lead
ing citizens fall less onerous than especial
ly in the department of private police and watch
now existing, the voluntary system of which
can be modified as to require every permanent
citizen to do his part.
Fellow citizens, you have the evils and their
remedies-the bane and the antidote there is
no good cause why our little mountain town
should not successfully vie and compete with
the best municipal organization of the older
States--in no settlement in California was bet
ter material for the purpose, and no community
as Whole is more law abiding. Let social
comfort and refinement abound here, as in our
native land let not old pejudices against
once odOus but now defunct city Corporation.
longer debar you from these privileges As
your local Magistrate | ask you to give the
power to abate these evils by your own ordi-
nances. In conclusion, if have failed to pre-
sent to you this subject in favorable light. let
me appeal to you in the forcible and graphic
language of late British Colonial writer. who
says:
FINALLY America, the most modern instance,
the instance in closest analogy to ourselves,
America enjoys municipal Institutions to an
extent and intensity never seen in the world
before. Congress and the Legislatures of the
individual states produce hardly so much vital
efficacy in the development of society, in the
progress and power of the Union, as the 'town-
ships" municipal form of administration, an
organized system of selfgovernment, which one
may lind ruling with almost sovereign indepen-
dence, over every new location in the States
So that while with us, men gravely propose to
retrograde into that civic disorganization which |
was antecedent to the Feudal ages, the corpo-
rations of America are the agents of progress,
maintaining constitutional liberty with the
voice and with the pen and when necessary,
with the sword so that if the most modern ex-
ample the example of the most DrOpraesiva and