The Empire County argus., 1854-05-20
The Last Communication of the Governor to the
Legislature of 1854. g
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
,,D ,,ro NTor TX 1874


To the Senate and Assembly of California M
Your committee inform me that you ready to
adjourn, and desire to know whether have any
further communication to make .s4
In response cannot refrain from expressing my
sincere regret, that all the more important meas
ures required by the people have been defeated Ell
ther by direct vote or delay in acting upon them.
The bill providing for the extension of the water
front of the city of San Francisco passed the Assem-
bly,, but was defeated in the Senate by an adjourn
ment of that body on Friday last, before it could be
received and read first time.
This important measure, if it had received your
sanction. would in comparatively short time have
secured the payment Of the entire State debt and
relieved the people from the burthen oftaxaton, in
which they have heretofore acqulesced patiently.
believing that the present Legislature would pro-
vide for their relief by the appropriation of those
ample means so entirely within their reach
The bill providing for the selection of the balance
of school, seminary and other public lands to my
great surprise, met with determined opposition mad
was finally defeated.
deeply regret the defeat of this bill, because a
failure for another year to select these lands will
doubtless place beyond the reach of the State, all
the more valuable public lands which might now
have been secured and of course to some extent de-
prive the rising generation of the benefits OF the
liberal donations made by Congress.
The bill providing for the protection of actual
settlers. although passed in the Assembly. by large
majority, failed to receive the approval of the Sen
ate.
had indulged the hope that this measure so ex-
cecdingly important to the interests of the great
mass of agricuurists would have received your
willing approval. This hope confidently indulged
no less by the people than myself has not been re-
allied, and the duty will again devolve upon them
of selecting representatives before favorable action
on the subject can be obtained.
Notwithstanding that the evidence of the auc-
toncers themselves has been presented to the effect
that the estate duties are by them uniformly col
lected, to the amount annually of not less than one
hundred thousand dollars. measures have not been
adopted to compel payment into the Treasury 1t
is proper to state, that although interested persons
have most unremittingly assailed and misrepresen-
ted this measure, the amended bill provided efec
tually against monopoly. and allowed every person
to engage in the business of Auctioneer, by Civ
ing sufficient bond for faithful compliance with the
provisions Of the act and should have received the
approval of your bodies, measure essentially ne
cesSary for the interests of the State.
You have more than once been invoked to adopt
the necessary measures to for the State the
Leidesdorf, and two other escheated estates amount
ing in value in the aggregate to at least two mil
lions of dollars. But this Recommendation, like
others equally Important has not, in any etfectual
manner, been sanctioned and it is now quite prob
able that before the meeting ofanother Legislature,
new difficulties will arise to prevent their recovery
by the State. Prompt and decisive action in rela-
ton to these estates would have added at least two
millions to the school fund.
The necessity for amendment and revision Of the
several acts the Statute books relating to rpo
rations, was apparent. and the evidence clear
lv before YOU, that protection to the rights and in
tcrests ofthe people required yoar interference that
never doubted even for moment, thar you would
take favorable action the subject before adjourn
ment But, ike the other important measures re-
1crred to- the people must again give expression to
their views before proper legislation in relation to
corporations can be obtained.
Amendments to the Constitution have been re-
pcatedly recommended which if adopted. would
annually lessen the expenditures of Government not
less than three hundred thousand dollars. This rec
ommendation, like most others made, has not been
carried into effect by necessary legislation.
1t is we'll known that vigorous effort is being
made by our delegation III Congress and Others, to
secure the restoration Of the civil fund" and the
assumption by the General Government Of the war
debt In order to have the statements accounts
and vouchers relating to these important matters,
so prepared that Congress could properly under
stand them and legislatc intehgently in relation
thereto. action on your part was deemed necessary
It is to be hoped however that this neglect will not
seriously interfere with the favorable action of Con-
gress on these important subjects.
! our attention was aSn directed TO the TACT tnat,
Congress- disrcgarding the wishes Of the people of
this State, expressed by the Legislature in 1852,
has authorized the Superintendent Of Indian Affairs
to set apart five reservations and locate the various
tribes of Indians within the limits of the State.
This is not only q departure from the course pur-
sued by the General Government for more than half
century, but cannot fail to be alike injurious to
he people Of the State and the Indians themselves
Not word of remonsrance ON your part has been
sent to the councils Of the Nation and it is there
fore presumed that this policy, injurious as it will
certainly prove to be, is fastened upon the State.
Complaints from the people have been made in
almost every form in relation to the vast mmigra-
ton from Asia and the Islands of the South Pacific,
whicn i now crowding our mines to the injury of
our own people, and filing our principal cities and
towns with population ignorant alike Of our Ian
guage and laws. BY special message in 1852, ex-
pressed fully my views on this subject, and did not
deem it necessary at this session to renew Them es-
pecaly as the people, through the press and other
channels, were making known their opinions and
desires in relation to the subject but cannot refrain
expressing the opinion, that a judicious enactment
in reference thereto should have been passed be-
fore your adjournment.
While you failed to appropriate the vast means
belonging to the State and apply them to the pay
ment of her debt and the support Of government,
you have been lavish in appropriations for various
objects, exceeding iii the aggregate million three
hundred thousand dollars, from large portion OF
which (@528,2l9 lG) however, have felt constrain-
ed to withhold my sanction.
In conclusion | would repeat, that sincerely re-
gret that these various measures SO highly impor-
! > 70, tba ,tar 1f md u Il,