Columbia gazette., 1854-04-15

P'A "HiOu iuanC tuC IiCu IiCuCiy
and the potent more powerful, the hum
bier members of society, who have nei-
thcr the time nor the means of securing
like favors to themselves, have a right
to complain Of the injustice of the goy-
ernment."
Industry and enterprise, unaided by
the special privileges enjoyed by corpor-
ations, have, in few years, made Cali
fornia, in many important respects, SUI
perior to most of the older States of tho
confedc-acy. To continue her prosper
ity, and developc with sufficient rapidi-
ty her mighty resources, it is only nee.
essary to give the people wholesome
general laws for the protection of person
and property, and to prevent monopo-
lists from controlling the main sources
of her wealth, as well as the principal
avenues of trade and travel.
Under enactments, such as now ex-
| ist upon our own Statute Book, monop-
olics of the most oppressive character
have grown up in most of the States of
the Union, and become so powerful as
a'm'st to defy legislative authority, and
sufficiently potent to seriously interfere
with the rights and interests of the peo-
pie.
California, as yet, las suffered COM
parativcly but little from the exactions
Of monopolies organized under her laws,
but it is nevertheless true that the mer-
chants at several points in the State
have held public meetings and subscrib-
ed money tor the purchase of steamers
to be controlled by themselves, as the
only mode of escaping the unreasonable
cxactions Of an existing monopoly.
Judicious notifications can, howev-
CT, now be made, which will not only
effect present good, but forever preserve
the people of California from the evils
which gricvously Cypress the people of
other sections of this great confcderacy
Under our Government, where the
masses have the right and the power to
prescribe the kind and character of laws
by which they arc to be governed it
should be the endeavor, as it ia the duty
OF the Representative, 80 to frame e
nactmcnts as to protect their interests
from being trampled upon by corpors-
tions organized for the accomplishment
Of objects beyond the means Of individ-
ual enterprise
In fact, Legislation should ever hsvo
in view the protection and prosperity Of
industry, and, while inviting within onr
borders capital and enterprise by al
lawful and proper inducements, should
so surround them with checks and limit
atlons as to prevent them being mad:
instruments Of fe1tortion AID oppression
The interests Of the great body of the
people of California are identified with
labor, and opposed to extending the in
fiuence of Government to the advance
ment Of the few at the expense Of tho
many.
It may, however, be urged that were
the restrictions proposed incorporated
in the several acts concerning corpora
tions, capitalists instead of svaiins
themselves of tho benefits of existing
laws, would form combinations for til.
purpose Of evading those restrictions
1t is sufficient answer to this objec-
tion, to state that under the common
law, all connected with suoh combina-
tions would be liable to indictment And
prosecution, as ''conspirators against the
public good.''
On this point the common law is
clearly laid down by learned Chief
Justice, as follows, viz: ga combins-
tion is criminal whenever the act to be
done has necessary tendency to pref
udice the public, or to oppress individ-
uals by unjustly subjccting them to the
power Of the confederate, and giving cf-
feet to the purposes of the latter, wheth-
er of exto'tion or mischief" Again,
combinations may be oppressive by COM
pelling the public to give mare for an
article of necessity or convenience than
it is worth; or on the other hand, of
compelling the labor of mechanic for
less than it's value"
The act authorizing the incorporation
of Steam Navigation Companies, grants
important privileges, but imposes no re-
strictions whatever, in the exercise Of i
vast and exclusive power, the tendency
and effect of which must be to prevent
lawful and desirable competition in an
extensive and lucrative department Of
internal commerce and trade.
would, therefore, respectfully call
your attention to the omissions and de-
fects of the existing laws concerning
corporations, and especially recommend
that the several acts authorizing the in
corporation of Rail Road, Steam Navi~
cation, Stage, Plank Road, or Turn
pike companies, be SO restricted in their
provisions as to protect the people a
gainst exorbitant and unreasonable
charges. JOHN BIGLER,
BAcxUs MlNsrRELs.-This troupe
rW sing, and people wiU go to hear
them, in spite Of attractions at other
houses. How the deuse any body can
make music out Of anything like the
following, is more than we can imagine,
yet Goes and Bolcy do it. 1t is the
chorus to one Of their songs, and we
give it verbatim: "Cremc, crambo,
wear oh, tear, to my high, my low, my
fumididdle, periwinkle, rang tang, sper-
maceti candle oh IS. +. Adv.