Grass Valley telegraph., 1854-03-23
Correspondence Of the telegraph.
SACRAMENTO CITY, Saturday night. !
March Is. lSh49

ful change in this city, during the year past.
lam no>politician, as you are we'll aware. but
feel deep interest in the doings of our
/ Legislators, who are now domiciled in this
/ Capital "pro tenn of our State. However
Indifferent men feel to the political move
ments and condition of affairs they all know
that much has been said of the party cliques
of this session, and of the venalitv and cor
ruption of,Various individuals I have observ-
ed carefully the sayings and doings here, and
endeavored to convince myself that there was
no ground for these charges, and that, in the
selection of representatives for the present
session, the people had been more fortunate
than in former years Shall | tell you to
what conclusions I have arrived? Well, |
am satisfied that political honesty is much
scarcer commodity here than gold dust in the
mountains, and l think that you might find
as many really patriotic and honest men, in
our Legislature as you Will white crows
among the same number of birds of that spe-
ces. / cannot doubt that our people have
been deceived in the choice they have made,
in some cases, in the selection of Legislators
nor can doubt that among them are men
who prate much On their devotion to the in
terest of their constituents, and their love
for the "dear people.'' who would not much
relish call from their constituents, while
engaged in those numerous formal and more
numerous informal 8 caucuses," 4" at dead hour
of night. Yes, deny it as they will, there are
men in these Halls who freely spend thou
sands on thousands of the treasure, wrung
from the hard earnings of our miners, who
are offering themselves 'for a price, y at the
State shambles not directly, perhaps, but as
really as if advertising their own shame, in
all the papers of the capital. Why is the
time of our Legislators spent in plotting and
contemplating, to effect or defeat measures
which are dictated by outside parties, whom
you will see watching with eagle eye, every
gesture and every word and wink of those
they would seduce with gold and oily words,
/ to the support of their cause? Is it love of
country, think you, and an unselish and keen
solicitude for the welfare of our State and
people, which prompts it? By no means
Come with me, and let us ensconce ourselves
in that quiet corner of the Orleans bar-room,
and while we take social smoke, we will
look on, and see the working of the wires-I
don't mean the telegraph wires of the office
next door-but the political wires, which
! (though invisible) form perfect net work
through the capital, and the keys by which
they are worked and pulled, center in this
quarter. You will find key in the bottom
of each one of those glasses of liquor, you
see that party of seven well dressed men
about to drink at the bar. In that party are
one Hon. Senator and four members of the
lower house, and one (that one who ordered
the drinks) is nan we'll known in the Wall
street of the Bay city, and is said to be veal
thy, and controls large interest in lands and
water lots. The seventh is as we'll known as
the last, and was never known to be guilty
of devoting day Of his life to labor or any
honorable business avocation. He was des-
picable party tool at home, and came to this
region to g seek whom he could devour,n by
forcing himself into some fat Office. if posi-
bic, by his brazen-faced, hypocritical cant,
and affected devotion to the poor mans in
terest but he found his long ears stuck out
too far through the lions skin, and he was
compelled to doff his assumed garb and come
out in his real character !; and he is now try
ing to drink smoke and button-hole himself
into favor with those young representatives,
that he may secure four votes for the bill that
water lot man hopes to see pass next week.
Now, here come two young men, of the States
congregated wisdom, who never dreamed of
aspiring to such honor (?) till they came to
California, and they now arrogate to them
selves more knowledge and craftsmanship,
than Calhoun or Webster ever claimed. Note
the elegant dress they wear, and those gold
headed canes. Did you see that look of dis
dain the tall one cast on US? Guess he don't
like the looks of our country hats, and thick
boots but hope he don't smell anything un-
savory about them. They are going to drink
now, with that other party, tho that tall one
looks as if he had better go to bed, before he
udo W NC CdIIlcu IucIc. LII Is HOW IL o CLOCK.
and there they all go toward K ST., and we
can :'guesso where they are going, without
trying twice.
claim no extra quantum of patriotism or
virtue, but do assure you, in all sincerity,
that when calmly look at the state of things.
as find them, and as we kaaoao them to exist.
cannot repress thrill of deep solicitude
for the future. 1t is useless, to deny the ex-
lstence of degree of political corruption, and
moral degradation, in our public officers, and
our deliberative bodies, that augurs ill for the
state of our adoption. The acquisitions and
prohibitions of our Constitution are disre-
garded, as the "idle wind, y and the commits
sion OF deeds whic the charter of our rights
declares, shall disfranchise the perpetrator,
and which should consign him to an Infamous
oblivion, is but the stepping stone to prefer
ment. This state Of things must be changed.