The Nevada journal., 1854-05-12
LATE NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA.
BY the arrival at San Francisco on the

Dy the arrival at Oan FRANCISCO on the
9th of the barque Jessie Byrne from sgd
ney, we have news to the 21st of February
From Melbourne our dates are to the l4th
tict oria.
The American steamer Golden Age
Capt. Porter, arrived at Melbourne on the
18th of February, 60 days from Liverpool
Numerous petitions are in circuloton fo
a separation of church and state.
The reports from the mines are fayora
Bile. Several new gold fields have beer
discovered.
Gold Produce. produce of the Vic
toria mines in 1852 was $50 5,55l $50: il
1854, $45,Sl4,S6O. 1t appears, however
that some of the districts produce much
less now than they did year ago. 81
Reacard for Steam--The Legislative
Council has offered $4,000 month for a
monthly mail from England to Australia.
Population in three months the pop.
ulation increased $4,000. The population
of the Colony is estimathd 235,000.
Neao charlottesville Legislative
Council adopted finally the new Constitu-
ton, of an aristocratic character, and were
prorogued on the 22d December, to meet
on the 7th February.
Water for MelJourne.-On the 10th
December the Yarra Yarra Water works,
were commenced with festives to supply
Melbourne with water. The canal will be
10 miles long from the Yarra Yarra to the
city.
God DtScoveries.-A committee has
been in session for long time examining
the claims Of the different persons who
pretend to have been the first discoveries.
1t is rumored that few persons had been
working secret mine long time before
Hargrave ma de his discovery.
Maine Liquor LaW.-It is thought that
the Maine Liquor Law will be adopted.
Conuicts-A lot of convicts had over.
powered the master and crew of the con-
vict ship Lady Franklin, and escaped in
the boats. u#
Quick Trip The famous Marco Polo,
clipper, had made another quick trip of SO
days from England.
Bulding--Melbourne is increasing in
size rapidly.
South Australia.
Nep ConStitattion.-The Legislative
Council adopted new Constitution, and
adjourned on the 9th December.
Great Fire "A great fire occurred in
tl,o o,,1 Al
on the 18th December, which had injured
A vast amount of sheep pasturage, destroy
ed property worth s500,0o0, and was still
raging.
Land-The land owned by private
persons in the colony is 995, 900 acres; and
l1S,c00 are surveyed and in the market
At So per acre.
Van Dieman's Land.
Honey 1T IS said that $9,60O,00O of
deposits by private persons are lying in the
Van Dieman's Land Banks.
A rich gold field is reported to have
been discovered near Ben Lomond.
Mr.. Hathaway, long U. S. Consul at
Hobart Town has gone to England.
There had been large fire in Hobart
Town.
Sheppard the s. r. Murdsrer.--This
wretch, who, short time since, committed
a cold blooded murder upon an old man,
named Day, because Day had refused him
his daughter in marriage, was recently
of that murder in the Court of
Sessions of San Francisco, but is now
likely to slip through the moose of the
law. The S. F. Sun of Thursday explains
the difficulty in this wise
Some time since, the Legislature passed
a bill, taking away from the Court of Ses-
sions the power to try criminals, and
conferred that power on the District Court.
Sheppard was, however, tried before the
Sessions Court, and convicted but it now
appears illegally SO, as the Sessions Court
was not authorized to try him.
He will, therefore, naturally demand his
release, on the plea that man cannot be
twice tried for the same crime. How far
such a plea can hold good in this instance,
we are not prepared to say but we are at
present inclined to the opinion that it is
iqEalid, in which case the criminal will be
tried over. r eme- s- -
La this connection, we would state that
it is conceded fact, that crime is not
punished in this city as it should be. There
are some men whose names are continually
mixed up with almost every outrage that
occurs in our midst. and yet we never hear
that these men are punished, in accordance
with their long continued and outrageous
infractions of our laws.
The consequence is, that there is deep
and settled feeling and determine
tion in the minds of hundreds of our
best citizens, to wipe out at one dread blow,
the whole pack that have so long hurled
defiance to every principle Of order and
justice. Organizations are forming, and
the very first time that an act is committed,
that can give the semblance of a shadow
of justification for the deed, those men
L