The Placer herald., 1855-11-24
Gen. Denver's Reply to the Protest of the
Governor.
On BOARD STEAMSHIP J. I. STEPHENS,
October 10Th, 1855.

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To His ErcCilency John Bislr.
Sir: On the fourth of this month receiv-
ed a communication from you, protesting
against my anticipated departure for Wash
ington, which is eminently characteristic.
Such communication from you, knowing
as do the feelings and motives that actuated
it, does not at all surprise me. 1t is not the
public good that has prompted you to this
course, but qualification Of a personal, vindic-
tive feeling. If otherwise, why did you not
make this communication earlier? NV in
you or any other person.
This is not the first time, however, that
you have attempted to use your official posi-
ton to give vent to petty spleen and person
al spite. Your real object in this matter has
been to place Inc in the worst possible posi-
ton before the people Of California, and
thereby destroy as far as you can, whatever
confidence they may have heretofore reposed
in my integrity as public officer.
10 prove this, and to show your inconsis-
tencv and want of fairness, have only to
refer to your past conduct in connection
with this very office of Secretary of State.
You object to 'deputy' discharging the
duties of the office, although you know very
well that the statute of the State which on
every other point you cite SO readily, author
ICES the Secretary to appoint one with pow
ers as full as those conferred on himself In
the spring of the year 1852, my predecessor,
VIM. Van Voorhees,, left the State by your
sanction and was gone several months. He
appointed w. II. r. Wood his deputy, and
during the whole time of his absence Dr.
Wood discharged the duties of the office
In 1858, VIM. Van VOORHEES, resigned and
left the State, when you kept DR.. Wood at
the head of the department nearly month
before you appointed me as his successor.
During the summer Of that year was at
your request, absent from the Seat of Gov
ernment for months, engaged in the canvass
for your reelection. All that time Dr. Wood
was my deputy, and no complaint was ever
made about it. You then recognized the
right Of "a mere clerk" even though desig-
mated by the title Of deputy" to discharge
all the duties of the Office When did this
new constitutional light-this new official
you will answer truly YOU will say that it was
not until had become one of the candi-
dates Of the Democratic party for seat in
Congress, that you, earnestly desiring my
defeat, made the important discovery. 1t
was then that you went to the Office and at
tempt to bully and brow beat this very man
whom you had so long recognized as my
deputy. From that time to the present you
have kept up a continual system OF petty
annovances which have been met on my part
by setting you at defiance. You know very
ing occurred between US, that offered to
resign the position held as Secretary of
State. This YOU declined receiving. As you
afterwards opposed me at every turn, felt
under no obligations to give the office into
the hands of an enemy so violent and vim
dictive as yourself
The duties of the office have been honestly
and faithfully discharged, and for my official
acts | have at all times held myself respon-
sibe and courted investigation. Notwith-
standing your full knowledge of all this, you
and your tools have resorted to falsehood and
groundless insinuations to injure me and cast
reproach on my official conduct. Whenever
any duty was imposed on me, always dis
charged it promptly, without "tear, favor or
affection" Can you say as much for your-
@I? 1t was from no neglect in my office
that certain officers were not commissioned
as soon as they ought to have been. 1t was
from no neglect in my office that no procla-
nation was issued for the election of County
Judge in Caaveras county, and man after
wards commissioned who did not receive
vote. 1t was not the fault of my Office that
commissions were issued to persons for Off
ces already held by others, by virtue Of a vote
of the people. 1t was not the fault of my
Office that pardons were issued to convicts in
the ipenitentary, in direct violation of the
statute 1t was not the fault of the Secre-
tary of State that offices were allowed to be
bought and sold and commissions issued to
the purchasers. In all such official matters
it is merely the duty of the Secretary of
State to attest the signature of the Govern
or, and | defy you to say with truth that
such attestation was ever withheld by me or
my deputy.
As to the Board of State Land Commits
sioners, | have not very often been consulted
by you in reference to the business connected
Herewith. seldom ever heard of your
meetings until the proceedings were pub
shed, and your every act manifested a de-
sire to be relieved from my presence, and
this has been your course in all similar mat
ters
During the last session of the Legislature,
an act was passed in reference to the con-
struction of "a wagon road across the Sierra
Nevadas. You sent in a message, informing
the Legislature that you had approved the
bill, but that it was Unconstitutional unless
another act was passed, by which it should
be submitted to vote of the people. Such
supplemental act was never passed, and |
supposed the first might be considered a
dead letter on the statute book, for did not
believe that the Executive of the State would