The Nevada journal., 1855-03-30

rates were pald than 3 per cent. pc
month, prior to the 10Th of June, 1851
and no more than - per cent. per an
mum, since that time. 1t is also provel
and is apparent from the papers examin
ed by the committee, that about S95, ,OO(
of the amount claimed was actually ex
pended, before California was admitted
) into the Union, and before any legal mu
nicipal government recognized by thu
laws of the United States existed. It wa
at that time when the advantages of 8
territorial government should have beer
extended to California, and when hac
such government existed the fostering
care and aid Of the Federal Union would
have been justly required, and which that
Union would have been bound to extend
to the suffering city of Sacramento.
The general government has on one
occasion sent our vessels of war, at the
national expense to relieve the starving in
foreign land. How much more is she
IN duty bound to lend the aid of her mighty
arm to relieve the distressed on her own
soil, especially when in so doing she is as
sisting to build up on the shores of the
Pacltlc one of the mightiest Empires on
which the sun ever shone.
1t is represented, and the information
before the committee sustains the con-
clusions, that while there is no hope that
Congress will afford any relief to Sacra-
mento IN the case in question, it is not
certain that the State, having assumed the
claim, might not procure its allowance by
the General Government Such was the
opinion of the Legislature of 1853, in the
case of G, E. Pickett, whose claim was
precisely similar one to that for which
Sacramento no seeks reimbursement.
That Legislature took care to exact a
REIMBURSEMENT from Pickett of his claim
on the United States to the State of Cali
fornia
In addition to the claim of Pickett other
precedents are cited where the State has
allowed claims of similar nature; on one
occasion money was appropriated to the
city of San Diego, and another instance is
familiar to all, where the State allowed a
claim OF $4,000 to William Waldo for
money and services expended, mainly out
OF the State. Surely the State is not less
obligated to take care of her suffering pop
ulatlon, than of those who have not yet be-
come citizens.
In short, the Committee is convinced
that majority of those who were the re-
clplents of the iberality Of Sacramento
were not citizens properly of any county
OF this State. They had generally but
just arrived in the State, and while it is
probably true that they had been long
enough within its boundaries to have be-
come citizens Of the State, it is not proba-
BILE that they had acquired citizenship in
any county
If, then, they were not citizens of Sac
ramento, the taking charge of whom re-
qulred the expenditures, unless the argu-
ment is valid that any city or town, which
from Its locality or other circumstances
must become the common receptacle of
the needy of the State, pest and dead
mouse Tor everybody-is obliged to take
care OF and bury the paupers of any and
ali other cities or towns, how can it be
urged with any plausibility or reason that
the State should disregard the petition of
the city of Sacramento.
Citizens Of the State were, in MAORI
y OF instances, the recipients, and out of
the general revenues of the State should
come, IN the opinion of the Committee,
the funds to meet these expenditures.
1t may be urged that the allowing of
this claim will establish a precedent and
open the door to other similar ones, to
such an amount as to impoverish the Ex-
chequer OF the State, and that it is not
wise policy to admit claim of this na-
ture to the danger or injury of our inan-
ces. Ii 1T IS not acise policy in a pecu-
mary point of view, to the Committee It
seems, that the object and design of every
'0ise government should be, exact justice
to every citizen, and every portion of the
State, and as to the establishing of pre-
cedent, by reference to the cases of Picket,
Waldo, ETC., it will be seen, that we are
but following precedents already estab-
lished.
1t will be seen by reference to the acts
of the Legislature of 1851, that the State
has acknowledged tie validity of the claim
as against the General Government, by
the passage of joint resolution instruct
ing our Representatives to procure its pay
ment by Congress.
The Controller in his report of last year
virtually admits the business of the claim
against the State, and substantially rec
ommends Its payment so soon as the con-
dition of the Treasury shall authorize it.
The embarrassing condition of the inan-
ces Of the State has induced the Commit
tee to be the more diligent in endeavoring
to discover some good grounds on which
to invalidate the claim.
Data have been sought from the expen-
ditures of other cities and places in the
State for like purposes, from which de-
duction might be drawn, that Sacramento
had suffered in common with her sister
cities, and to no greater extent. But no