The Placer herald., 1856-05-17
The X. N. Legislature.

| Since the adjournment of the Ki-Yi Legis
lature, the organs of that party have beer
unceasing in their efforts to convince tn,
people that great saving in the expense
of the government has been effected during
the session just closed. Coming into power
as they did with the cry of reform on thei
lips, it was necessary that their organs shoulc
show the economy of their administration
after their adjournment. This has been at
tempted by the leading Ki-Yi organ at Sacra
mento; but the State Journoi goes to the
records and proves that the late Legislature
launched out into extravaganza hitherto un
eXampled that instead of lessening the ex
penses of government, those expenses have
been largely increased.
1t also appears, as charged by the Stott
Journal upon the X. n authorities, that they
have neglected every opportunity which Of
fered for reforming abuses as in the case OF
the State Prison contract. 1t is well known
at the time the contract was signed that re-
sponsble parties were willing to take it at
the safe Of $4,000 per month"; but notwith-
standing this the contract was given to Estell
at a loss to the State per annum of sixty
thousand dollars; and at loss for the term
of Estell's lease, of three Aundrm thousand
dollars.
But we will return to the appropriations,
and permit the tState Jonynol to tell its own
story, as the facts and figures presented, in
terest every tax-paying citizen of the State.
The Journat says:
'The point at issue, is, whether the Know
Nothing appropriations of 1856 are not larg-
er than those made by the Democratic Legis-
laturc of 1855.
"Ihe aggregate appropriations of the late
(k. ny session, reach, according to the report
of the Secretary of State, the sum of one MIL
lion, three hundred and sirtytour thousand
t,co @~'adred and four dollars, ($l l,364, ,2O43
while the aggregate proportions of 1855
were according to the Tlibune) 81 ,O73,4 3,495
80. Here we copy the TriJunes own para
graph:
The civil appropriations made by the Legis-
laturc of 1855, were S,l073,595 SO. We will
deduct from that the deficiency appropriations
which were for expenses incurred partly in 1854,
amounting to $290349, which leaves the actual
appropriations for 1855 at $7s4,l45 39.'
"trom what source did the Tribune get
this Information! Here is one extract from
Denver's report to the Legislature of 1855:
"Theappropriations for the present session may
be declared very nearly as follows:
Former deficiencies $427.3l3 90
Wagon road 1861 90
This amt has never been expended.]
Appropriations for this year 6l2.OSS II
"Does the Tribune or Gen. Denver know
most about this matter! The Tribune makes
a mistake ofsome $4,000 that's ALL Again,
Gen. Denver says in his report (Journal 9th
session, PIP $500
NEARLY the whole of this large amount of de-
liciencies $427 .3l3,) should have been provided
for by the Legislature of 1854, and is justly char
gable to that session."
Well, from the aggregate appropriations
we will now deduct the Tribune'S own esti-
mate of 100000, (being deficiencies Justly
to the session, Of 1854, the ap-
preparation bill Of that session having been
vetoed by Gov. Bigler,) and, as the Tribune
says, $763,l46 80 will remain as the actual
appropriations of the session. The figures
then stand thus according to our cotempo-
rary's showing:
Appropriations of 1850 S 7S3,l46 80
Appropriations of 1856 1864 2O4 Al
Difference in favor of 1855 $ 5Sl, ,05S OF
''ln round numbers, according to the 2ri-
bune's own showing, the appalling fact is be-
fore us that the model reform Known othings
have appropriated FIVE HUNDRED AND
THOUSAND DOLLARS
MORE than the Democrats appropriated last
year. In other words, the expenses of the
government hare been nearly doubled, and
that by reform Legislature.
So much for the reform accomplished by
the X. N. Legislature just closed Probably
no previous Legislature has done less to merit
They have passed l49 acts,
50 Of which relate to the State generally, and
the remaining are special and local acts.
The most barefaced swindle upon the people
is the $4,000 per month to Gen. Estell,
under cover of a State Prison contract but
in reality we suppose, for his services to the
X. n. party during the cailvass last summer
"Caxton," speaking Of their adjournment
says-"tne vuture has dipped its beak for
the last time in the vitals Of Prometheus
The nightmare can incubate but few hours
longer on the bosom of the State
Her eyes begins even now to brighten, her
limbs to strengthen, her back to straighten,
and her pulse to throb with the regularity
of returning health" Again-"The two
houses have differed most irreconcilablv, on
almost every important measure that has
come before them; and finally, though they
have accomplished but little for the State,
and added nothing to their own fame, yet it
must be confessed that they have very con-
sistently and punctually drawn their pay,
and vindicated their undoubted right to the
title by which they will be known in history,
as the first know-nothing Legislature that
ever assembled in Californa-perhaps this
epilogue might be added, and they acted oc-
cordimgiy."
The report that Mr.. Robert Schuyler is
living in some obscure village in Germany is
entirely without foundation. He died some