The Placer herald., 1857-02-07


yourself, and placing the means in the pos.
session of another and encouraging him to
accomplish the same thing.
The idea that the Legislature, by the
passage of Senator Norman's Bill, are as
suming to regulate prices, is ridiculous
Its effect will be the reverse 1t will de-
stroy a monopoly which now regulates
prices, and leave commerce open to free
competition. The Legislature has enabled
a monopoly to dictate prices-it should take
away the power ii has thus conferred and
leave prices to regulate themselves
The friends of the corporation tell us that
it makes no money, that its prices only pay
expenses and appeal to us for our comparison
Gentlemen, your arguments are unsound and
your appeals smell too strongly of self in
terest. If you make no money, and derive
no advantage from this act of incorporation,
why do you cling to it? Why do you shed
so many tears upon the prospect of its amend
ment or repeal. If your own declarations
are true, you should dissolve without waiting
for an act compelling you to do so. Why
do your Presidents and Vice Presidents
tender free tickets to members of the Leg
islature to visit San Francisco? Why do
so many newspapers, heavily fed by YOU in
the shape Of advertisements, denounce any
change in the law? 1t seems. gentlemen,
that this law under which you have organized
is of no benefit, but rather of an injury to
you. Yet you cry out loudly if a word is
uttered in favor of its repeal.
OF one thing we are certain. and that is,
this corporation controls all the navigable
waters of the State. When an opposition
was placed between Sacramento and San
Francisco, we have seen them reduce the
price Of passage to fifty cents As soon as
opposition was run off the rates were raised
to five dollars passage, two dollars for bed
and one dollar for meal. All that we now
ask is that no protection be extended to them
by the law. If the law is repealed and then
they can controle the commerce of the State
we have not word to say. What we do
object to is, that the people by their agents
in the Legislature, have put club in the
hands Of this corporation by which the peo-
pie themselves are compelled to pay tribute.
Hereafter we shall speak more of this
matter. That which we have spoken is die
tated by no other feeling than an attachment
to the great Democratic doctrine on which
our Government is founded
EsTELL's PHnLlPIc.-In the published pro-
ceedings of the Assembly of Tuesday last,
we find one of the most extraordinary speech
es ever made in any modern Legislative body,
1t being no less than philippe delivered by
Gen. Estel, a member Of the House from
Marin, against James King of William, de-
ceased, Thomas S. King, his brother, the
Bulletin newspaper, the Vigilance Commit
tee and the members thereof, and the press
of this State generally. This speech pur
ports to be made in the exercise of the RIGHT
Of self-defense; but the circumstances detail
ed and charges made are in no way vndica
tory of his own reputation, or course as a
legislator; but if true calculated to blacken aud
ruin the characters of persons no way con-
nected with the business of leeislation-
As speech it was evidently composed
with care, is not nelegant in diction and
would be credit to the pages of the Albany
.S~itch or LVe in Boston.
We set aside the question as to truth or
talsity OF his assertions, Of which we know
nothing, and we say that it is trade against
individuals made in violation of his rights
and duties as representative, and of com
mon decency. We say further, that the
House in encouragingly listening to it has
lowered its dignity as delberatlve body, in
a manner disgracefuI to the State.
| Certain members of the House have steadi
y thus far during the session, acted upon an
assumption which is not true and vet no man
has had the courage to say as much, which
is this, that the question Of approval or con
demnaton Of the Vigiant Committee move
ment, was passed upon at the polls in No
vember last. Nothing could be further from
the truth. The question was studiously
avoided in conventions and on the stump
and the gas pipes of the Legislature know
this as well as any set of men in the State
Nevertheless these bragarts, rise in their
places, and declare that the triumph of the
Democratic party, is the brand of condemna-
ton, and bulingy threaten to spot all those
who will not join them in their rfrothy war upon
what they themselves assert is the carcass
of the dead institution. The leader of these
valiant knights. is the reformed know nothing,
Gen. James Estel. There is a time coming
when the people will do some spottimg
Since the foregoing was written, we have