San Andreas independent., 1857-01-31
For the San Andreas independent.
Corrupt Office Holders.
MoKELuMNE HUI, january 27th.

MoKELUMNE HILL, January 27th, 1851
AEssRs. EDITORS Without unity of action
we can seldom accomplish any great Object
" In union there is strength" is an old and true
adage. That the mining population of Oalifor-
MA lack this, to great extent, is plainly per-
ceptible to the scheming observer and he takes
all the advantages circumstances placesin his
power In no class of our citizens, is this more
clearly exemplifed, than in those who seek po-
litical preferment We have only to look into
the past history of our State to be convinced o.
the utter unftness and recklessness of those
who have been elected to offices of honor, trust
and emolument. An enormous State Debt
contracted by them, is now hanging over MS
and now they wish us to help them out of' their
disreputable dilemmas The debt is one they
have made, and they should pay it. Havs. they
not sufficient wisdom to know when they act
in compliance with the Constitution. or not
If not, they are unfit to hold office Do they
disregard the Constitution for the sake al per-
sonal emolument? Then, they are recllesss.
and consequently unfit to be placed in newer
One or the other of the foregoing causes
must have produced the State Debt. If the
first, it presents those to us whom we natural
| ly regard as the Solons of the State, as either
insane, or possessing intellectual capacities bor-
dering upon, if not descending below mediocre
/ ty. The hard-working classes have been swim
died, time aud again; and still it seems as
though it was almost impossible to teach them
| to be wise.
Adams II Company came down On the min
ing community, like an avalanche, sweeping
everything before it, thoroughly cleaning out
every sluice, rifle-box and rocker, from one
end of the mining region to the other Page
Bacon Co., played the same game, with like
disastrous results to the miners Harry Meiggs
4 |. c. Woods, and others, have acted in like
manner; and last, though not least, is the rot
ten political firm of Palmer, Cook & Co.
! The interest on the State Debt is still unpaid
the credit of the State suffering. Where was
it placed and why was it not paid? 1t is ir
the hands Of Palmer, Cook Il Co., and was not
paid because they or they and the State Treas
urer, wanted the money for their use
probably for the purpose of accomplishing some
political scheme,-for offices are bought anC
sold even in this great, enlightened Common
wealth.
What public improvements have we to show
What has been done with the Public Funds
Perhaps the question is preposterous, to th,
man who is acquainted with the fat sleek
political cormorants who have been feedins
with greedy appetites upon the public treasury
But we, the miners, want to know what ha
been done with the peoples money, and wha
there is to show for this enormous State debt
Let those who have been concerned in con
tracing the debt and receiving the money
show us what has been done with it, so tha
we may know whether it was used for leeiti
mate purposes or not. But ask what we will
made; such an expose would ruin too man,
dishonest officials. Whether we must bear tn
burdens corrupt politicians would heap upo,
US, or not, we should endeavor to guard care
fully against those political hucksters for the
future. We possess within ourselves the di-
vlded elements of a power which, if united
would consign them all to their proper abodes
and usher in upon California the dawnines OF
a bright and glorious future
All that is necessary is for the miners to
unite, remain united against all political ras-
callty frown upon every knave who asks for
offlce, and elect none but honest, laboring men
to any place of honor, trust or profit. Shall
we wield the powers we possess for great and
good purposes, or permit our State and our
selves, to sink into irretrievable ruin and dis
grace? Miners, let US know your minds in
relation to this subject, through the columns of
the Independent. Yours, truly, HF.W.