New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-30
AFFAIRS IN CALIFORNIA.


Correspondence of The N Y. Tribune.
SACRAMENTO, March A, 1857.
In the affairs Of State, we have an anomalous IN
dihon Of thiDgs-so anomalous that it is doubted by
many whether or not we have State Govern
nent at all. You in the East are aware that
the Supreme Court in the of The People
vs. johnson lGoveInor)-a friendly suit to test the
eopsttutionahty of the law approp'iating 500 600
b construct wagon.road ACROSS the Sierra Ne.
vads mountans-decce ed that according to the eighth
article Of our Constitution the Legislature has pOSer
10 appropriate moneys for any object, together with
other debts due they exceed the sum Of $500 OO0 az
limited oy that article. The Chef Justice Murray
who wrote the opinion also ntim sted very forcibly
that our present State indebtedness, which amounts
b g. l2S, 900, was eli or nearly all contracted in
direct violation Of the Constitution, and Is there
fore not binding on the people. This dsctum,
a. was then declared by the newspapers created
much futter, both among the bondho'ders, political
speculstors and many wei meaning citizens, VINO hold
m utter adherence that terrible word "repuda'ion"
The Judge, however, while putting forth this opinion,
minated that our present Indebtedness could be legal
ned by vote of the people and in no Otner m .aner
Tse papers everywhere throughout the State, with
but a Ell gle exception declared that the people would
vote almost unanimously to psy Tue debt
he assertion This, to large ext-nt, gave
confidence in the ulum4te redemption of our bonds,
and it was generally believed that the Legislature
would when met pass law submitting the question
10 the people and in the meantime make provi ion for
the Day men of the July ard JanuIy interest falling
due four and ten months heLce In Nes-York.
But what gave still greater confidence - was sss
opinion or dictum did net mean to say that the
Legislature had not right to make all necessary
appropriations to carry on the G've'nmsot-'uan a.
might cover the per oiem and mssge OF toe members
of the Legislature the salaries of State officers, Judi
cih lfcers and for the support OF the State Prison,
State Inssue Asylum, &c. Aud one OF the judges
ieydepfelot) said 10 p1vse conversations that he,
although he sgped the opinion did not agree nth the
CbiefJustce in the dicum regarding tee unoonsttu-
tonslity Of our whole State de6t but agreed With the
opinion only far decided the case before the Court
the unconsttutionalty Of the wagon rosd sppropra-
tou-becsuee the Law bad not been as the Institution
requires submitted TO and approved Of oy the people,
Fur thtee reasons it WAS believed thst the Supreme
Court would DOT stand by the dctum OF the Chief JUS
tce but that it would, when opp rtunity offered, de-
cGe that the Legislature has the power to make such
sopYoprisons as are absolutely ,ary TO sustain
the Government, without submitting the LA makiog
them to the people even though they may exceed the
constitutional limit. As then, our whole debt hiss
been sensihy, at est-incurred for the support OF
the State Government, bondholdep became partially
recoi cHed and feeling pervsded all CLASSES that the
debt would be paio.
~ Committees that the State officers hsd for the last
eight or nye months done nothing but neglect their
business and plumber the Treasury; that the Gov
eanor Attl ney General and Secretary of State bad not
a. Law for the better protection Of the State Tess
ury" 90 Dmanded them, counted the money therein
and pubshed sworn statement Of the amour. tbereC
monthly; nat the Treasurer aud Controller and their
clerks and accomplces, had kept the money Of the
treasury and placed warrants bondsn its ste sd they
appropriate to their the difference BET the
poe Of warrants and ca that they had paid County
In L AOh l..
sash deposits with Wells, Fargo & Co., aud
that house through its cashier in this city
paid warrants into the TreDay, while he
managed to give the Couoty Treasurer a reospt for
cash In this way these ofoeu aud thoee In interest
with them reslized profit cut of the State OF some
$4,000 to 800 600. Before the disclosure was inside,
W. g. Hughson the Controllers chief clark, sf. for
parts unknoen," aad after he gone the principal
blame was ssdele on hin by a wuitewshlng
Grand Jury If this County. Bat the Legisia-
tuIe has probed the matter, and the As
sembly has presented articles of Impeachment
against both the Treasurer and Controller These of
hcers are suspended, aud Jane, l.. Eagsb of Sscrs-
mento and A r. Burton OF Nevada have been sp-
pointed to fill their pisces until the Senate heNs aud
decie es on their guilt or innocence. The cesrges
against Henry Bstse Treasurer are for unlssfuy CIV
ing TO 2 ,lmer Cook & Co Of San Francisco $S3 900
Of the peoples money, with which to pay the ioerest
on our bonds falling due last July in NeE-iork,
which interest you know, that fon never
paid. nor has enc dollar of the money oesn recov-
cred from them. Aud, elsc for giving illegally the
ID Of January last to one l.. A. Rove, clerk 10 bis
office and President Of the Pacific Express Coz psuy,
the sum Of $l24oO0 for the parpoee az he says, Of
paying the interest falling due Ia NevYork In JAY
peit; al also, for putting 10 circulation Controllers
warrants hsbe TO cancellation, and for oolladne With
other State officers and outsiders to defraud the rrea
sury Since thst time the Grand Jdry OF this coanty
have found sxsibst him two true bdls Of Indictment
for tIony and he has been arrested and held tn bail ia
the sum Of 1900 on each.
TIE cbarees against the Controller, G. w. Whitman,
are Cor not doing his duty gensrsly for ORA xiog
rsnss Illegally and for the purposs OF dssfAadng the
Treasury his and others benefit tn IT Ne did
thorize the Treasurer TO receive warSna insead Vi
cash rom certain County Tressurers.
Nov since these disclosures have BEEN made, AID
since the sailing Of the steamer OF the 2osa UT, the
Supreme Court has rendered another deo,on IN Wh',n
fully, clearly and explicitly ind rises the dicsun OF
he Chief Justice in the wagon ro.d cass and sty toat
he State does not legally owe one dollar. This det'-
hsgsts, sby reasoned, add hn footed de'ison has
esied great cons erpstion and the qoesoa 10 beios
uAeotsd whether or not se bave government - ali.
sisss the former OF wsgon-rosa decisos wss render