The Placer herald., 1857-01-03
AUBURN, JANUARY 8, 1857.
Constitutional Reforms,

notice Of every citizen of the State of Cali
fornia; from which no we'll wisher of our
Commonwealth can longer avert his gaze
And that is the fact chat the State and most
of the subordinate governments are becom-
ing ruinously involved in Indebtedness. The
current expenditures are greater in the State
and county administrations than the reve-
nues
Indebtedness is one of the badges of slave
ry-it is more, it is most powerful source
Of public corruption It's very existence is
held an evidence of abused trust if we give
it no harsher name. The latter remark may
more often be applicable to communities
whose government has long been establish
ed before the evil begins to make its appear
ance; in newly established governments like
California, it may arise as much from errors
in the system adopted, as from other causes
operating with code of government inap-
plicable to the wants and circumstances of
the people.
Acting, we presume, under the impression
brethren of the press, who have been so
justly commended for the manner in which
they as body have and are discharging the
exalted trust committed to their keeping,
casting about for remedy for the evil that
is upon us. The State Journal and the Sa-
cramento Union, have both limited at a Con-
stitutional Convention, for the purpose of re-
visng that instrument.
A writer in the Iowa Hill News of the
the 9th ultmo, extracts from which appear
in the Union, takes the bold ground that
the fault lies in the defective constitution
under which we live This writer says:
THE DEFECTS OF THE STATE CoNsTrurIoN. |
The radical defects of the laws organizing
the State government, particularly the judi
clary branch OF our system of collecting and
disbursing the public revenue, which is one
of the many causes of the enormous State
and County debt the fees and salaries of
the judicial, legislative and executive branch
Of our State government, including county
and township otiicers-all demand and re
qulre amendments and thorough change,
"But permit me to call your attention to
the workings Of this magnificent scheme of
government in our countless take onr own
county tor / did not desire to stick my bill
out of our own county) The 11th Judi
cial District Cout for Placer County
holds four sessions in each year. The Coun-
ty Court holds six sessions in the year; the
Court Of Sessions for Placer holds four ses-
sions year.-lhe Probate Court meets
once a month in each year The Board of
Supervisors hold four regular sessions, and
as many more as the business of the County
may seem to require To this must be ad- |
added the large amount expended at each |
Court Of Sessions for Grand Jurymen and |
witnesses in criminal cases, Sheritls fees,
Clerks fees, Jailors fees, stationery, fuel, and
the steangs."
With regard to the reforms required in
our judicial system, this paper more than a
year ago took ground in favor of it, and at
the time pointed out what was conceived
necessary for the welfare of the people
and the county governments in the noun
tans. That this reform is needed is as
paIpabe to the thinking man, as the sun
at noon day, and that a proper re-organza-
ton of our judicial system would prove
satisfactory and of incaculable benefit to the
citizens we earnestly believe.
Against this Constitutional movement of
reform, comes the surly no of the E0ening
Times, from an article of which paper of
recent date, we extract as follows:-
"No CONSTITUTIONAL CoNvENT1oN.-Th
IL
sional politicians those who want spe-
cial privileges for banks with which to estab-
lished a ruinous paper currency, or for spe
cia and oppressive corporations in any or
all the departments of business, or any oppor-
tunity to increase the State debt, are prepar-
ing to move for a convention to revise the
Constitution"
LET those who advocate such move
ment be watched. Hear what they have to
say, and weigh it well, and then ask them
why such and such propositions cannot be
submitted to the people as an amendment to
the Constitution! They will make all kinds
of trfng objections to this question, look |
wise as owls, and shake their heads for want
of some substantial answer; but keep them
to the point and they will be forced to give
up in despair. Depend upon it, it is move
ment OF SPECTATORS, ana us oulecl Is 10 en-
able them the better to fleece the people
by adding without limit to our State indebt- |
edness, and in every other conceivable mode
which human ingenuity can devise and vii
lainy executed"
Such movement for such purposes ought |
to be frowned down by every good citizen,
but we undertake TO say that there are sensi-
II u =. l. ..f