Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-01-31
State Treasurer.

/ the part OF the state 1leSooi0A' t"Ai9ia"le
with inprisonmcnt in the penitentiary, to
remove any money from the Treasury with
out a subsequent specific appropriation
The hill operates as direct condemnation
of the past acts of the Treasurer, and as
was avowed by the introducer, is intended
to provide against any emergency which
MIGHT. arise from the removal of the present
incumbent by impeachment. Placed upon
these grounds the bill passed by suspen
sion of the rules, through three readings
and finally by vote little short of unani-
nous The policy and constitutionality of
such law were brought in question by its
opponents, and in the course of the debate
the recent course of the Treasurer was liter
ally narrowed. Pending the consideration
of the bill communication was received
from the State Treasurer, counting investi-
cation.
The bill came up in the Senate on the
morning of the 22ud, and was the subject of
a long and interesting debate, in the course
of which some astounding disclosures were
made, especially by Senator Ashley. 1t twas
considered in committee of the whole and
amended. but the Senate struck them all
out, and passed the bill nearly the same as
it came from the House. If legislation can
keep the money in the Treasury, it will be
very likely to remain there hereafter, until
specifically called for by legislative authori-
ty. This law has been occasioned by the
fact that the State Treasurer had deposited
S124 900 with the Pacific Express Company
with which to pay the July interest in New
York, some six months in advance The
Sacramento Age says-''The Treasurer's
excuse for Withdrawing the 1921 goo, is that
he did not want it carried off by democratic
Legislature!
The Bulletin in commenting upon this
subject, soys-''Iti is reported that the Sl24
600, said to have been placed in the hands
of the company for the payment of interest
on our State Bonds in New York, has not
only not been paid to that body, bit nerer
has been IN tie state Treasury The pre-
tended payment IS asserted to have been but
{. blind 10 cover a defalcation on the part of
their urer, and the Pacific Express Com
parry are said to have agreed for a consid-
eraton. to give out that they had received
the money in question, to account for its not
being in the Treasury"
The Sacramento Times says-'We have
heard it very forcibly suggested that there
! y,Jy ;,,t # Tra ~ h.
money found there the other day by the
committee appointed to count it, was Dor
rolced for the OccaSion and that if the COM
mittee would look through the strong box
without giving the Treasurer notice to pre-
pare for them, they would find 1t empty"
1 If these speculatious are correct, California
is indeed iii an unfortunate condition. We
trust the present Legislature will sett mat
ters to right, and place the financial policy
of the State upon a firm basis.
THE San Francisco Sun, in an able and
lengthy article recapitulates the acts of the
State Treasurer relative to the transaction
with the Pacific Express Company, and ex
presses full confidence in the honor and in
tegrity OF Dr. Bates. The Sun says On
several occasions, the credit of the State had
been impaired by the non-receipt of the
coupons in New York ut the time they be-
came due, although in every instance the
money had been duly forwarded but the
distance is so great that at least two months
must elapse before our State Treasurer can
be put in possession of the facts. In order,
therefore, to be certain this time, which was
Of more than ordinary Importance in view Of
the late decision of the Supreme Court rela-
tive to cur States Indebtedness, and to I'M
press our creditors abroad with the belief
that California would not repudiate, but
stood ready to meet her honorable liabili-
ties, Mr. Bates forwarded the money for
that purpose, in time to receive positive
assurance of its receipt in New York, and
failing this to make such provision as would
save US from further dshonor, by giving him
the required time. 1t might also be that
Mr.. Bates was afraid the Legislature would
appropriate these moneys to their own uses
and cmbarrass his action in the premises
| Under all circumstances We entertain the
opinion that he acted, according to his ]udg
ment, for the best interests of California;
and we doubt not the investigation so openly
courted by him will result in an honora Die
acquital, and the ordering of another form
of bond from that which has heretofore been
exactel from the banking agents of the
State. If the money had lain till this time
in the treasury, it would have produced no
/ " INC Dldle, anu tISfc Is III IS'tlliN
nothing lost to the public by its being in
the hands of the Pacific Express Company.
The bonds heretofore given by the agents of
the State are not sufficient, as they are only
held responsible for the amount for which
they receipt to the Treasurer, and though
they should withhold it for months, no other
indemnity could be exacted from them; the
bonds should, therefore, be at least double
| the amount receipted for
| SPANIsHTowN ENTHUSIASTICALLY keeping
with the habitual morality of the Spanish
towners, is their happy manner of express
ing themselves to ears polite. They hold
sories up there now and then, and on these
occasions, billed shirts and highfalutin * con-
versache," are spread on with a lavish hand
One Of their heaviest " dictionary men at
tended a dancing party few nights since,
and in addressing one of the ladies present,
/ let himself loose after the following style
& Madame, l don't see how you intent your
4 Golf ovav mn here in thesn nafarions mann