The Nevada journal. [volume] (Nevada City, Calif.) 1851-18??, 1857-07-17
FRIDAY MORNING, JULY II, 1857
Constitutional Convention No. Q.

government was too extensive and con-
sequently too expensive for the people
to bear. The fact that with the Sc
verest taxation the debt of the State
is accommodating is a sufficient proof of
the assertion, The other fact that
the party most likely to rule the
country refused in the last Legislature
to reduce salaries and curtail expendi-
lures, leaves little ground for hope that
legislative enactments for years to come
will remedy the evils under which the
State is laboring, even were it possible
to reach those evils effectually through
such agency.
The surest and most direct way of
accomplishing what is so much desired
by every good citizen - reduction of
expenditures is through a constitu-
tional convention. Partisan feelings
and influences will not be liable to en-
ter into an election of members to the
convention, tie voice of patriotism will
be heard on such an occasion if at any
time, and the men chosen to reform the
organic law of the land, will feel great
responsibility resting upon them to leave
work which shall be an honor to them
selves and rebound to the lasting good
Of the commonwealth.
How can the expenditures of the gov
eminent be lessened to any considera-
BILE extent? Take the Legislative de-
partment. Let us see how the cost of
that department can be reduced.
The assembly is too large and I'M
wieldy. 1t is composed Of eighty men,
bers, and costs eight hundred dollars
per day for per diem of its members,
exclusive of attaches who will add two
hundred more. The lower house thus
spends for the State one thousand dol
lars day during a session of ninety
days, and about six hundred dollars
day for all time beyond ninety days the
legislature is in session. The shortest
session was one hundred and six days in
length. There is little probability of a
shorter one under existing laws, and
less that those laws will be changed for
the better, so far as limiting the length
of sessions or their expense is concern
ed. The cost of the Assembly to the
State can in round numbers be estima-
ted at one hundred thousand dollals
The Senate is composed of thirty five
members and will cost the State, say,
fifty thousand more. One hundred and
fifty thousand dollars are thus necessa-
~ to enact laws every year. This is a
lower sum than any Legislature yet as
sembled in California has ever reached
By reducing the number Of members
of the Senate to twenty-five, and AS
semhly to fifty, limit the sessions to six
ty days. which is ample time in which
to accomplish all that is necessary for a
Legislature to do, and cut the per diem
of members down to eight dollars per
day, great saving is made. Still far
Their reductions in the pay of attaches,
will add another important saving
The merest tyro in arithmetic, with
these data can figure near hundred
thousand dollars per annum saved to
the State in the legislative department
of the government alone, by the reforms
indicated.
A limitation of the sessions to sixty
DAYS will afford no time in which to pass
stealing bills, a reduction of the number
of members of the Legislature will in
crease individual responsibility, ensur-
ing better laws, and reduce the pay of
members and tie services of as good
men can be obtained as now.
The system of biennial sessions of a
hundred days each, which is advocated
by some, would save the State more
than half what is now expended in the
legislative department, and as much in
one year as constitutional convention
will cost. The best talent in the State
can be commanded in a constitutional
convention at small price. 1t is z
high honor to be constitutional law
giver which no man who covets distinc
ton will decline. Good men and patri
OTIS can be collected together in the
convention not for mere money, but fol
the good they can render the common
wealth and the honor it will confer upor
themselves.
The legislative department of the
State as it is, is unjust to certain sec
tions. The counties early inhabited
have large and controlling delef ations
while those more recently settled are