San Andreas independent., 1858-01-30
Hospital for Invalids.

The grand object of good government
is to promote the welfare of the governed
especially is this true in our Republican
system, where the people possess in law,
as well as in fact, the sovereign power
annually delegating the exercise of their
prerogatives to their representatives.
Yet, after reviewing the past history of
California legislation, balancing the means
exhausted and credit pledged against the
ends attained, how little does this maxim
appear to have influenced the action of
our public men?
We have State history dating back
seven years and half, with State debt
Of four millions of dollars and this debt
is not more than one-third of the aggre-
gate cost Of maintaining the 'sWisely con-
structed machinery that entailed it upon
the people. The only visible, tangible
objects of public good which this seven
years and half have left to comfort the
people, are, a Penitentiary and an Asy-
lum for the Insane. The latter, in its
establishment and maintenance, has cost
not more than four or five hundred thou
sand dollars, whilst the expense of the
former, (Which should have been self-sup-
porting, has reached figure quite as
high Thus, strange as it may seem to
the practical eye of this enlightened age
and country, (save our Asylum the only
money spent by California, for the benefit
of the people, has been for the feeding
and clothing of assassins, robbers, thieves
and burglars. Fight millions Of dollars
have been collected from the people, and
the faith of the State is pledged for four
millions more during that short time.
At length we have passed the culmina-
ting point of reckless government and po-
litical venality. A new era dawns. The
past years revenue shows large balance
over necessary expenditures, and every
department of government seems intent
upon retrenchment and reform. The
people are exultant-the whole State is
in a good humor, and henceforward taxa
ton will excite no coyetous feeling.
In this happy condition of affairs, we
demand from the present Legislature,
something for the people. Weare in the
habit of wasting large quantities of our
Republican sympathies in bemoaning the
degradation and suffering of the peasantry
of Europe; but, in some respects, our
patience has been more abused by our Re
publican rulers, than kings or emperors
often dare to impose upon their subjects
Those who have contributed most largely
to the prosperity of the State, have re-
ceived the smallest share of its patronage.
Cold neglect has been their reward
Napoleon, aware that the glory of France
was the child of the army, provided am
ply, at the common expense, for the
maintenance of the aged, in6rm and dis
abled soldiers: he enlarged the Hospital
des hualtdes. The strong arm of Eng
land is her commerce; and she has ex-
tended the protection of government over
the humblest of her disabled "tars :"
the Greenwich Hospital, is one of the
noblest monuments to the justice and
charity of the British nation. 1t would
be no humiliation in US to initiate our
transatlantic neishbors in this respect.
Letus have State Hospital for noa-
lids. We demand it In the name of
thousands of those hardy sons of toll,
who were the first to unfold the wealth of
the mountains, and who have done most
70 encourage the settlement of the val
leys and build up the commerce OF the
cities of the Pacific; who have put forth
the energy of their youth and the strength
of their manhood in building up proud
and prosperous Commonwealth from the
material which the rugged wilderness fur-
nished them aud who now, poor ana
weak-disabled by those terrible maiadles
incident to a life of constant toll and ex-
posure-hunlbled and helpless, are, per-
force, the recipients of private charity.
We earnestly entreat the Legislature
to look to Them They were once the
strong arm, the pride and glory OF the
State, and though their conquests were
not of the sword, they have left US no.
BILE empire. These men are to be found
every where throughout the mines, from
] Kern river to Oregon, It is true, they