The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-17

wages Judge Norton says, II, they and their former
master hereafter reside in Mississippi their former
relations will revive, with its reciprocal obligations
on their part to render service. aud on his TO fur
nish support as well during the time those services
are given as after age or inhrmity has made them
incapable of rendering valuable services. From
these facts, the only reasonable inference the Court
thinks there can be drawn il that the services were
rendered without any understanding or expectation
by either party that wages were to be paid; and
under such circumstances the law does not imply
an obligation to pay. There are many cases
in the slaveholding States where parties have
been compelled to pay for the services Of colOred
persons held as slaves who were in fact free. but
they are cases in which the services were rendered.
involuntarily and were obtained by fraud or force
The Judge found 6yer was not entitled to recover
for his services, and ordered judgment in favor Of
Senator Gwin. An appeal has been taken from the
decision to the Supreme Court of the State, but the
law rs here laid down will hardly be disturbed by
our tribunal Of last resort.
Considerable discussion has taken place between
some of our papers as to the supply of breadstans
the State will produce this year. Some writer's in
sist our produce will be insufficient this year for con-
sumption. but the best informed and most reliable
last years, will abundantly meet the wants Of our
population. 1t will, therefore, he unnecessary to
import any breadstufis during the coming year.
The returns, so far, of the assessors show tho
months:~-Wheat. e.2l2.Os5 bushels, which
is 948, 64s bushels less than the amount
raised in the thirty counties heard from last year:
barley, 4,ll6, 07G, which is 3l3 76s bushels more than
last year; oats, 1893 ,764 bushels; potatoes, l,22l ,8l8
bushels; grape vines, I,s47, O49; peach trees, 8s4 ,438:
apple trees, SIS, l63; pear trees, IS $40; butter,
! 1865 ,354 pounds. cheese. SAL 600 pounds; eggs,
4OS ,527 dozens, and 637 IT'S pounds of wool.
A paragraph has been going the rounds of the
Eastern papers to the effect that the 80 calIed reforms
brought about by the. Vigilance Committee in 1856
have been the means of saving an expense of $3.50. O0e
during the past year in carrying on the municipal
government of San Francisco. The statement first
appeared in the columns Of the New York Courier
and Enquirer, and is the result of a misapprehen-
sion. 1t is true, the cost of maintaining our local
government has been much reduced, perhaps to .
greater amount than stated, but for this retrench-
ment the Vigilance Committee is entitled 20 as little
credit, and moreover they had as little to do with the
matter, as the authorities OF Philadelphia or Boston.
The following statement will establish the fact to
the satisfaction of readers in the East; in California,
it would be entirely unnecessary to say one
word on the subject, as it is well known that
the committee, or its elected officers, cannot
claim any merit ON the score Of economy. Up to
the meeting of the Legislature in January, 1856,
San Francisco had two local governments-one for
the city and another for the county. There were
two sets of officers, all Of whom were paid large
salaries: there was no restriction in the charter for
outlay of money, and it was the custom to award
large contracts, and owing to the exhausted cOnd+
ton of the treasury contractors had to be paid IN
scrip, which brought in the market but forty or
fifty per cent Of its face. The Legislature in the
early part of 1856, months before the Vigilance out
break, passed an act consolidating the governments
of the city and county, and provided for the cleo
ton Of q Board Of Supervisors, who were to serve
without receiving any remuneration from the oor-
~poration. Full one-haf Of the officials were legis-
lated out of Office, and the salaries of those remain
ing placed at q very low figure. Bat the most i'm
portant provision in the new bill was, that q certain
specified sum was designated for the support of each
branch of the government, beyond which the Super
visors were m positive terms restricted from
appropriating a dime. Money was to be used only
for nurpOleg alan clearly dpsiOnate6. and nv the
stringent nature of the bill it was rendered impossible
to expend another dollar more than the Legislature
had dictated. In this manner $50 900 was to be ap-
prop1ated annually for the support of the Fire De
partment; the sum of $500 per month for care Of
the INDECENT sick: a certain amount also stated for
paying teachers in the schools and other expenses
connected with public education; for the mainte-
nance OF prisoners, the police department, and other
purposes, similar provisions were made. The city
was secured against any misconduct on the part Of
the Supervisors. as the Legislature inserted a clause
in the bill to the effect that any sums appropriated
or paid out of the treasury by their order. unless
in the manner stated, could not be collected,
or even lay the foundations of o claim against
the city; still further, it was made Q felony,
punishable with State prison, for the Supervisors
to use the revenue in any other way than as provided.
II will be seen, therefore, how groundless is the pre-
tence that we are indebted to the Vigilance move
ment for the reduction Of our local expenses Of gov
eminent. Had that organization never existed the
same result would have been accomplished. II
would be an impossibility, under the plain and stern
requirements Of the law, that it could he otherwise;
and whether the government fell into the hands of
the democrats, the republicans, or any other stripe
Of party, equal economy should be observed. We
are In no wise indebted to the Committee for this
salutary improvement in our affairs; but on the
other hand. the credit il due TO the democratic Le-
qislature that enacted the consolidation law. The
strangest portion Of the matter il, that the journals
which supported the Vigilance movement were the
most active in their opposition to the bill while be-
tore the Legislature, and now and for a long time
past have claimed for their party the credit, conf
IDENTIFY enough, of ~eecting the reform. The fore.
going will show, however, on what baseess grounds
newspaper for publishing o libel concerning Mr..
Snyder. Treasurer of the Branch Mint, which was in
progress at the time OF the departure of the last
steamer, has resulted I'M disagreement Of the jury
seven being for conviction and five for acquittal. Il
is not probable another trial will take place, for
from the peculiar circumstances Of the case, q like
end must be expected at the repetition OF the prose-
cution before a jury. In the jury room it IL probable
not much effort was made 10 change the opinions OF
those who differed, and a disagreement relieved the
jurors from condemning either party.
The tax collector of Mariposa county advertises
for sale for delinquent taxes the well'known Fre-
mort claim, consisting OF ten square leagues. The
amount due on the estate Is about $40. 900, and tho
sale is advertised to take place on the first Of Janu-
AIRY next.
It Is stated the present population of California.
based ON the assessors reports, Ia 597 900. Or this
number 332 $50 are Americans, 65 500 Indians. 3s,-
400 Chinese, Is 900 French, rs 900 Mexicans, 10000
Germans, 10000 Irish, 1000 English and 900 ne
groes. This estimate. as far ms the European popu-
lstion is concerned, is certainly far below their acou-
al number
EXPLORATION OF THE AMoOR.
from the san Francisco Herald, Dec. all
The Valley Of the Amoor covers from west TO cast
about 40 deg. Of longitude and IL deg. of latitude
from north TO south, having for its northern and
western boundaries the mountains of Altai and To-
blonoy. which divide the waters Of Siberia proper
from it-all Of the Siberian waters falling into the
Frozen Ocean the head branches Of the Amoor in
terlocking with the land. with Lake Baikal. the
feeder Of the Angsra and Yenisaisk. and with the
head branches OF the Yenesaisk west and south OF
Baikal. far into Mongolia. On the south the head
waters Of the Hon-gah-ree, the Ou-su-rce, the Som
gah-ree, the Albasin and the Argoon, pushing i'm
different directionA reach towards Corea and SEQ
toong, including nearly the whole Of southern Mand-
shuria. and westward and southwest a large slice OF