The Nevada Democrat., 1858-05-26
Letter from Ex-Governor Bigler to the
People Of California.
SANTIAGO DE CnnE, Feb. %, 1858.


SANTIAGO DE Guile, Feb, 23, 1858.
By the clipper ship Panther, which arrived
at Valparaiso few days since, from San Fran
cisco, received copy of Governor johnson s
message, which was transmitted to the Legisla-
ture Of California on the 9Th Of January, 1858.
In this document find the following unfair
statement, which feel called upon to explain
to the people of California, to whom am in-
debted for SO many distinguished fayors. After
setting the amounts expended for government
purposes for the years 1855, SO, and '57, Gov
johnson makes the following statement:
'From the foregoing 1t will be perceived that the
December last less than half of the expenditures
Of the corresponding time in the last year of the preceding
administration"
neither desire nor Intend to advert to the
apparent design of this unjust comparison,
which Governor johnson has seen proper tS
institute between his own and his immediate
predecessors administration; ner yet 10 init
mate that for the sake Of bis own glori6caton
he would withhold important facts which, il
known to him. makes his statement misrepre-
sentatiOn, and if unknown, argues unpardenab ble
negligence and ignorance of the public records
II Governor johnson insists upon instituting
such comparisons, (and to that l would in no
manner object,) candor and fairness, NO less
than common justice, require that the whsle
essaying to arrive at conclusions which, If war
ranted by the figures stated, are unwarranted
by the actual facts as disclosed by the public
records. These records, which we're at all times
accessible to Governor Johnson contain all the
explanation necessary to be given, in order to
clearly and satisfactorily demonstrate the un-
fairness of the statement above quoted.
Did that statement tend only to the increased
glory of Gov. Johnson, or to the enhancement
nr hss,r ,k,ftn eto nd Ana
without rejecting unjustly upon the preceding
administration, shonld pass it by in silence
without even wish to pluck single leaf from
the laurel wreath with which the Executive
brow was bound.
1t will be reeollected, even by Gov johnson
himself, it is presumed that the day before the
final adjournment Of the Legislature Of 1854,
vetoed an appropriation bill, for the reasons
as stated in the veto message, that it contained
a number of items which was unwilling tc
sanction, and others reported by the Controller
of State as having been audited and paid seve
raj months before the passage of the bill. The
vetoed bill failed to receive the requisite two.
thirds vote, and the Legislature of 1854 ad-
joHrned without passing another bill; thus de-
volving on the Legislature to assemble in JAN
Hary, 1855, the duty Of apprepriatng for a
large amount OF expenditures belonging pro-
perly to the preceding year. The amount ap-
propriated by the vetoed bill was $528.219 16,
only small portion Of which constituted the
Objectionable feature of having been before
paid. The Legislature of 1855, after careful
examination and consider alton passed four de-
6ciency bills emitting the Objectionable items Of
the bill of 1854. The amount appropriated in
these four bills, although for Indebtedness in-
cured prior to the commencement Of the year
1855, was all paid within that year, and, there
fore, made an apparent expenditure of the year
1855 though properly belonging to the preced.
ing year.
In my last annual message, 1856, explained
why SO large an amount appeared as having
been expended for the year 1855, and pointed
out items amounting in the aggregate to the
sum of $500, $50 exclusive of the amount paid
for the erection of the Prison wall) as properly
belonging to the preceding years and as form
ing no part of the actual and necessary expen-
ditures for government purposes of the year
1855, IT. referring to these items, | then re-
marked "that these several amounts" (viz the
amounts appropriated in tho deficiency BILLS
although apparently constituting expenditures
Of the year 1855, were with the exception Of
Sl0,0o9 actually applied in payment Of indebt-
edncss incurred before the lst of January,
1855" The records of the State establish all
the facts above stated, and am much surpris-
ed that Governor johnson could have been SO
reIniss as not TO have examined them, or hav-
ing examined, that he could have instituted SO
unfair a comparison.
The expenditures for the year 1855, as stated
by Governor johnson, amount
in the aggregate to the sum of ST. ,427 ,5l7 OF
From this sum deduct. ........ 500,970 90