New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-02
Netu7lork DAILY Gribm,se
CALIFORNIA.
POLITICS AND STATISTICS.

The Kansas question, as 1t stands between
Douglas and Buchanan, has excited great deal of
discussion here, in and out of the newspaper and
there 10 a large majority in favor Of the former
sssinst the latter. The Globe and Herald Of this
city, The MarysrtHe Express, Tehama ddpoeats and
Ssnera Democrat are for Buchanan, while The
Democrat and The Argus Of Plscervile, The Record
and IAe Californian Of Orovlle, The Columbia Ga
zette, The Mariposa Democrat, The Shasta Courier,
Tao Humboldt Times, The San Diego Herald and
The Yr.ka Union, all Democratic organs, are for
Douglas; and Sacramento Union, The Alta Cat,foT-
,sa and The S. f. Bulletin, independent papers, are
on the same side. The country papers say that
there are very few among the Democrats VINO pre-
tend to side with Buchanan and his friends admit
themselves to be on the weak side by their EFFORTS
10 represent the issue one of no importance. The
psrtisans of the Administration will smother the
question if they can, knowing well that If 1t leads to
q battle at the ballotbOx they must be Overthrown
Mr.. Gray, Republican Assemblyman from this
eify offered some resolutions in the House lndors-
ing Douglas, but the Democrats did not like their
source and laid them over indefinitely.
Senator Ferguson, Democrat and asplrant tor
Congress- has offered another series OF resolutions
in the Senate similar in tenor to those of Mr.. Gray
for the 18th inst, and will no doubt lead to much
debate The friends of Buchanan have no higher
hope than TO postpone the resolutions indefinitely,
on the ground that the State is not concerned in the
question and that the discussion would be too costly
to the Treasury.
Political circles here have been greatly interested
in the appointment by Gov. Weller of s. H. Brooks
of Stockton TO the position of State Controller,
which Ofhce,is vacant by reason OF the lnelgbihty
of j. W. Vaudeville, who WAS (and still isl U. 3.
Suryeyor-G General for this State at the time Of the
last election, when he received majority OF the
votes cast. When the appointment OF Brooks was
sent 10 the Senate for confirmation, the Democratic
majority extremely indignant, LOT mere was
one of the best Offices in the State gong 70 man
who had never voted the Democratic ticket TILL the
Fall of 81 The Senate held several caucuses,
and postponed the consideration of the nomination
from day TO day, while most OF the Democratic
press denounced the appontee, and the others SAID
nothing in his favor. Weller saw that he had put
his foot in it." so he withdrew the nomination. M
forming the Senate that he had made 1t under
" misapprehension of material facts" the most
matersl of those facts being that Brooks had always
been bloody Know Nothing" and that the old
inan ofhce-seekers had more influence than the
Governor supposed.
Weller has perpetrated two. official jokes since b
has been Governor. One was to recommend tne ap
pointment of night watch to guard the State Treas
ury while tie Legislature is i'll session; the other
was the expression Of hope in message, announc-
ing to the Assembly the approval of bill for the
change Of wOman's name, that as there are great
many more men than women in the State that here
after the women will be able to have their names
changed without his assistance.
The discussions which have followed the appoint
ept of Brooks have called out the facts that Austin
L. Smith, Navy Agent; J. w. Vaudeville, U. s.
Surveyor. General; P. l.. Solomon, U. s. Marshal;
DR. Maxwell, Surgeon of the u. S. Marine Hospital
and Colonel Anderson, u. S. Gauger we're all Know.
NothDgs at one time and all appointed to Federal
ofices made vacant by thu removal OF the Oid-llne
Democrats. Scott and McKibben present Con-
Rressmen, are also put down ex- Know Nothings.
A report has been made to the Senate OF the con-
Aiton of the State Prison. The Committee say that
the prisoners are treated like brutes, fed with pro-
visions which scarcely marketable, and with no
variety or change, clothed with rags and penDed up
at night in building which is never cleaned out
and which is full Of yermin. Your readers are
probably aware that the prison and prisoners are
leased out, the Lessee being bound to guard, iced
eiotbe and work the prisoners, and receiving
$12t, 600 q year for his trouble. The Committee
report that the lessee has violated all the main stip
ulaiOns of his contract; he has not clothed fed or
guarded the prisoners properly, nor has he treated
them in a humane manner. The lessee has allowed
81 convicts to escape during the last two years and
allows many of them such liberties that they are
scarcely prisoners. Seven are allowed to live as
servants in houses away from the prison. and fifteen
others are employed rs TRUSTEES IN sem-ofhcial
capacity in the prison. Ii Is SAID that the lease ID
void because OF promise on the part OF the Legs
lsture to pay larger sum OF money than that ahAed
by the Constitution rs the limit OF legislative power
in that respect; and the Committee recommend that
the State declare the lease at All end, and assume
The control of the prison.
The sacramento Journal, speaking OF the report
says;
ION January 10, VIXEN the Committee arrived, one
hundred and twenty Of the prisoners were found bare
cts for shoes none had socks. The next day, how
ever, several had ReE shoes. Mr.. McCauey told the
Committee the prisoners had hid their shoes 10 look
as badly possible, but the Committee no; sue
coed in discovering the hiding places of the shoeless
The clothing is 700 sGsnt for Wider most of il is tho
y.nains OF Nhst ihey had on when hey came .p-so
tatered and filthy that the yeriest b:ggsr would ap-
pear like richly clad Persian gentleman IN compari-
son with them. "Shells two feet wide, straw mat
tress ard one coarse shaggy blanket constitute the
sleeping arrangements Many of these blankets are
torn in Fragments Prisoners nave % sleep with their
working clothes on and they having no change o,
clothes the whole is Of dirty hithy rags with
the lice crawling them IN great plenty Death
'wouid apparently be pleasursble rebel 10 many OF
'these eonvicts. In the long room-lio Zee. oy "a
ket-sre turned loose like animals IN cofIsl, 'osIeeP
each night three hundred convics, from the BOY oil
fifteen TO the old harder ned convict The oeddng ~ the
same a. before described; and more lousy lhiee
tcmales are IN this room.'
The following are some statistics of the prison:
Total number conyicts received ,bc Sae Prison from jan
1851, 20 Jsu. - 81
VI 'he above.
SonhltS jail ~
LIVING 1ntssoc Tie Prison precincts chiefly working
TaLcbes
,,.firh h.y.