Amador weekly ledger., 1858-02-20
OK SUFFER- CREEK. Feb. nth, 1s5s.


EDS. LEDGER:-After rambling around the
country some, / am again back to my cabin
ready for any and everything that may come
along. Some places I find political aspirants
busy laying wires for the next campaign; in
others the bone and sinew of the country is
actively employed in extracting the precious
metals as is usual for California Along the
creek here, we are moving on In the even ten
or of our way without anything Of startling
or more than ordinary interest transpiring.
Around Volcano there is more life now than
have seen for the last twelve months. There
seems to be more people in and around the
place, and the miners have plenty Of water
and are busily at work washing, SO that We
may expect ere many days to hear of some
big strikes in that favored locality. The
Volcano ditch, which has been dry, or nearly
so, for so long, now has an abundant supply
of water. | understand the jackson ditch
will be completed so as to supply the north
side of the south branch of Sutter with water
next summer New diggings which pay very
we'll, have lately been struck by some Volca-
no men in the neighborhood Of the Honolulu
Ranch, between Volcano and Rancheria in a
section of country that has never yet been
well prospected, but will most probably be
thoroughly so. Around the village Of Sut-
ter Creek there seems to be the usual activity
manifested in that lourishing camp; in fact
all the northern portion Of the county so far
as have observed, seems to be prospering
/ hear occasionally something, and not a
little, said about the division of two of the
county Offices. find that few whom ]
have heard speak, who are prospective can
didates for some of the oflices speak the
same sentiments that saw in your paper
while at Jackson few days ago, while 9TH
ers who are in Office, or think they have a
pretty sure lthing in getting either one or
the other, are dead against the division.
Now, Mr. Editor, will it be amiss for me to
give youmy opinion on that division question.
As am no candidate | suppose l can do so
without being afraid Of losing friends or votes
Even if were a candidate, don't think
would be afraid Of expressing my views on
such subject.
The Office Of Sheriff seems to have received,
as per report of Supervisors, over $4,000
in the last year, from foreign tax and crimi-
nal business, to say nothing about the civil
business, which seems to me to be large
amount for one officer to handle as his own
in one year. And then is not that too much
power to put into the hands of one man in so
small territory as Amador county?
In Democratic government like ours is it
not always the custom to reduce monopoles,
or in other words to reduce the patronage Of
our public offices. If so why not reduce the
large patronage now belonging to the Sher-
IFS Office, and at the same time add another
check in the shape Of an officer, to the frauds
that might be committed with the peoples
money. | believe, and so do those around
me, that the Sherif's Office should be divided,
and make two Offices instead Of one; then the
tax would be collected by the principal, at
least portion Of it would, while as now con-
stituted, all the taxes are collected by depu-
ties appointed for the purpose, and on the
principle that hired work is never as we'll done
as when done by oneself, would suppose the
taxes would be better attended to. IT'S true
we have now an honest man as Tax Collector,
but then have we any assurance that such
men can always be elected to that ofiice?--
Now | say divide the Offices, and give some
more of the needy men among us, a chance
to make something more than grub money,
and check the power now centered in the
Sheriii's Office. AS soon as l can learn some
thing of the receipts Of the Clerks Office, /
may give my views in regard to that also,
provided you think it worth while.
Respectfully yours, LoKuL IruMs.
Mr.. Kings bill to exempt printing mate
rial from forced sale is deservedly popular,
and should M es CO Io,s. =, . ,.o have ava,,,.