The Placer herald., 1859-04-30

SPEECH OF MIR. STRATTON.
ON THE ACT FOR THE COMPENSATION OF
THE STATE PRISON WARDEN.


THE STATE PRISON WARDEN.
Delivered IN the House, on Friday, Apru 18th
The Speaker (rhH. Moore) announced the spe-
cial order The motion OF Mr.. Stratton, to re-
consider the vote by which the House refused to
adopt the report of the committee of Free Confer
ence, relative to Senate Bill Nc 276, An Act for
the compensation of the State Prison Warden.
Mr.. Stratton. / believe the question before
the House
Mr.. Hines, (interrupting.) | rise to point of
order. A gentleman was in possession Of the
floor, when the gentleman from Placer (Stratton)
addressed the Chair.
The Speaker The point Of order is not well
taken. The gentleman from Placer has addressed
the Chair several times.
Mr.. Stratton. | believe the question before the
House is my motion for reconsideration of the
vote whereby the House refused to adopt the re-
port of the committee of Conference relative to
Senate Bill No. PIG. An Act for the compensa-
tion Of the State Prison Warden, Lieut.. Governor
Walkup. 1t may be considered by some that
am taking an unusual interest in this matter. |
have this to say in answer: that gentleman oval
kup,) is one of my constituents. and conceive
it my duty at this time particularly as the claim
is Just legal and equitablc,) to defend and advO-
cate it upon this floor If such were not the case,
if in my opinion the claim was not Just one,
far would it be from me to leave that chair, and
descending here, advocate the aymcnt OF money
to any man. In consequence then OF the justice
and legality of the claim-in consequence Of the
claimant being one of my consttuents-n conse-
quence Of many other matters which have been
brought in before this Assembly against it--I
consider it my bound on duty to advocate a recon-
sider0tion Of the adverse vote, and the adoption
of the report Of the committee. Under ordinary
circumstances it would only be necessary to
show the claim to be lcg.l ard a just one. But
the justice of the claim is not denied: it is not
i. t1,.4+ 10, tIn Ctotn
son, nor that he rendered these services to the
State. nor that he has not received his pay there
for | may therefore stop here because the facts
are all admitted. Still there are objections made
to paying this claim, and what they? In the
first place it is said that the Board Of Directors
passed a resolution ordaning that the Lieutenact
Governor, Us Warden of the Prison should re-
ceive no pay for such service. L admit this. The
Board of Directors did pass this resolution. pro-
viding that the Warden should receive no extra
pay.
Mr. Harris (sotto vocc) Not mo extra pay"
but no pay.
Board of Directors and Governor Wakup him
self. as one Of the Board. understood at the time
that resolution passed, that he should and would
receive his SO per diem as a Director of the
Prison. ! understood that the Board did so un-
dcrstand. The question has been asked: eff such
was the understanding why has be not drawn his
money! The reason simply is that it was sup
posed that he could not legally do so owing to
some tcchnicality. Hear what the other two
members of the Board Of Directors, Governor
Weller. and the Secretary OF State Ferris For
man. say in relation to the subject In their re-
port to the Legislature they say:
Great credit is due to Lieut. Gov. Walknp,
for the rigid economy pr1ctiseI in the manage
ment of the Institution. He spent his whole
time at the Prison, in discharging the duties of
Chief Warden, and, as there are some doubts
whether the compensation allowed by the tenth
section of the Act creating the Board can be
legally drawn. we recommend the Legislature to
remove the difficulty. He has received for his ser
vices only scycnty-ive dollars per month, u COM
pcnsaton, Of course, wholly inadequate to tie
position which he occupied"