Daily national Democrat., 1860-02-18
SACRAMENTO CORRESPONDENCE.


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SACRAMENTO. Feb. 10th.
Enron DENocRAr.-The Till for the cree"
ton ola state Reform School was reported
/ back to the Senate to day, 10y the committee
on Public Morals, with some amendments
and its passage recommended. The usual
number Of copies were ordered printed
The Senate adopted resolution requiring
the committee on Military Affairs to examine
the vouchers ofthe Board of Examiners crea-
ted by an act of 1859, for ascertaining Indian
war claims, and to report upon the amount of
bonds issued, and to whom. Mr. Titus, who
offered the resolution stated 100000 was
appropriated last winter for expenses OF In
dian wars and that the Quarter Master Gen
eral has not, nor have the Board of Examin.
ers mnde any report in relation to the direc
tions taken by the amount so appropriated.
The Attorney General furnished the Senate
with an opinion concerning The power of the
Legislature to pay certain equitable claims
against the State. 1t is in many respects an
/ extraordinary document. The Senate is in
formed, by that official, that the eighth arti-
Gle Of the S,ate Constitution is 8,auGutory and
not merely directory, and that to that con-
clusion he has been driven by a thorough
| examination of the books and authorities. -
lie says that, therefore, "ali indebtedness
created by the legislature at a time when the
previous debts and liabilities of che State ex
eeeded three hundred thousand dollars, is UNI
constitutional and void, unless the same was
first submitted to avote Of the people" But
says our profound Attorney General the
| eighth article is "a mere moral restraint upon
She conscience Of legislators. BY disregard
ing their oath Of Office they may violate it at
will" lie finds in the constitution no limit
or restraint upon the power of the legislature
to tax the people and appropriate the money
so raised His idea seems to be that the leg
stature may ly breaking over the moral
restraint INTENDED 10y the eighth ARTICLE, ap-
propri tie money to pay debt which it has
not the power to create. The ! gislature
Mr. Williams declares emphaticaly holds
The purse strings of the state, and may make
such disposition as it seems proper of the
public moneys" fan this be good law, it
follows that the legislature may create state
debts to any amount whatever, by violating
a prov sion of the Constitution (Which we are
told is mandatory, and yet at the same time,
is intended as n mere moral restraint and
then may make appropriations for the pay
ment Of the same; which appropriations shall
be constitutional and shall not be subject to
the vote of the people. It's but just to the At
torney General to say that he has been con-
fined to a sick bed for several weeks and is
still very weak some allowances should
therefore be made. The document may ex.
hibit learning and good sense, but the com
mon mind fails to find either in it. The Sen
ate refused to print it.
In the House a report was received from
the committee on Claims in regard TO the
Kibbe Indian War. The committee make
detailed statement Of the amount Of provis-
ions consumed, and say that the rates paid
therefor were reasonably low The passage
of the bill for paying the expenses is recon.
mended The bill appropriates $69,46S,47
or so much thereof as may be necessary to
pay &c. The accounts to be audited by the
Board Of Examiners a long discussion upon
the merits ofthe bill took place, and it was
finally referred to a special committee d.