, 1860-04-13

the same act-$9O, 900 for the penitentinry.
and $50, 900 for the capitol Of Washington
Territory. Both sums were donated, doubt
lessly, from a supposed want Of these struc-
tures. In these hard times, nothing could
come more opportune As Congress has
failed, thus far, 10 indemnify our citizens for
losses sustained in the late Indian war, as
also to liquidate a claim Of 1929, 1917 SO
which they honestly hold against the United
States-honestly, we soy, because COM
mission of disinterested gentlemen, appoint
ed by Congress, have found this sum actu-
ally due, and therefore awarded it-let u.s.
for heavens sake, at least have the use of
these $50, 900. until future generation
shall do our memories and descendants JUS
ticc.
In using the above language, we would
BY no means be understood as desrous Of
rejecting upon the course pursued by Gov.
Gholson 10 this matter, knowing full well
some Of the reasons which have impelled
him 10 adopt this course. We believe the
intimation OF the capitol commissioners in-
tention to net commence the work this sea-
son has contributed much towards this his
determination; whilst the last winters re-
moval scrabble may have led the governor
to believe that the masses were really favor
able to a removal Of the capitol from Olym-
pia. If such had been the governors hon
est belief, land we have no right to soy it
was not) it might have been proper to have
deferred an immediate expenditure Of the
money, until this fact could have been made
to have appeared satisfactory to his mind I;
but bond, in our opinion, should have
bee6 given, that thus the drafts might have
been kept possession Of. But perhaps still
better would 1t have been not to have paid
any attention at all to the subject Of re-
moVaI, and boldly assumed the groynd that
until the capital is removed from Olympia,
Olympia Is be seat Of government Nso rec
Oghized BY Congress. aud that there\s should
be expended, If anywhere. the $4,000 ap-
propriated by Congress ''for the erection Of
capitol at the scat Of government Of
Washington Territory" y
Our advice, then, to the citizens of Van
cOuver is to complete the peniientiary. as
fast as possible, and not jeopardize its future
removal Tie building is sadly wanted by
the Territory, and the money derived from
lis erection, we suppose, will prove about
as useful to the people Of the Columbia
river as to those Of the Sound.
Our remarks are made in the best Of
feeling, as expressive of our views, and >pot
Tor the purpose Of eliciIing1a tnoWshAper
tdisrussivn with tho governor, whom we
know abhors such. Had il not been for
such disiate, we should probably have laid
before our readers the governors official
correspondence on these subjects. ~
The following are the reports alluded to:
The Grand Jurors at the March term Of
the District Court for the I'd Judicial Dis,
trict, would respectfully call the attention
Of this court and of those in authority with
in this district, to the amentable condition
Of our Territory with reference to the pub
lie prisons, aud particularly with reference
to the penitentiary. We have. but one jail
in our district, and no penitentiary in the
Territory. Criminals cannot be held after
conviction, and it would seem entirely use
less for the officers in the Territory to at
tempt to administer the criminal laws until
some places or place Of confinement is pro
yided.
WHEREFoRE, the Grand Jury would re-
specially recommend, that those having
controfand management Of the prisons in
our several counties, >4ond Of the penitentia-
ry especially, and Who are Authorized By
laws TO cause such 10 be erected, that they
would now begin and use extra diligence
so to do, and thus enable those officers
whose duty ID is to administer the laws to
ful6l their duties properly.
G. II. HALE, Foreman.
Ma. FoREMAN:-The Committee, which
was appointed to draft resolutions expires
siYe Of the sense Of this Grand Jury, in ref
erence 10 the erection Of the peuitentiary,
beg leave to report the following preamble
and resolutions:
WHERAs, the building or erection ofNthe
penitenitary in this Territory has been re-
tarded, ia consequence of the title to the
land selected for its location not being con-
irmed until recently, causing heavy expense
and taxation to the counties which have
been unfortunate in having to take care oil
prisoners charged with or convicted of
crime; and, before we had county jail,
we had frequently 10 resort to the necessi-
~ of getting permission to put the prison.
ers in the military guard house, and even
now we have no jail in this judicial district
sufficiently safe to keep them after conVic-
tion; and
WHEREAS, Gov Gholson, since the title
to the land has bean conirmed declinas civ