Weekly Trinity journal., 1861-01-26
Governor Downey's Message.

message occupies four columns OF the Sacramen-
10 Union, and is fair and impartial review and
statement of our State affairs. His views upon
State policy are enunciated in clear, definite,
yet respectful manner, and in most instances VIII
meet with hearty support from nine-ienths OF
the voters in California We regret that our
limited space prevents us from giving more than
the following synopsis of the most important
matters contained in the message:
PROSPERITY OF THE STATE.-Durlng the past
year, peace and unexampled prosperity have
blessed us as a people and while the citizens OF
our sister States have had TO complain OF vista
tions of dronth scarcity and intestine troubles,
an unprecedented abundance has crowned the
labors of the Instantaneous mines continue
TO he the admiration of the world, and our wine
and pastoral capabilities have attracted hither
the enterprise and skill Of the older States, and
even European capital and labor. Our mixed
population have yielded a willing and cheerful
obedience to the laws, crime has decreased, and
the DEGREES of our Courts are respected and en-
forced; public confidence in the different Depart
ments of the Government exists, of which the
oldest Commonwealth in the Union might well
feel proud. The eXtrava ganoe, bad management
and dishonesty of former years have created an
indebtedness of four millions of dollars, for
ished State Prison, and an incomplete and indif
ferent building for the Insane patients of the
State-nO railroads built, no canals constructed,
no Capitol or seminary Of learning erected, no
equivalent 10 be found for this vast public in
cumbrance. A brighter dayappears to be dawn
ing upon us we are reducing our expenditures
to our income, the interest upon our bonds is
promptly paid, and large Sinking Fund annu-
ally created for the redemption of the same; our
securities are sought for by the capitalist as an
Investment Inferior to none in the American I'M
ion--all Of which augqr we'll for our future sta
bility and material prosperity.
FINANCE,--The total receipts from the 18th of
| December 1859, to the 18th of December, 1860,
inclusive, amount to million five hundred and
eight thousand six hundred and nnety-eght dol
lars and sXty-fve cents. The amount Of expen-
ditures during the same period were, one million,
four hundred and twenty-five thousand, and for
ty'two dollars and twenty one cents. Showing a
balance OF receipts over expenditures during the
same period, of eighty six thousand, six hundred
and ffty-six dollars and forty four cents add TO
which the sum of five hundred and if y-sx thou
sand six hundred and eighty lone dollars and
eighty five cents, which was The balance in the
Treasury on December 18th, 1859, and we have
the aggregate Of cash in the Treasury at the close
of business, December 18th, 1860 amounting to
the sum Of six hundred and forty three thousand
three hundred and thirty eight dollars and TWEEN
ty-nine cents. ln order to show the increase OF
receipts for the past year, over the previous year
ending December 18th, 1859, which increase
amounts to the sum of three hundred and thirteen
thousand, two hundred and fifty seven dollars
and ninety-two cents, it will only be necessary to
state that the total receipts for the year 1889
were one million one hundred and ninety five
thousand, four hundred and forty dollars and
seventy three cents
New REyENUE LAw-The Governor states
that under the Revenue Law, passed by the last
Legislature, the assessed value of property has
been increased SIT 900 600 as compared with
the assessment Of the year preceding says it
is certainly an improvement on the old law, and
hy few necessary amendments by the Commit
tee on Ways and Means, this winter, may prove
very beneficial to the State.
STATE PRTs0N.-Undrr the Act appointing a
Board Of Commissioners to compromise and settle
with j. f. McCauley and Lloyd Tcvis, assignees
of james NJ. Estill, deceased, all claims against
the State Of California, held by them or either
of them, and arising out of or in any manner
connected with the contract made on the 2Gth OF
March, 1856, between the State of California and
the said James NJ. Estill, for lease Of the State
Prison and convict labor for the term of five
years. The said Commissioners did on the lth
day of August last settle and compromise with
the said assgnees, for the sum of two hundred
and seventy five thousand dollars, in accordance
with the provisions of said Act (as will be set
forth in detail in the report of the Commission
ers,) on which day the Prison and its inmates
virtually passed into the possession of the State.
and came under the control of the State Prison
Directors.
lie adds that the Prison is now being conduct
ed more economically than heretofore, aud rec
ommends that always hereafter it be retained
under the the States control
STATE REFORM SCHO0I"-IIe predicts this
institution created by an act of the last Legsla-
ture, failure, and recommends the erection of
an extra bnilding to the State Prison for this
purpose the building TO be erected by convict
labor, and to be under distinct and separate
supervision from the Prison.
STATE CAPIToL.-By virtue Of The Act provid-
ing for the construction and location of the State
Capitol in the city of'Sacramento, the Commits
sioners adopted plans aud specifications, in ac-
cordance with which they advertised for proposals
to build the first section Of the work, comprising
the foundation and basement story, notifying
bidders that the Commissioners were not author
lied to contract for an amount of work to exceed
the sum of one hundred thousand dollars These
bids were opened in the Assembly Chamber in
the presence of the competitors and citizens, and
the contract awarded to the lowest responsible
bidder, at eighty thousand dollars, upon his filing
satisfactory bonds for the performance of the
work in accordance herewith. The work is now
progressing, and am assured by the contractor
that he will have completed this portion of the
work within the time limited (ten months)
CONSTITUTIONAL CoNVENToN.-After alludng
to the fact that the voters of the State had for
the third time refused to call Convention for
framing a new Constitution, the Governor recon-
mends amendments by the Legislature, believing
that our present Constitution with but little
change, is well calculated to promote the pros
perity and happiness of our State. One of the
amendments which he suggests is biennial, In
stead of yearly, sessions of the Legislature
Also recommends that they be limited to sixty
days
WAsHoE MINEs,-The extraordinary develop
ments of the mineral resources of this region
have attracted to that portion of Utah Territory
Immediately bordering upon our most populous
mining counties many thousands of ctisens. The