The weekly Butte record., 1862-02-15
Division of the County.

that the residents of Hamilton and Chico
townships seriously desired to be set of as
separate and distinct county. 1t is true that
they include within their boundaries . trife
over one-third Of the taxable property of the
county, but this arises from the fact that all
the Spanish grants of land within the county
proper, lie within the borders of the two town
ships named The titles to these grants have
been confirmed by the General Government,
and are consequently, taxed to their owners.
The title TO land in other portions of the coun-
ty is still in the Government, and is not, there
fore, taxable. This, we suppose, is the basis
of their clamor for division, TO accomplish
which, it is reported that they have held meet
ings, circulated petitions and sent d" lobbies,"
armed with the filthy lucre," to besiege the
Legislature.
\ calm and dispassionate view of the evil
complained of, we should suppose, would induce
them to prefer remaining in the county, with
all its evils, in preference to flying to " those
they know not Of" The matter of taxable
land, is one that must necessarily be remedied
in course of time. Government will ultimately
throw land in other portions of the county into
market, and the purchasers will necessarily
have to pay taxes thereon.
The question for them to consider then, in
financial view, should have been this: viii not
the formation of a new county increase the tax
es on our lands, to a greater extent, and with
no lessening prospect in the future, than by re-
naming in the present organization? We
certainly think it would.
Another thing that shows the feebleness of
the proposed new county, is the small number
of votes polled within its proposed boundaries
A reference 10 the official returns now on file
in the Clerks Office, will show the number to
be only about nefourth the vote of the coun-
Il. Is it not taking upon themselves new bur-
dens, without escaping from their proportion,
according to the assessed valuation of property,
already incurred?
1t is highly improbable that the Legislature
will pass a law dividing the county without
submitting it to vote of the people, and it is
quite as improbable that onefourth the votes
of the county will be enabled to carry the pro-
position They can hardly expect that, those
outside Of their proposed boundaries, will vote
for proposition to despoil the county, and in
crease the burden Of taxation in both sections
In fact we can see nothing in the proposition
bv ba OF Of ba 7 1atu
indeed, they desire to despoil county, already
shorn of its fair proportions. 1t seems to be a
boyish desire on the part of one or two men to
own court house, and, should they succeed in
getting it, their experience would be that of
Franklin with his whistle.
One Of the arguments of the advocates of
division is that they are opposed TO the Rail
road law, and are going out because the ma
jority of the people of the county susnined it.
They admit their liability on that measure, but
are going TO prevent any internal improvement
in their midst hereafter. This is the argument
of the Charlestonians, and of the rebels in gen.
eral. They had been outvoted on proposition,
and pronounced the Government failure
The majority took upon themselves the same
burden (if it shall prove burden) that their
action imposed upon the minority. Popular
government, with them, is wrong, unless the
minority can rule when they choose to insist
upon it.
They have carefully excluded all mining To-
calities from their borders, and still boast of
having them for market for their produce
Why did they no: include them in their propo-
sed boundaries? They would have afforded
them market the same as if left out. The
advocates of division furnish the reason them
selves 1t is because mining is a dangerous
business. Claims sometimes cave, mangling
miners so that they are proper subjects for q
hospital. Miners are sometimes sick. There
is more or less litigation concerning mining
claims, and these valley phantrophists don't
want their property taxed for any such humane
purpose. They will use the miners for mar
ket for their products. but they must be kept
at arms length, so that when they become sick
or MANNED from pursuing their hazardous call
ing, they shall not be tax upon the valley
property their industry has created. Magnani
nous seceders How gorgeously humane and
magnificent the argument.
Vague rumors reach US TO the effect that one
of our AssemblymcH, Mr.. Cunnard, is in favor
of the proposition, and that Senator Irwin, and
Mr.. Shannon, of Plumas, are also favorable to
it. We trust there is no truth in these reports.
We can assure these gentlemen that three
fourths of the voting population of the county
are opposed to it, and would deem such action
on their part great injustice towards on un-
offending people.
A MARYsvILLE correspondent of the San
Francisco Herald and Mirror says i" the Butte
RECORD is going TO mash thunder out of " the
former place. The correspondent altogether