Weekly Trinity journal., 1863-02-14
LETTER FROM THE CAPITAL.
tCoRGIsroSDrscx OF THE JouRSAL.1


SACRAMENTO, Feb. 7, 1863
Legislative.
So many members of the Legislature were ao-
sent on Monday that no business of Importance
was transacted in either House. The Assembly
remained in session but half an hour. In the
Senate on Tuesday, concurrent resolution de-
claratory of the adoption of the constitutional
Amendments endorsed by the people at the last
election, was adopted 36 to l. Mr. Powers alone
voted against it on account of informalites in
the course of the passage of the Amendments
through the Legislatures of 1861 and 1862.
Mr. Personette's Bill to separate the Office OF
Sheriff from that of Collector of taxes in Trinity
county, was passed by the Senate, and needs now
only the signature of the Governor to become a
law In the Assembly, on the same day, Bill
prohibiting the State and county Treasurers from
exchanging coin for Treasury notes, was passed.
The legislative business OF Wednesday and Thurs
day was not of general interest.
Senatorial
The bribery investigation was eiosed 10 uay'
and tomorrow evening it is expected senator
will be chosen. The testimony adduced this
week is unimportant Mr. Watrous was on Inc
stand on Tuesday evening" and swore that he had
never confessed that the statements of Senators
Mccullough and Gaskll were true. lie admit
ted however, the material point, that the bribe
uqs offered He said Smith made the advances.
As to the statement made under oath by Judge
TYLER, of Stockton, that Watrous offered to pro-
cure his election as Supreme Judge il Tyler
would use his influence for Phelps, Watrous pro-
nounced it tissue of falsehoods from beginning
to end Mr.. T. W. Park commenced cross. exam
lining Watrous, but was interrupted by Senator
w. II. Parks, one of the counsel on the Phelps
side, and not permitted TO proceed.
Wednesday evening no witness was placed
upon the stand, the entire evening being spent
in q ridiculous contention as to the right OF
Trenor W. Park TO seat in the caucus. 1t
finally became evident that the Phelps party
were fearful something might be brought out by
T. w. Park unfavorable TO them, and not having
the manliness to close their case and allow the
Park side to produce rebutting testimony they
endeayored to procure an adjournment sine die,
not openly, but by wearying the caucus out OF
patience with foolish contention. | will not de-
tail these disgusting proceedings, but as there
was some fun mixed with the matter, select from
my notes the most lively passages:
Mr.. Gaskill claimed that as T. W. Park was
virtually on trial, be had right to a seat. Sew
eral motions that be be requested to retire. that
he be permitted to remain, that he be allowed to
make suggestions TO the counsel, ETC., were laid
on the table finally W. Ii. Parks said" Here
this man has set and SET, nolwithst andng the
rules of the caucus, and | want him moved" Mr.
J. w. Owen remarked that the committee had
also set a long time. and be would to know when
it expected to hatch. Mr.. Perkins (Phelps many
denounced the whole thing as q humbng. He
said he knew it would be farce from the be-
ginning. We haye,' said he, allowed the
Park folks to make fools and asses Of US, and now
Park is laughing in his sleeve OF our confusion"
"The opponents of Phelps" be continued, "found
that he was TO be elected, and they combined to
defeat him. They baye succeeded They bave
politically killed the most formidable candidate
! the best man in the lot, and now hope they will
keep the farce up till they kill each other" Mr..
Dudley, of SOano, compared the Senatorial
struggle 10 game of cut throat euchre, in which
Phelps, having the deal, had all the other can
didates against him.
By this time, 9 o'clock, q large number OF
members had left for the theater, or for Starr
Kings lecture, but those left (about COY kept up
the wrangle. They went into and out OF Com
mitee of the Whole several times tried to stay
in committee and investigate, but couldn't; tried
TO rise and ballot, but couldn't tried to adjourn,
but couldn't, and finally Shannon sent up the fol.
lowing: Resolved, That this caucus is disgust
ed (Which was true, but it didn't pass. Some
of the members then became facetious, and poked
fun at each other. Mr.. Perkins, who is noted for
defending the rights Of the Chinese, being the
center of the target at which the jokes were
principally aimed j. W. Owen moved that some
of the long winded blow-hards make speech.
Warwick cried "Owen," "Owen." Perkins
moved that Tom Shannon make prayer, and
Chamberlain that Perkins sing song Wilcox
wanted to know if this was game of freeze out
Sears said no, it was the ut-throat euchre al
| luded to by Dudley. Perkins suggested that the
Senator from Nevada give them birds eye view
OF the matter. Birdseye replied that If be pos
sessed The visual organssof the Senator from San
francisco, il would probably be celestial view
| Mr. Sutton moved that 5000 copies OF Perkins
jokes be printed in the Chinese language.-
Finally the caucus adjourned to meet at o'clock
on Thursday afternoon.
Thursday afternoon proceedings commenced
ny WrOuBlc overs reSOlutlOn permitting lTeH0r
W. Park to sit by counsel aud suggest questions
which was finally adopted, when Mr.. W. H.
Parks, (for Phelps), said he would not call any
more Witnesses Mr. Chenery and Alfred Bar
stow were present, but declined to answer any
questions coming from Mr.. Park, either directly
or indirectly. Frank Soule however. came on
the stand and stated that T. w. Park had told
| him that he park had consented to give Wat
rous $4,000 for his services in his behalf, TO be
paid after his election as Senator. He also said
Park offered the friends of Phelps that If they
would unite their forces with Parks aud carry
the primary elections in San Francisco for the
| Union ticket; and in favor of Park candidates
Park would give $4,000 towards paying the ex-
penses OF the primary election, SO as to ensure
success. On cross-examination Mr.. Soule said
that at the time Park made the offer, Mr. Latham
was soon expected from Washington, and it was
feared be would announce himself as Union
man and use the Union organization to secure
his return to the Senate 1t was to defeat him
that Park was desirous of uniting the strength of
oil the Union candidates against Latham Phelps