Weekly Trinity journal., 1863-03-14
LETTER FROM THE CAPITA
tcoRREsPoxDRxcE OF THE JouRNAI.l
SACRAMENTO, March 9, 1868.
Indinial Elentinn.


The Assembly Bill fixing the time for holding the speca
election for Superintendent Of Public Instruction. Justices
of Supreme Court District and County Judges and Justices
of the Peace designated the first Tuesday in May 1t went
to the Senate and amended that the election might
not be held till the third Wednesday October 1t
believed that il the Judicial election should be held first
there would be great Struggle the parties in order
TO gain prestige for the civil election to follow If the Ju
dcial postponed until after the political election is held
the heat of politics will have subsidized and Judges may be
chosen who not politicians. The amendment, was
adopted in the Senate by vote Of % TO O. The Assembly
concurred in the amendment Al to 25 On the following
day motion reconsider lost 2 TO 3s So the Judi
cal election will be held on the third Wednesday in octo
ber
Special Legislation.
The Senate has done fair amount Of work this week.
most of the Bills acted upon being of local nature The
Amendments to the Constitution adopted at the last Session
enacted 26 to TO- They prohibit special enactment
by the Legislature on various subjects mentioned.
Negro testimony
The Senate Bill admitting negro testimony in civil cases
which PASSED the Senate Icy hreefourths vote was dis
in the Assembly three days and Gnay passed. 46 to
80 Excepting very few Of the speeches, the debate
not credable the Assembly either to ability good
taste The friends of the had agreed not to debate
it. but Air. Warwick broke the arrangement His speech
opening Of the long debate of average ability
nothing remarkable Some of the thoughts reported
in the Union certainly good bui they read better
than they sounded when spoken. The truth is Warwick
lays so much stress his sentences that but the
strongest kind OF ideas bear up under the pressure
His great fault is overriding in delivery which has the
effect Of adding to the sound and beltlug the idea
grevious fault II, demanded the passage Of the Bill as
of partial justice to the colored race to be followed
ETIt
groes paid taxes made amanabe the laws they
are debarred the rights which they paid for and deprived
of the benefits Of the law The law stands for
their punshment not for their protection Mr. j. J. Owen
followed Mr. Warwick IL argued that it would be an in
suit to ontecen Jurors suppose them inca pabe Of Civ
ing testimony Of any kind It's due weight He said
We have taxed the property of the colOred support
Government in which he has had voice. We educate
our children in measure at ms expense and deny HIM
the use schools. We sutter HIM TO be robbed and
murdered by white and then deny him redress IN
As people should blush at the wrongs we have
persi,tenty heaped upon the coored race and should
begin to allow lib raj humanity and wiser policy
to pervada our state aqd National councils"
We de- md the admission Of negro testimony for
protection We right to avail ourselves Of any rel
of iury Of our peers while that testimony remains
uuimpeached Denied Of this right, justice is mockery
our courts, the nurs rics Of wrong
Mr.. Dudley (Drmocrat,) Of Placer, followed Owen. He
said the coloed people IN this state were few in NUMBER
and had been wei eaedon the other hand the Chinese
and lad b3en oppressed. Why, he asked,
Would they admit the courts five thousand negroes
while refusing the same privilege to sixty thousand Chi
nese who much int llgentY If they did this
what cam Of their toasted Plea o justce For his part
he was in tor excudng both races lie saw necessity
civil or military for admitting them, but regarded it
mpotc uuwis3 rcpugnant to the of the great
i1ry of the peopl, Of This state He rccognz d in this
Bill The first step towards the elevation of the interior
The Pacific coast to terms Of equality Wit. the
white Why should tins state abandon the policy
which had given il such brilliant of prosperity
and glory and launch out into negro agitation such had
denched the soil Of the Eastern states in blood and made
sepulchres of their fields
Mr. Este moved to amend the Bill by adding; Provided
that verdict shall be found upon the uncorobOntcd
imOny negroes and in Of trial by jury it shall be
the duty of the Court instruct jury disregard the
testimony negroes unless corrOboraed other eydence
Mr. Estee made long but not learned speech in favor Of
bi amendment and against the BIZ H. said the negro
had attained 70 nationality, Egypt Abysnuia
sc. that II impossible to ensaye the white race
what of the white slaves OF Greece and Rome-wha too
groes were cousUu,onay towards That the whites
America them noth.ng for the freedom we enjoy
had regiments OF negroes with white officers IN the war
of the Revolution, and on one occasion Rhode Island
negro regiment fought with such desperation that nearly
one-half OF their number was LIT dead on the field
Mr. Barsow, who succeeded Estee, made the argu-
mentatiye aud at Tue same time the most denuncary
veniencas arising under the present law to the white
well the coored race, which would be reneded by
this Bill Was there anything so sacred in the rights of a
petty thief that intelligent colored should be
permitted to say under oath that saw him stealn pocket
bookY If So then jury Of twelve men certainly
rights.
Mr. Fitch spoke eloquenty in favor Of the Bill.
Mr. j. W. owen made few remarks Lstees amend
ment closing with the following;
I" Don't crush the niger, but deceive him
Take his oath, but don't believe him
Place him on the high PEDESTAL
Proclaim him pure as any vesal,
Commend him to your honest jury,
But intimate he lies like fury"
Any number of others spoke, but added little to the
ideas already advanced. On the following day Wright,
Del Norte gan the discussion with rambling ingram
maiical harauguc The substance of his remarks
aboionists were as bad as traitors Mr. Wright is
Of the members who talks great deal very little purpose
He always commences with Nou, sir, - and goes
ay down opinion if there could be appeal from it.
but il somehow happens that he is generality found with
the minority when the vote is taken Seals, of Nevada
made BY the best speech Of the second days deblte
In reply Wr9hts datbe against Massachusetts he said
that State needed defense She always able to de
herself he looked upon Massachusetts Of the
noLlrs States of the Union and aslus like these would
be Of no more than would sand-hy nibbling the
rock of Gibralter. II. could discern anything like
negro equally in the measure 1t placed negro
on an equality with him to ask him question the wit
ncss stand thaa to ask him question the street.
FAUST.