Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-02-20
.rEAR OUT YOUR eA1LER1Es~

the Cabinet. II transpires that the "Pa-
ci6c coast" cabinet man is, or was to be-
IL the operations Of California Legislators
could 5 o make out the selection Mr..
Frederick Billings, Of San Francisco. II
we felt grai6ed at the action Of our own
Senate, on the California Cabinet Resolu-
tons, when the Committee on Federal
Relations first. reported thereon. we are
doubly pleased to tote the official express
sion Of this State, since the object personal
Of the California Legislators is developed.
Frederick Billings Is Of all men aspiring
for a cabinet place, from this coass-and
there are many-the most distasteful to
our mind. Soon after he returned from
Europe, three or four years ago, he made
a speech at Platt's Music Hall, introduc.
ing Hon. T. g. Phelps, in the course OF
which he went out Of his way to laud
British manners and customs. He spoke,
with disgusting ~conceis, Of all his late and
extended European travels; but wss par
ticularly fresh in telling how he had been
in the strangers' gallery Of the House Of
Lords, and had been graciously permitted
to look down upon the "woolsack in
session" through q species Of pors-hole or
prison window grate-the only view al
lowed an untitled subject or a foreigner Of
whatever distinction. This partitioning
of the upper portion Of the British
Legislature from the vulgar gaze Of the
people, was warmly commended by Mr..
Billings; and we very well recollect how
he advised similar construction and rule
for our National Senate and House Of
Representatives. Said he, " Tear out your
galleries! tear sui your galleries! Blu,
Mr.. Billings received no applause for this
bid for English imitation. The American
people desire to know what is going on in
their Legislative bodies; and British ex-
clusiveness is not to their liking. And il
we are to have a Cabinet officer, let As not
contribute a British sympathiser to the
grand Privy Council.
Billings is a lawyer Of fair abilities /;
whose monish was made in the New Al.
MAIDEN mine case. He was Of the firm Of
Halleck. Peachy s. Billings. With Bill
lings Secretary Of the Interior, and Halleck
commanding the Department Of the Pacific,
and Low Governor, and Conness and the
Dutch Flat Railroad Company in the same
cahoo,s. our people would indeed be rep
resented. Federally speaking. as were
those fortunate subjects who had Richie.
lieu for a grand master.
The people Of this coast have enough
Representatives, commissioned directly q,
the ballot-box; and unless we wish to
establish q Pacific oligarchy" we shall
protest against f%oisting a Cabinet officer
from San Francisco.
We commend the subjoined report o.
the Committee on Federal Relations, II
| the Senate of this State:
SENATE CHAx1HR, !
Carson CIrY, February l6, 1866. !
To the President of the Senate: s,.
Your Committee on. Federal Relations
to whom was referred the Senate pream,
BILE and resolutions, requesting
the President Of the United States to in.
vise at the earliest opportunity a resident
| Of the Pacific Coast to a seat in the Cabi.
net, beg leave to report: @
After due consultation. and with pro-
found respect for the opinions Of the Cali
fornia Legislature. we have come to the
unanimous conclusion that the reques,
specified above is one that ought not to
be made. The Pacific States and Terrific.
ries, properly so called, already have six.
teen elected representatives in the two
Houses OF Congress, more than by RICH,
| Of population we are entitled to, and these
members Of the National Legislature are,
or ought TO be, abundantly competent to
fully represent the Pacific mining interes,
of this section of the Union at the Capital
| Of the Union. Your committee do no,
understand that it is the express function
or proper prerogative Of q Cabinet officer
to "represent" local characteristics OF
needs" and thereby enlighten and assis,
the Executive and Congress. We believe
it Is unwise to establish or foster the prac-
sice of compelling the selection Of Cabine,
officers from widely distant sections Of our
country. Your committee are Of the opin-
ion that experience has shown that q defer
ence to such a custom, heretofore encour-
aged, has operated to the serious injury Of
the interests Of the entire country, in tina,
inferior statesmen, compared with thoss
Who would have been otherwise selected,
have been forced upon the choice Of the
Chief Magistrate Of the nation. q
Your Committee are furthermore Of the
decided opinion that the selection Of
Cabinet officer from any one Of the Pa
eifc States, at this time, would provt
positively detrimental to our interests,
rather than promotiye Of the same. Thu
probabilities are that the person selected
would be annoyed with opportunities fol
positions in Government Offices to such Z
degree as to almost preclude him from
paying proper attention to his counseling
or designated administrative duties; and
for his interference or non-intervention in
the matter Of distributing Federal patron
age on this coast, he would be subject "a
continued attack and equally distressing
applause from Pacific coast Representatives
ON the floor of either House Of Congress,
And hence our delegations in Congress:
would become divided and embittered to.
wards each other. Your Committee have
been inclined to introduce and recommend
the passage Of q resolution expressly stat.
ing that we do not desire that q Cabinet
officer be invited from this coast to o sea,
in the executive council, and but for thu
disrcspect such action might be construed
to imply to the members Of the Californi,
Senate and Assembly. . resolution Of tina
character would have been submitted By
US to the Senate. fg
Upon reference to the " Blue Book W,
And that California has now, and aimee he
organization asa State. always has hat
her full quota Of ministers, consuls, ant
other foreign agents Of the Government
and we are convinced that it 10 far NOR,
important for Nevada that she secure 70,
herself able representation in European
embassadorial legations, than that she OBJ
tain (even il il were possible or certain o
obtainment in this manner). Q cabinet sea
6or one of her citizens.