Weekly Trinity journal., 1871-12-09

SATURDAY, DECEMBER o, 1871.
CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGIsLArIvE.-The follow
ing items are from the Sacramento Union, of
December 5th
Congress convened at l2 NJ. yesterday, 2Ol
members present. Dawes, of Massachusetts,,
was announced as Chairman of the Committee
of Ways and Means, and Garfield, of Ohio, as
Chairman of the Appropriations Committee
Sargent is Chairman of the Committee on Mines
and Mining Coghlan is on the Committee on
Private Land Claims aud Houghton is on the
Pacific Railroad Committee.
The nineteenth session of the California Legis-
lature met yesterday at u N. In the Senate the
new members were sworn in, when the body ad-
jOurned until to day at 10 o'clock Ia The House
the same proceedings were gone through and an
adjournment effected to the same hour to-day.
The caucus of Republicans, last evening, for
the organization of the Assembly, resulted in the
choice of the following gentlemen: For Speak
er, T. B. shannon, of San Francisco for Speak
er pro TEN, P. J. Hopper, of Sacramento for
Chief Clerk, Marcus D. Boruck, of San Francis
co for Assistant Clerk, G. W. Dixon, of Nevada /;
for Minute Clerk, Martin Rowan for Sergeant at
Arms, A. J. Rhoades, of Sacramento for Assist
ant Sergeant at Arms, G Meredith, of Sierra ;
for Enrolling Clerk, J. R. Wilbur of San Joaquin ;
for Engrossng Clerk, j. II. Reed, of Calaveras ;
Barbara for Copying Clerks, Isaac Eyre, of
Contra Costa, and Mr.. Creaky, of FL Dorado.
In the Senate caucus of the Democratic mem.
bers last night, (sitting with closed doors) the
following gentlemen received nominations Jas.
7. Farley, of Amador, President pro tenn; Rob-
ert Ferrall, of Sonoma, Secretary Thomas j.
Shackleford, Of Tulare, Assistant Secretary ;
W. w. Hawkins, Of Solano Sergeant at Arms !
JEFF. w. Shannon, of Fresno, Assistant Sergeant
at Arms. The balance Of the nominations will
be made this evening in adjourned caucus.
DEATH OF Ex-GovERXoa BIGLER.--The San
Francisco Call, of November 3Oth has the fol-
lowing: Hon. John Bigler, who has been suffer-
ing for several months past with dropsy died at
his residence in Sacramento yesterday morning.
Mr. Bigler came to the State in l849, across the
plains. In those stirring days, being man of
the people, with good intelligence and agreeable
manners, he acquired such popularity that he
was elected Speaker Of the Assembly, ard served
in that capacity during two sessions of the Leg
i5latEre. In 1881 be was elected Governor of
the State, succeeding John McDougall-who
served out the unexpired term of Peter H Bur-
nett-and at the expiration of his term in 1853
was reelected to the same position. In 1857 he
was appointed Minister to Chile by President
Buchanan, where he remained several years
When politics ran high, toward the close Of Gov
ernor Biglers second term, the opposing press
was at times bitter in the extreme against him.
causing his defeat. II is an argument in bis
favor, however, that be retired from Office poor,
at time when pecuation in public affairs was
rife, and when, if the half that was alleged had
been true, he would, at the time of his decease,
have been a millionaire. While in Chile he
probably befriended Harry Meiggs who, it is
reported, within year past remitted him some
money; otherwise he would have been in abso-
Lutte want Mr.. Biger was a native of Pennsyl-
vania, aged about sixty-sx years. He was a
brother of Hon. Vim. Bigler, at one time United
States Senator from that Commonwealth