The Placer herald., 1872-02-17
SACRAMENTO CORRESPONDENCE.
SACRAMENTO, Feb. 18th, 1879.


EDrron HERMD;-Upon taking RETROSPECT
tive glance at the past it will be found that moro
than one-half of the 120 days comprised within
the constitutional limit defining the term Of the
has passed and gone. The question
arises with oil parties either directly or
Interested, wha. has been accomplish
ed for the benefit OF the people by the parties
they have sent tere to represent them? The
record too p'..iny shows that but little of para
mount Importance has thus far been transacted
by the legislature. True, large number of
local Liils have been introduced in the two
Houses, some Of which have passed and received
.he signature of the Governor. There is, how
ever, one class of
SPECIAL LEGI3LATIoN
Upon which Governor Booth has planted his
foo.-or, as an enthusiastic admirer OF Old
Hickory remarked Of that hero when he squelch-
ed the u s Bank his big toe-for which he de-
serves the thanks of the people Of every portion
of the State. 1t has been, since the adoption OF
the Constitution of California, a custom-'more
honorcd in the breach than the observance
for State and County officials to be granted leave
OF absence from the State for considerable
time during their term OF office. In most in
stances parties intending to visit "the old folks
States have been elected to Office with the full
intention of making the trip, relying upon sal
AIRY they have never earned to pay expenses.
The Governor has very promptly returned, with
out his approval, several bills passed by the
present Legislature granting leave OF absence to
County Superintendent of Schools, and other
officers, some of whom were chosen for these
positions at the last election II the Executive
adheres rigidly to this policy. and does not let
his foot slip-making fish Of one and flesh OF
another-he will merit and doubtless receive the
thanks of the people at large for his course.
SOUND ON THE MAIN QUESTION.
Whatever the present Legislature may or may
not have done and whatever may be their " sins
of omission and OF commission" it cannot lie
denied that, following the example of their Illus
trious predecessors, they have been eminently
sound the main question-that is, the tap
ping of the treasury till for their regular per
diem and mileage. And furthermore, notwith-
standing the streak of economy that has suddenly
struck in upon the State solons in the reduction
of the pay of poor devils of clerks the wages Of
porters, gas men, fire makers, ETC., never n word
is said in advocacy of the reduction Of their own
pay. "Oh, no, they never mention it," They
have had two weeks adjournment for the holi-
days, and nearly every Saturday have adjourned
over until the Tuesday following to allow their
taking run down to San Francisco to have
good time generally. On Thursday last they
took a recess until Saturday noon, in order to
go on an excursion on the Central Pacific rail-
road to Truckee-the affair being under the i'm
mediate management of Senator Maclay, Chair
man of the Senate Committee on Corporations
alleged to be the price of his fealty to the Dem
ocratic party-accorded to him by the Dem
ocratic majority of the Senate, and Assemblyman
Gray Of San Franc cisco, Chairman of the same
committee in the other House. Talk of reduc-
ing the rates of freights and fares over the road
The prospect is far more favorable for an ad
vance-but it is questionable whether the peo-
pie would "stand the raise"
Upon taking n retrospective glance over the
acts of the present Legislature, one is strikingy
reminded of the reply made by an honest old
Pennsylvania Representative upon being asked
by one of his constituents, on his return home
after the adjournment of the Legislature as to
what had been done in Harrisburg during the
session. Vel, doesn't know vat vos done
but knows Won ding, gets mine dree toars
day, and many of our Sacramento Solons
are doubtless possessed Of y similar amount of
knowledge.
You doubtless remember Mr.. Editor, hailing
as you do from the Buckeye State, il your
spondent is not mistaken, old Joe Whitehill for
a long time State Treasurer Of Ohio, Well as
you may also remember the aforesaid was a
bitter Whig and during his term the Democracy
carried the State, muchly to Joseph's disgust.
1t was the custom in that State, in those days,
for the members of the Legislature and the at
taches to draw their pay directly from the State
Treasury, without warrant from the Comp
troller, AS is the case in California. BY the way,
and indefinite word Controller - upon our
internal policy? The institution had been run
ming for some weeks at Columbus, when amem-
Der of the House of Representatives (by the
way, our "House of Assembly " is another mis-
nomer), from one OF the rural "dcestrcts " en-
tered the Treasurer's office and addressed that
officer with, "Mr. Whitehill want some money
"Well, how much do you want?" was the gruff
responsM "Well, dunno; about all I've earnt,
reckon" "John," said the Old Coon, turning
to Hume, his head clerk, "whero is that counter
felt ten-dollar note we've never been able to
pass? hand it to Mr.. -; guess that is about
rs much as he earned during the present ses-
SION" Your correspondent is not aware of there
being any counterfeit bills in the State Treasury
(howcver many Of the class may have been intro
duced in the two Houses), but there is consid-
erable batch of greenbacks in the State strong
box, and their per diem in the national currency,
repudlated by tho ''trooly loil " of California,
10 SohS'VeihoiN ihoie Iitiy VI tue Ct&itt
servants-I will not say Representdtrcs-ha
earned in the course of thor labors thus far.
THE JAPANESE JpNKErrINa Bull.
The great Legislative bone of contention for
the past two weeks has been the little bill OF
$4,000, for the entertainment. of the Japanese
Embassy in the city. When the Legislature
passed the resolution inviting these distinguished
foreigners to visit Sacramento, n committee of
the two Houses was appointed to receive them
on their arrival. Now this did not suit brother
Maclay, Senator from Santa Clara, who likes to
figure whenever occasion may offer. Accord
ingly the High Joint Committee got up an excur-
sion over the Western Pacific, and met Charley
belongs travelling menagere at Lathrop, where
they have high old breakfast, with all the
trimmings; arriving at Stockton they have an
other good time, bringing up at seven in the eve-
ming at the capitol of the State. The Chairman
of the Senate Committee in as high feather
as you ever saw cntton-epauletted militia colo