Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-02-28
FROM THE CAPITAL.
SPECIAL TO THE TRINITY JOURNAL" "
SACRAMENTO, Feb. 2b, 1874.

The testimony of the judges of the
courts of San Francisco before the As
sembly committee has raised. breeze
which it is to be hoped will be produc-
tive of good results. They affirm that
delays in rendering Of decisions by the
Supreme Court are largely chargeable to
the prolixity Of the Justices, who deal out
lengthy dissertations upon the philosophy
Of the law, to the sacrifice Of substantial
justice. From years Of connection with
thai court, unofficiaily, am prepared to
add to that verdict, that if fewer opinions
were filed by rs per cent, legal delays
would largely cease. Every point OF
practice, elementary principle, and we'll
settled proposition has been made the
text for long opinions. Look at the mass
of opinions we have in As volumes of re-
ports, with Supreme Court but twenty
four years old, and compare with States
with q0nrts OF "A century, and hundred
fold the litigation and less volumes of re-
ports. The fault s not all with the Su-
preme Court either, for the bar demands
of it these opinions. 1t has been educated
in California to believe that every case
must appear in an opinion, and that opin-
ion must in turn appear in a newspaper.
Now in no State in the Union, and no
country on the face Of the globe, are all
or even a hundredth part of the opinions
Of courts published in the paper. Rare
ly, indeed, is il done at all. CalifOr-
MIA stands alone in full publication Of
judicial matters, and the lawyers have
come to think it necessity. 1t is hoped
and believed the Supreme Court will list
en- to the Legislature, shorten up the
opinions and decide the two hundred
cases pending, more or less.
wAsHINGToN's BIRTHDAY.
Was very appropriately celebrated here
by military companies and by the I'm
proved Order of Red Men. The latter
body secured Turner Hall, decorated it
elaborately, issued 1000 complimentary
tickets and filed the place to its fullest
extent. They had a neat programme of
patriotic music, readings, etc, and fine
Grafton from Senator Pendegast. The
whole concluded with ball and supper,
and for few hours the patriotism of the
people burned brightly. The artillery
fired Il salute at noon and gave ball at
night. Bunting foated ali over the city
and the day was generally kept as holi-
day. May it yearly grow in national es-
TEEN and popular importance.
The ball on the 10Th, in honor of Booth
and Hager, was a tame affair as | pre-
dicted. Got up as speculation by some
sharp youths about town, it is gratifying
to reflect that they lost some money.
The contested election cases are ended
Senator Frazer, Of Ell Dorado, keeps his
seat and Gildea goes home. The count
of San Francisco ballots disclosed but
slight variations and the sitting members
retain their places.
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS.
McMurry introduced bill in the SEN
ate to fix the salary Of the County Clerk
of Trinity county at 81 200 and it passed
under suspension Of rules. Northcutt
has introduced in the Assembly bill to
grant the right Of franchise TO women in
certain cases, whenever the property of a
woman is liable to be taxed for any pur-
pose other than State and county revenue,
or is diverted by the right of way for pub
lie uses, and on all local option issues.
1t is believed there is n large body in
both houses favoring this measure. Mr..
Northup has introduced bill in the As
sembly regulating the measurement Of
water sold for mining purposes. 1t pro-
vides for a uniform system of gauges.
The gauge-box of 200 inches shall have
an aperture of 12& inches by 10 inches
with 6 inches pressure above the top of
the Orifce. In all cases where more than
200 inches are sold, there shall be series
of such gaugebox placed side by side
In all cases where gauges are set in the
main ditch or Aume, the box must be
constructed one-third larger than the ori-
flee Of the gauge. Water companies
shall be at the expense of constructing
gauges. Guages shall be placed as near
the claim as the case will admit. The
act to enforce the education of children
has been made the special order in the
Senate for next Tuesday, when a warm
debate is anticipated. The bin is sure to
pass. Mr.. Lindsey has introduced bill
in the Senate to allow Supervisors to en-
power tol-road companies to construct
pack trails on the line of proposed toll
roads, and to collect tolls thereon in
district. 1t is favored by the
mountain delegations generally. Sena-
tor Farley has introduced a novel bill,
the purpose Of which is not clear. 1t re-
quires parties in civil actions shall agree
upon the jury before it is summoned.
The Senate has passed righteous bill,
preventing the employment of women in
drinking saloons. One of the funny
things of the session has been the present
alton from day to day of remonstrances
of citizens (?) against the passage of the
bill regulating telegraphic rates. Oh,
yes, regulate one monopoly, but permit
the Others to rob as before. We all know
how this dozen or more of remonstrances
were got up. Each operator under in
structons gets lot of signatures from
personal friends and employees, and it is
forwarded as the voice of the people in
that section, etc. Verify, brass is cheap
The Senate Committee on Corporations
has still under consideration the Free
man bill. From the fact that it has re-