Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-12-11
LETTER FROM THE CAPITAL.
lrEorLAR CORRESPONDENCE OF THE JouRyAL.l

LETTER FROM THE CAPITAL.
IRECULAR CORRESPONDENCE OF THE JoURNAL.l
The New Legislature Result
of Caucus.-Goyern0~' Message.
Proposed LeGisIatiOu.-AC Coma
plede Concise Statement of
I,se Text-BOOk Question.
Rebel officer Elected.
SACRAMENTO, Dec. 9TH, 1873.
The Legislature of California met in
DIST session at noon yesterday. fhe ses-
sion lasted exactly Is minutes. Mem
bers were simply sworn in and the houses
adjourned. The Democratic members at
once went into caucus, in each house.
The Assembly does not impress one ia
vorably. There is 70 question that it is
a very ordinary body as a whole. Take
up the list and not three leading men
can be named in it, not twenty known as
men Of more than a low order Of ability.
They may all be honest, pure and earnest,
but the most ardent Democrat here, does
not claim the body to be one of over av-
eragc intellect. They admit it, for it
would be folly to deny il. This | say in
no disrespect, and it may be tho House
without brilliancy and legal acumen will
do well, but those who make our laws, it
would seem should be more than merely
average men.
THE SENATE
is better body, and has several lead
ing minds, but none Of any peculiarly
great note, and none of any acknowledged
forensic power among the new Democratic
members. There are are two Independ
ents of good powers, and several hold
over Democrats, and some new ones rec
ognized as strong leaders. The Senate
stands 20 Democrats, 10 Independent, 6
Republicans, 4 Independent Democrats
The Assembly stands 90 Democrats, 8
Republicans, 8 Independents and Inde-
pendent Democrats. On joint ballot
there will so Democrats, Is Independents,
Is Republicans and Independent Dem
ocrats.
Your readers would not thank me to
repeat the old old story of the lobby
agents here, ard the hosts Of chaps
struggling for office. 1t is the same as at
every session, only the crowd is deal
more pestiferous, a deal rougher, and
their breaths a mighty deal stronger with
the fumes of whisky, than ever before.
AS TO LEGISLATION,
the developed possibilities thus far are
A fight over the text books in the schools;
bill by Senator Mccarthy to make San
Francisco as n whole, pay for opening
Montgomery avenue bill by Assem-
blyman Nunan to raise s., 600, 900 to com
plete the San Francisco City Hall bill
to aid California representation at the
Centennial a bill to restore the recla-
nation district creating power to the
State Land Office; n bill to regulate
freights and fares, (of course that must
Gomez and it will emanate from country
member; a bill to keep sawdust from
being emptied into fish streams a bill to
provide for taking up the bonds held in
trust by the State for school purposes, on
which we have to pay interest, ard which
is virtually State debt bill to kill,
and bill to build the Branch State Pls-
on. These are the only bills rs yet talked
Of openly, and Of course time has not
afforded one opportunity as yet to con
verse with members personally, with sat
islacton, especially as to bills contem-
plated for your section of the country.
THE CAUCUsEs.
The caucuses Of the Democracy got to
work in n second session at 7 o'clock last
night and fixed upon the following officers,
there being hot contest for ali Of them
except the Secrotaryship Of the Senate,
the Clerkship Of the House, and for Jour
nal Clerk of the Assembly. The remain
ing Offices will be filed in caucus tonight
and Of course will be elected in due form.
The following are the principal officers
elected: In the Assembly, Speaker, G.
j. Carpenter, of El Dorado; Speaker
pro tenn, j. Il. Murphy, of Del Norte
Chief Clerk, Robert Ferral, of San Fran
cisco. In the Senate, Presidentpr pro tenn,
B. f. Tuttle, of Sonoma Secretary, 7.
j. Shackeford, Of San Francisco.
A REBEL OFFICER IN.
The Enrolling Clerk chosen in the Sen
ate ran very even with Massachusetts
Democrat through four ballots and was
at last chosen. 1t was said his claim was
that beside his Democracy he needed the
office, having lost his property during the
war. On inquiry | find he is an own
brother to Mrs. Jefferson Davis and that
he was major in the rebel army "now
why shouldn't he be rewarded ?" that's
the question. | confess to you and with
shame for my country that the scurviest
lot | ever saw was the crowd thronging
the halls Of the Capitol last night while
the caucuses sat with closed doors. The
very scum Of San Francisco was there
and every man with an AK to grind. IL
Is no eXaggeration, the gathering in the
main was of the coarsest grained element
and real good Democrats openly declared
themselves put to the blush for party and
self sake by the low surroundings
Monk q Brady, characteristic specimens
Of doggery keepers have been allowed to
open a rum mill in the basement of the
Capitol but Jim Hawkins swears he will
shut it up-may be 4!
Both houses met to day at noon, elected
attaches as far as selected in caucus and
adjourned until Wednesday noon, when
the organization will be completed and
IL. l-...-....-...i. ....----...