Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-01-29
LETTER FROM THE CAPITAL.
IRREGULAR CORRESPONDENTS OF THE JOURNAL. J
The Wilcox AssaUIt.-EeadinS Meas
ures.-FisIi. Rack Pay. COnsti-
tutiOual Convention II Text
Books. -KnVestigatiOns.
Measures of Import
ance.- Irrigation.
Equalization.
SACRAMENTO, January %, 1876.


has been an active one. In the Wilcox
Somers assault case, the Senate refused to
take official notice after a long debate de-
nouncing Wilcox and calling on the As
sembly to take action. i was held that
as the whole matter was in the criminal
courts it had better rest there without any
prejudgment on the part Of the Legisla-
ture. Wilcox had his examination and
made no defense, though announcing he
should do so on trial, and was bound over
in s., 600 bail, which he promptly gave.
The Grand Jury meets tomorrow and
doubtless an indictment against the As
semblyman will be found.
LEADING MEASURES.
Before cataloguing leading measures,
note a bill introduced by Senator Tianin
for the relief Of John jackson, ex Sheriff
of Trinity County. 1t is to pay. him
So, 500 out Of State funds for loss by him
incurred in the matter Of collecting For
eign Miners License tax in 1871, under
the laws OF the State.
The Assembly is now engaged upon
bills for the relief Of Drury Melone and
j. j. Green, ex-Secretary Of State and
ex- Controller the bill for the relief OF
KATY General Love having passed by
one majority. All three Of the bills pass
ed the Senate. These bills are bad there
is no other term fit for them bad ms pre-
cedcnts and bad in law. They are to pay
between 81, 600 and So 600 TO each Of those
officers fol ex ofIicio duties. The opposi-
ton to them claims that under the Con-
stitution their stated salaries were to cover
all services the State might demand OF
them. The claimants insist that as law
was passed requiring Of them extra duties
and fixing compensation therefor, the faith
Of the State was pledged to them therefor.
1t is now admitted by all that IN futttrO
these extras cannot and ought not to be
paid and they will not be, but this back
pay will probably be allowed, although
the hottest fight of the session has been
made in resistance.
The judiciary Committee of the Assem-
bly, has reported upon Code amendments
and, while deploring the vast number Of
amendments made, say there is no reme-
dy for the evil. With the volume Of
amendments Of last session, and that to
succeed this session, we will be in nearly
rs bad condition regarding what the law
is, as we were under the old system. Add
two more sessions to these and it is easily
to be conceived in whata maze regarding
our statutes we will be. Nothing can
then be done but to revise the Codes and
cjdi y them all over again at an enormous
expense.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The Senate judiciary Committee has
majority and minority reports upon the
question of a Constitutional Convention.
The minority say that as 32,374 voters
voted for a Convention, last September,
and 2l,552 against it ; and as the Consti-
tuition says "a majority Of the electors
voting nt such election " shall prevail on
the question, it carried and the Convention
was ordered On the other hand the ma
jority, with great force, insist that the
words "such election refer to major
ity Of all the voters voting at the general
election for State officers, and not those
voting for or against the Constitutional
Convention, and as no majority did so
not ordered. They chnch the matter by
showing the absurdity of the position of
the majority by saying that if Il mere
majority of those voting on the Constitu-
tional question is to prevail, then if three
votes only were cast upon it, two for and
one against, then, upon the ground taken
by the minority, a Convention would be
called, thus enabling one voter to over
turn the fundamental law of the State.
TEXT s-INVEsTIGATIoN.
The text book war still RACES and bill
now in the Assembly to ratily the contract
WIN iS0ilNipAl ~ NbsJ Will GllllH bll u
" field day" Petitions for and against
changes are sent in each day, representing
only the activity Of the rival publishers.
The facts are exactly as given in my first
letter, and all parties now admit to be as
then given.
The Ellis Grab Tide Land Committee
has closed its investigation in the Senate.
1t will, | prophesy, report that there has
been much carelessness in parting with
Tide Lands, but that no distinct fraud has
been proven. In the Golden City Home
stead Association-T Tide Land Steal some
thing far more positive is being developed
by the Assembly Committee. Wilcox
moved for this Committee, the Chronicle
correspondent attacked him for it, and
out Of that grew the recent assault. Last
Friday the Committee met and the testi-
mony showed conclusively big steal by
somebody, and as this vindicates Wilcox
in his move for investigation, he is very
jubilant over it.
MEASURES OF IMPORTANCE.
Senator Laine has put forward bill
for new State Board of Equalization Of
five members to be elected by the people
and to serve fouryears. They are to pre-
scribe rules to govern Supervisors in equal
izing taxes and Assessors in making as
sessments, and have power to visit coun-
ties and raise or reduce assessments
Each member is allowed 81 800 year
and the Board is allowed Clerl, at 81 800.
Senator Lewis wants the libel law a
mended 80 that plaintiffs in libel need not
give bond F; also to punish by fine ofs5 600
and one years Imprisonment, all publish
ers of libels and those who procure their
publication.
/ oino hoe a lin IN IorJ roo,;,;n-. =, II