Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-01

fore the first day OF January, 1884, matters relating
\ to the subject Of irrigation, etc.
At5P NJ the Senate adjourned.
/, The Assembly met at 10 A. NJ, Speaker LaRue IN
the chair
Sweetland introduced a resolution providing for
the adjournment of the Legislature sine die On the
10th of March.
On motion Of Johnston, the resolution was laid on
| the table by a vote of 81 ayes TO Is noes.
Hughes, bill legislaiing the Harbor Commissioners
of office was passed and ordered transmitted 10
the Senate at once.
| A b. POI, to ascertain the sum due for work done
and material furnished under the provisions OF the
4 Act to promote drainage" and to appropriate
money to pay the claims, not to exceed S2f5.0oO,
came up for second reading, as special order.
Caminetti and Barry spoke against the bill, on the
ground that tie work done was under an Act that
had been declared unconstitutional
Farley urged that the work was done in good
| faith when the Act was supposed to be constitu-
| tional and the claims ought to be paid
| Stevens thought there was " joker in the bill,
and would not vote for it until convinced that all
| the items were correct
| and appealed to the Assembly to do justice to the
laborers, farmers and mechanics who had done the
| work
! bill.
Cutter replied to all the objections raised against
the bill He read from the journal OF January 18th
the report of the Committee on Claims favorable TO
the passage OF the bill. This Legislature could not
afford nor was it asked of them by the people, to
vote against this BILL and thus swndle hundreds OF
people out OF money earned under contracts entered
into in good faith. Before these contracts were
TAKEN the Attorney General assured the parties that
the law was constitutional and they were led to be-
lieve that they would be paid for the services con-
tract for. The Legislature had passed law
the members OF this Legislature screen
themselves behind what is said to be an IN
constitutional act and swindle these poor people?
He claimed that the Constitution provided Tor TINS
l.. 1oFIa latin
State cannot legalize unauthorized or invalid act
OF the Legislature, except against the State The
work had been honestly done, in good faith, and
ought to be pnd for.
Murdoch took the same ground
Storke believed the bill to be unconstitutional,
and his constituents were opposed to the original
Drainage Act
HOLSTER also opposed the bill.
Ryan made lengthy argument in favor of the
bill.
The previous question was ordered, and the bill
was ordered read a second time, by a vote of AZ
After recess the oeomargarine bill was taken up,
the Senate amendments concurTed in, and the bill
passed.
Consideration of A. B. 207 was then resumed
Irwi moved to refer the bill back to the Commit
tee on Claims with instructions to remodel the bill
SO to provide for the payment OF the sum OF $780,
l46 49, now in the State Treasury to the credit Of
the sum of S21,o4S 70 to the credit CT
the construction fund of Drainage District No. pro
rata upon the Controller warrants now outstanding
against said funds and the audited claims against
said funds, for which warrants have net been
drawn.
Atwell claimed that the Drainage Act was not a
constitutional law, and never was. He claimed that
the Act under discussion was unconstitutional, and
would be so decided by the Courts. AS soon
as the bill was passed, and before the Supreme
Court could pass upon its constltutionality. the
claimants would rush in and draw from the Stlte
Treasury this S72500o
Stevens spoke against the bill charged that it
was as rotten as the "star route" business. He
claimed that the contracts had been let for forty
five cents per yard, and afterwards sublet for from
ten to seventeen cents
Irwin's motion to refer was lost.
Cutter moved that the House resolve itself into a
Committee of the Whole for the further consider
alton of the bill. Lost-34 ayes to 40 noes.
S. B. so, introduced by Vrooman, to provide for
the improvement of streets, lanes, alleys, courts,
places and dewalks, and the construction of sew
ers within municipalities, was then read third
time and passed by vote of SO to Is. Several
members excused from voting.
The balance OF the afternoon and evening sessions
was occupied in reading the third time A. B. 500,
for the organization, incorporation and government
OF municipal corporations.