Year: 1860




legislative discussion. There is no Disgusting
the fact that, under our popular institutions and
the selfish speculating spirit of the day, straight
forward, honest legislation is becoming more and
more difficult 1t is the duty Of those intrusted
with law making TO acknowledge this fact, to ac-
cept it as undeniable truth then sternly resist
and correct it if possible


A measure Of such magnitude as this bulkhead,
originating in city where capital, and indeed
all the forms Of power are concentrated is often
times urged from bad motives and with improper
means And between the good faith and honest
convictions of some advocates, and the bad faith
of others, it is often difficult 10 determine az to
their real merits. On the other hand, caution
should also he exercised against prejudces in leg
isatng on the immediate interests of San Fran
CISCO There is natural want Of sympathy be-
tween men living in the country and those who
live in cities. But there is sense in its engeu-
dering an unfair or ungenerous spirit in dealing
with matters affecting the rights and prosperity
of all San Francisco depends upon the growth
of the State. She is simply a striking exponent
of the material power aud intelligence of the
country. The citizens Of our mercantile cOun-
ties ought TO be as proud of her as all Americans
are OF New York, all Englshmen of London,
and all Frenchmen Of Paris.


Whether, within some reasonable time, the har-
Dor of San Francisco will require, or whether it
now requires, bulkhead, Is a question upon
which there are different views. The evidence
taken last winter before Committee Of the Leg
isature, exhibits a strong conflict of opinion,
both as to the extent to which the harbor is fill
ing up and as to the cause-from which it would
appear that the necessities Of commerce cannot
be so urgent as TO demand immediate legislation.
The fact that the merchants of San Francisco, as
class, are opposed to it, makes this the more
conclusive. True, they may be mistaken as to
their own interests but concedng that they are
in boir rnnncifion n n Iitlkhoa1 ct;l
they can hardly be wrong to the fact of there
being no immediate necessity for any measure
whUtever. If the shipping interests of that city
were suffering daily TO an extent that demande ed
legislative action, there would be presented be-
fore you a general and constant application for
rival interests would produce here and theI op-
position to even just measures but that The gen.
eral mass of the mercantile community would
not fairly represent the real wants of their own
harbor seems Incredible.


In matter so important to the State, and one
involving such vast outlay of money, a mistake
would be attended by the most disastrous conse-
quences and every precauton should be used to
guard against premature and unwise action.
would, therefore, recommend to you, if any ac-
tion at all on this matter is deemed advisable by
the Legislature at present, to appoint or author
ize to be appointed, Board OF experienced and
disinterested scientific men to settle the primary
questions involved in this controversy.


If it should be found, on the report of such
Board, that bulkhead is necessary, then sur
vey of the harbor should be made, with reference
to the currents and other pertinent matters SO as
to furnish the best lines for the structure and de
termine the best mode of construction This sur.
vey would require much scientific knowledge and
much experience, and should be made by men of
ability and integrity.


When these indispensable preliminaries shall
have been satisfactorily concluded, the Legisa-
ture will then, and not before, have TO determine
by whom the bukhead shall be built whether
by individuals, by company, or by the city of
San Francisco


! am free to say, that, at present, regard as
questionable the proprety OF giving to any one
company the right to construct a bulkhcad, or
TO protect in any other way, an entire city front.
1t might create mammoth monopoly, with i'm
mense power to interfere with and control the
local if not the general policy of the State, and
that, too, in spite of any restrictions that could
he imposed. The same objection applies to al-
thorzng the city corporation to do the work, as
it might create an ever-lowing fountain Of polit-
ical corruption and ultimate bankruptcy.


But these are questions which can be better
determined at fnture time, when we have more
information and reliable data to act upon and
for the present it does seem most clear that it
would be premature for this Legisture to take
any decisive action until surveys demonstrate
the primary cause and the remedial necessities
beyond all question.


On the 28th of April, 1857, an Act was passed
to provide for the payment of equitable claims
against the State and to contract Funded Debt
for that purpose. The first section of this law
limits these claims to the sum of $3,900,000, and
the twelfth section requires all claims to be pre-
sented prior to January lst, 1859, or to be cx-
cluded from the provisions of the law. Under
the eighth Article Of the Constitution, this debt
was submitted to the people for their ratification
at the general election in the Fall of 1851 The
people by descisive vote recognized the debt
as legitimate, but when the claims we're duly
presented it was found that S3,900000 did not
cover the claims entitled to be founded as set
forth in the eleventh section of said law The
same arguments and reasons which demanded
the passage of the original apply to the passage
of another law to be submitted to the people to
ratify this excess-supposed to be $l63,784 &c.
! am confident the people will not refuse to pay
this surplus as If included in the original law of
April 28 1859.


Nothing can so lnlure us abroad or dpmoraliZe
public feeling at home as even hesitation to
meet our State liabilities justly incurred The
State can do nothing so base as to repudiate its
public faith, causing loss to those who acted
upon its credit. Every good citizen will regard
our States honor as his own, and protect it not
only as precious, but sacred. The rights of
our own inhabitants cannot be deemed invioable





tute alone their security. If, as a political com
munity, we become odious in the opinion of
strangers, we would soon feel dishonored in our
own. The subject therefore imperatively demands
prompt attention, which | doubt not it will
receive.


All attempts to introduce into our Legislative
halls discussions upon National political topics
should be frowned upon and discouraged 1t Is
right that the representatives of the people in
our State Legislature should when u necessity
arises, instruct our eXponents in the National
Congress upon matters directly affecting their
constituency, but only when they are presumed
to be Ignorant of the opinion of the people upon
matters relating to the States good. We have
abundant subjects for investigation without ex-
pending the taxpayers money in the considera-
tion of political dogmas which have but little if
any, application to us as II community, and which
in the main tre marked only by their abstraction.


There is, however, one subject, notwthsand-
ing it belongs to Congress- which | trust will re-
ceive unmistakable action from not only the
Legislature, but, so far is possible the entire
people of the State. | refer to the Overland
Mail. The Government of the United States is
now paying for our mail the sum of Sl,l4l, 900
per annum. If our people, by petition, and