Year: 1860

make it the common highway for all those seek


ing bone with their families and property on


the Pacific slope. This would be so not only
from a sense of security and protection by the
General Government, by the daily passage of the
United States Mail, but because all along its
course would soon spring up villages towns and
settlements of a hardy class, who would in them
selves constitute all ever present power TO ntim-
idate aggressions and punish outrages. Such
highway would soon relieve our State of the
greatest blight to her prosperity the rant Of q
large permanent population.


And above this immediate present benefit, it
would, sooner than all other efforts now used
combined, bring about the much longcd for con-
summation of one Of the greatest material ideas
of our country, the building of the great Atlantic
and Pacific Railway.


Action by the people and Legislature might
not be met at once by response from Congress,
on account of existing contracts. but it will sure
ly pave the way for its completion upon their
termination.


1t is well known that our State, though young
in years, has been the scene Of lawlessness with
out parallel in the history of our sister Repub-
lies. 1t is not my purpose, by any act of mine,
to foster the angry passions which are the legti-
mate result Of such past unreasonable combina-
tions. He who is an enemy to the law is an enc
my to all civil or religious liberty The isolated
acts of such ebullitons Of popular frenzy are not
the subjects Of so much regret as the terrible
consequences upon the heart OF society itself
The laws, when not executed, soon SINK into
contempt with the mass OF the people, and the
seeds Of anarchy are sown broadcast in the popu-
lar mind, to bear bloody fruit when least antici-
pated. If the people Of our State are to acknowl-
edge no power but physical force, no obedience
but personal fear, then indeed is our system of
Government a mockery and curse. Our whole
theory of political association rests upon the
respect in each citizens heart for the majesty of
the law; not alone its written mandate, but upon
an unwrtten sentiment Of the necessity of its OBJ
servance, without which the objects Of our poti-
cal union would be indeed poorly subserved
Whatever power the Constitution and the laws
vest in me shall be welded to maintain the dig
nifty and enforce the execution Of Legislative
DEGREES; and confidently rely upon correct
public sentiment to aid me in this firm resolve


Another evil incident to our republican form
of Government is tendency to concentrate in
the hands Of the Executive patronage and power.
AS the wants of the country increase with her
wealth and population, and new Offices are crea-
ted. found necessary to carry out the laws,
disposition has increased in our State to vest the
power Of filling them with the Executive. This
should be promptly checked Its consequences
may be of the worst possible nature, by vesting
your Executive with more power and authority
than was designed by the trainers of the Consti
tuition or is compatible with the public veal.


AS far is possible all offices should be elect
i've, in order that the public voice may be heard
in the selection Of those most fit to be intrusted
with public duty. The comforting of patronage
upon the Executive, while it imposes an unpleas-
ant duty, can never give as great security to
the public that the proper person will be selected
and the duties belonging thereto faithfully dis
charged, as when the accountability is direct to
the people. Each department of your Govern
ment should be vested with the selection af all
officers incident to faithful discharge of its own
duties. But, beyond this, the power should vest
with the governed, as far as is possible to select
their own representatives for official duty |
shall ever be found ready to apply these senti-
ments to present or future laws.


| shall, upon the future occasions, gentlemen
of the Legislature, avail myself of the privilege
of the Constitution in the recommendation of any
measure which may deem worthy of attention.
The more simple We can render the operation of
our Government, the better will it subserve the
purposes of its creation. The great Ruler of the
Universe has bestowed upon us blessings which
enable us to institute q favorable comparison
with tue most prosperous and gifted of our sister
States. In mineral wealth we are without an
equal and our rapid strides in commerce and
agriculture will soon render as the peer of the
most prosperous communities. Our alluvial soul,
our matchlcss climate, our auriferous products
should fill our hearts with gratitude to God that
he has cast our lot in q land so blessed.


Let it be our aim to make our State morally
and intellectually co-equal with her physical
endowments. The wonderful and almost roman
tic book of Caliornia's history lies beneath our
hand and we of all our fellow citizens are
privileged to write our names and deeds therein.
Let the fair, pure page that lies befor us, white
and open, in the future be marred by no unseen
ly blot or erasurc and may the record of our
convictions, in even manner and form of their
expression, be such as the honest man may scan
with pleasure and the ardent we'll wisher of his
State find nothing to regret.