Foster, Gruwell, Hager, Hubbs, Keene, Kurtz, Lind, Lott, Lyons, McKibben, Ralston, Roach, Smith and Walkup voted for Mr. Trask. Mr. Roach nominated for Engrossing Clerk, Mr. Wm. G. Marcy, who received, on the calling of the roll, twenty-one votes, and was declared duly elected. Messrs. Baird, Catlin, Crabb, Coffroth, Denver, De la Guerra, Estill, Foster, Gruwell, Hager, Hubbs, Keene, Kurtz, Lind, Lott, Lyons, McKibben, Ralston, Roach, Smith and Walkup voted for Mr. Marcy. Mr. Estill nominated for Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr. G. W. Tenbroeck, who received, on the calling of the roll, twenty-one votes, and was declared duly elected. Messrs. Baird, Catlin, Crabb, Coffroth, Denver, De la Guerra, Estill, Foster, Gruwell, Hager, Hubbs, Keene, Kurtz, Lind, Lott, Lyons, McKibben, Ralston, Roach, Smith and Walkup voted for Mr. Tenbroeck. Mr. Coffroth nominated for Door-Keeper, Mr. E. C. Dowdigan, who received on the calling of the roll, twenty votes. Messrs. Baird, Catlin, Coffroth, Denver, De la Guerra, Estill, Foster, Gruwell, Hager, Hubbs, Keene, Kurtz, Lind, Lott, Lyons, McKibben, Ralston, Roach, Smith and Walkup voted for Mr. Dowdigan. The oath of office was administered to the above named officers by Hon. E. W. McKinstry, District Judge. Mr. Keene introduced the following resolution, which was adopted. Resolved, That the Standing Rules adopted by the last Senate, be, and are declared the rules by which the present Senate will be governed, until otherwise ordered by the Senate, and that a Select Committee be appointed by the President to draft and report a code of rules and regulations for the government of the Senate. The President appointed as the committee, Messrs. Keene, Crabb and Hubbs. On motion of Mr. Hubbs, it was Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms procure fuel and lights necessary for the use of the Senate, the bills therefor to be audited by the Committee on Contingent Expenses. The President announced that he had appointed Henry Ellis and Jacob F. Haehnlen, Pages; and Benjamin Chapman and Robert H. Masters, Porters to the Senate. On motion of Mr. Keene, the Senate adjourned to 11 o'clock, Wednesday. IN SENATE. WEDNESDAY, January 5, 1853. Senate met pursuant to adjournment. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Woodbridge. The Journal of Tuesday was read, when On motion of Mr. Ralston, Mr. Keene's name (who was temporarily absent during the voting) was placed on the roll of Senators voting for officers-with this correction the Journal was approved. Hon. Jacob R. Snyder, Senator from San Francisco, this day appeared and took his seat. The yacant districts were again called, on motion of Mr. Crabb, and the following Senators answered to their names— 10th District, Mariposa and Tulare-James H. Wade. 19th District, Marin, Mendocino and Sonoma-J. M. Hudspeth, To whom the oath of office was administered by Hon. J. M. Howell, District Judge, 11th District. Mr. Hubbs introduced the following resolution: Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Woodbridge be requested to officiate as Chaplain to the Senate during the present session. Which was unanimously adopted. Mr. Crabb presented a memorial from the settlers on the overflowed and swamp lands of the San Joaquin valley, which for the present was laid upon the table. Mr. Keene, from the committee appointed to draft a code of rules and orders for the government of the Senate, reported sundry amendments to the old rules, the report was adopted, the amendments concurred in, and one hundred and fifty copies ordered printed. Mr. Hubbs introduced the following resolution: Resolved, That the Secretary of State be requested to furnish, as far as practicable, each Senator with a copy of the Statutes and Journals of 1850, 1851 and 1852, and the Debates of the Covention to form a Constitution. Adopted. Mr. Coffroth offered a resolution to appoint a Select Committee of five to investigate the circumstances of the passage, engrossment, enrollment, and filing in the office of the Secretary of State of the law passed at the last session of the Legislature, entitled an Act providing for the erection of a State Prison. The resolution was adopted, and the President appointed as the committee, Messrs. Coffroth, Snyder, McKibben, Kurtz and Roach. Mr. Hubbs asked the unanimous consent of the Senate to introduce a l which was not granted, objections being made by Mr. Lott. On motion of Mr. Keene, it was Resolved, That the Secretary inform the Assembly that the Senate has crganized, and is now ready to proceed with the business of the session. The following message was received from the Assembly: Mr. President: I am instructed to inform the Senate that the Assembly have selected Isaac B. Wall, Esq., Speaker. B. McAlpin, J. W. Scoby, A. G. Kimball, W. M. Zabriskie, George W. Coffee, J. Warrington, Chief Clerk; Enrolling Clerk; that they are ready to proceed to legislative business. They have passed a Concurrent Resolution, which is herewith submitted, creata committee to wait upon the Governor, and have appointed on their t, Messrs. McMeans and Carpentier. B. MCALPIN, Clerk. On motion of Mr. Keene, the resolution accompanying the message was concurred in, and the President appointed as the committee on the part of the Senate, Messrs. Keene and Foster. Mr. Keene, on behalf of the Joint Committee, reported that the committee had waited upon the Governor, and received for an answer that he would make a communication to the Legislature forthwith. The Annual Message of the Governor, with the Annual Report of the State Treasurer, documents connected with the State Prison, Report of the Committee to examine Comptroller's and Treasurer's Books, and also a Supplemental Report from the State Treasurer, of the operations of the Treasury from the 1st of July to December 29th, inclusive, were re ceived. Mr. Lind, after the Secretary had commenced reading the message, moved that the further reading be dispensed with, and that twenty-five undred copies be printed in English. Mr. Hubbs moved as an amendment that copies of the Message copies and Documents be printed for the use of the Senate, also each, in German, French and Spanish languages, provided the cost per copy does not exceed that of the same in the English language. Lost. Mr. Roach moved that one thousand copies be printed in Spanish. The message of the Governor was then read as follows: Fellow Citizens of the Senate and Assembly: The duty again devolves upon me to communicate with the People's Representatives on the condition of the State, and recommend such measures as I may deem expedient. Permit me, then, to welcome you to the scene of your legislative labors, and to express the hope that all the measures matured by you may not only be promotive of the interests, but meet the warm approval of our common constituents, who have confided to you the most important trust which can be delegated to public agents. I need hardly assure you of my sincere desire to co-operate with you in all your efforts to exalt the character, establish the credit, and advance the general interests of the State. You have assembled at an interesting period in the history of our public affairs. Our interests have acquired a more permanent and solid character; the people have generally yielded a willing obedience to the laws; our commerce is rapidly diversifying and expanding; the sources of our wealth have been immensely augmented; agriculture and the mechanic arts are more generally engaging the attention of our people; institutions of learning are springing up in our midst; and, in fact, all the arts of peace are beginning to progress and flourish throughout the State. We have entered upon our career of freedom and civilization with prospects the most flattering. Uninterrupted and surprising as has been the progress of those sister States from which we are divided-not by feeling, but by geographical position-astonishing as have been the achievements of science, and astounding the political events which have distinguished the past history of our country, the settlement and partial development of the resources of California by the American people, is by no means the least amongst the great achievements which have been consummated. The importance of events is estimated by their influence upon the destinies of mankind; that of the settlement and development of California, to which I have above alluded, possesses a peculiar interest, since it evidently hastens the period when a more considerable portion of this continent-including, perhaps, some of the proximate islands of the seas—may be in subjection to the enterprising and enlightened policy of the Government of the United States. The settlement of California has developed in the public mind a strong bias favorable to other peaceful acquisitions, and has proved, that, while in accordance with the uniform policy of the Government, we have ever been ready to welcome emigrant foreigners to our soil, who can, consistently with the Constitution and Laws of the United States, become citizens by naturalization, they are, at the same time, disposed to make the soil itself, peacefully, a portion of the Republic. Despotisms forcibly subdue and subject foreign territory in violation of the laws of nations, while it is the policy of our Government to extend the "area of freedom" only when it can be done consistently with the rights of others, and by a due observance of the laws governing national intercourse. Pursuing the path of peaceful progress, we have advanced in all the elements of national greatness, and enjoyed a degree of individual prosperity under the operations of our civil institutions, unexampled in the history of governments. Amongst the most important duties which will devolve on you at your present session, is that of regulating the finances of the State, and fixing them upon a basis at once permanent and sure; which shall, at the same time, serve to secure us against the embarrassments of an overdrawn treasury, as well as against the burdens of oppressive taxation. It cannot be disguised that for the past three years, we have not devoted that advised and well-informed attention to this subject which its great importance demands. Year after year, since the organization of the State, we have been steadily contracting heavy liabilities, until at length the burden is onerously felt, and the embarrassments thus occasioned begin to seriously affect our standing and credit, and retard our progress. That measures must now be adopted, immediate, if practicable, in their effect, and radical in their nature, would seem to admit of no question. We have pursued a system, heretofore, the practical results of which, as exhibited by the present financial condition of the State, are certainly not such as will commend it to further adhesion. A system which produces such results, must be defective, and should be abandoned. To sustain the credit of the State, to avoid the burdens of embarrassing liabilities, and to expend no more than the annual revenues derived from easily borne taxation, are amongst the first and great objects of legislation. But we have signally failed to do either up to this time, and must, therefore, have pursued a system, neither well founded nor wisely practical, considered with reference to the objects intended to be secured thereby. A debt has been already contracted, which, under existing arrangements, will continue to accumulate to a disastrous extent. Fortunately, however, it rests with you to check this growing evil, by a suspension of the existing, and the adoption of another system, which, while it avoids the errors into which we have heretofore fallen, shall introduce such salutary reforms, as past experience demonstrates to be indispensable. With this in view, it is my purpose to present, generally, for your consideration, a few of the leading reforms which have occurred to my mind, as important and necessary. The existing debt of the State on the 15th December, 1852, is set forth as follows in the Report of the Comptroller of State. (See Appendix, No. 1.) |