64-7 
 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 55) 
 
 -K 
 
BANCROFT 
 LIBRARY 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
"~V r " "" -": 
 
 REPORT OF A MAJORITY 
 
 OF 
 
 BOEDER COUNTY DELEGATIONS, ON JOINT RESOLUTION 
 
 OF LEGISLATURE OF NEVADA, ASKING THE CESSION 
 
 OF TERRITORY EAST OF THE SUMMIT OF 
 
 THE SIERRA NEYADAS. 
 
G. II. SPRINGER STATE PRINTER. 
 
Ubraiy 
 
 RE FORT. 
 
 MR. SPEAKER: The delegations to whom was referred Joint .Resolu- 
 tion of the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada, respectfully 
 urging the Legislature of the State of California to cede to the State of 
 .Nevada all the territory of this State lying east of the summit of the 
 Sierra Nevada Mountains, would most respectfully report: That they 
 have carefully considered the suhject matter set forth in the preamble 
 to said resolution, and fully concur with the same, so far as relates to 
 the preference of natural boundaries over artificial lines, in the separa- 
 tion of communities into independent governments; and that great 
 injustice is often done by the adoption of artificial instead of natural 
 division lines between States. But your committee cannot, so fully, 
 concur with the views of the Legislature of the State of Nevada, to the 
 effect that it will inure to the great benefit and accommodation of any 
 Considerable number of the citizens of the State of California to change 
 the fixed boundary line between us and our sister State, to the uncer- 
 tain meanderings of the summit of the Sierra Nevadas. And when we 
 take into consideration that the present boundary line has become well 
 understood, a change, in the opinion of your committee, would only 
 tend to confusion and prove detrimental to the public good. 
 
 We therefore recommend 'that no further action be taken in the 
 premises. 
 
 G. W. GIFFEN, 
 For Majority of Delegations. 
 
Supplemental Report of Border Delegations. 
 
Boncroft 
 
 REPORT. 
 
 MR. SPEAKER: As the memorial under consideration was submitted 
 to the present Legislature mainly at my suggestion, it having received 
 no due attention at the hands Of the previous one, I deem it not im- 
 proper for me to supplement the report of the delegations to whom the 
 mutter was referred, by one relating more particularly to the counties 
 which lie entirely within the territory in question, and which I have the 
 honor to partly represent Inyo and Mono. 
 
 In the Constitutional Convention of this State, the boundary question 
 was the most hotly contested one of the entire session, the debates 
 thereon occupying more than a week's time. It was repeatedly declared 
 that the summit of the snow-line of the Sierra was the undoubted natural 
 western boundary of the proposed State. But the ascendant political 
 issues of that day somehow seemed to dictate the formation of a State 
 line much farther west than that finally adopted, which was agreed to 
 as a compromise. 
 
 Upon the admission of the State, Congress left the matter open to the 
 further consideration of the Legislature. Since, however, by the form- 
 'ation of Nevada, the National Congress has, by authorized surveys, 
 twice fixed the boundaries as it now stands. 
 
 In the opinion of the undersigned, a fair majority of the people of the 
 two counties desire the change, but the question has never been agitated 
 sufficiently to excite a well defined expression. A tenable reason for a 
 change has been that hitherto the people have been practically unrep- 
 resented in this Legislature, but such will be no longer the case under 
 the operation of the new apportionment. 
 
 The chief and only exports of the counties are the mineral products, 
 and bullion is heavily taxed by Nevada. 
 
 Considering that no such tax is imposed by California, in a business 
 point of view there can be but one conclusion, i. e., the inconvenience of 
 isolation and other disadvantages not necessary to recapitulate at 
 length, can be better borne by said counties than they can assume 
 political and geographical place within the Silver State. 
 
 Our State government of the future can but rely upon the immense 
 natural wealth of the counties in question for a considerable proportion 
 of her revenues, and from this standpoint the proposed cession would 
 be too ill advised to be seriously contemplated. 
 
 PARKER, 
 Of Inyo and Mono.