roughing it-第32节

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aspect　of　things　changed。　　Californians　began　to　flock　in；　and　the
American　element　was　soon　in　the　majority。　　Allegiance　to　Brigham　Young
and　Utah　was　renounced；　and　a　temporary　territorial　government　for
〃Washoe〃　was　instituted　by　the　citizens。　　Governor　Roop　was　the　first　and
only　chief　magistrate　of　it。　　In　due　course　of　time　Congress　passed　a
bill　to　organize　〃Nevada　Territory；〃　and　President　Lincoln　sent　out
Governor　Nye　to　supplant　Roop。

At　this　time　the　population　of　the　Territory　was　about　twelve　or　fifteen
thousand；　and　rapidly　increasing。　　Silver　mines　were　being　vigorously
developed　and　silver　mills　erected。　　Business　of　all　kinds　was　active　and
prosperous　and　growing　more　so　day　by　day。

The　people　were　glad　to　have　a　legitimately　constituted　government；　but
did　not　particularly　enjoy　having　strangers　from　distant　States　put　in
authority　over　thema　sentiment　that　was　natural　enough。　　They　thought
the　officials　should　have　been　chosen　from　among　themselves　from　among
prominent　citizens　who　had　earned　a　right　to　such　promotion；　and　who
would　be　in　sympathy　with　the　populace　and　likewise　thoroughly　acquainted
with　the　needs　of　the　Territory。　　They　were　right　in　viewing　the　matter
thus；　without　doubt。　　The　new　officers　were　〃emigrants；〃　and　that　was　no
title　to　anybody's　affection　or　admiration　either。

The　new　government　was　received　with　considerable　coolness。　　It　was　not
only　a　foreign　intruder；　but　a　poor　one。　　It　was　not　even　worth　plucking
except　by　the　smallest　of　small　fry　office…seekers　and　such。　　Everybody
knew　that　Congress　had　appropriated　only　twenty　thousand　dollars　a　year
in　greenbacks　for　its　supportabout　money　enough　to　run　a　quartz　mill　a
month。　　And　everybody　knew；　also；　that　the　first　year's　money　was　still
in　Washington；　and　that　the　getting　hold　of　it　would　be　a　tedious　and
difficult　process。　　Carson　City　was　too　wary　and　too　wise　to　open　up　a
credit　account　with　the　imported　bantling　with　anything　like　indecent
haste。

There　is　something　solemnly　funny　about　the　struggles　of　a　new…born
Territorial　government　to　get　a　start　in　this　world。　　Ours　had　a　trying
time　of　it。　　The　Organic　Act　and　the　〃instructions〃　from　the　State
Department　commanded　that　a　legislature　should　be　elected　at　such…and…
such　a　time；　and　its　sittings　inaugurated　at　such…and…such　a　date。　　It
was　easy　to　get　legislators；　even　at　three　dollars　a　day；　although　board
was　four　dollars　and　fifty　cents；　for　distinction　has　its　charm　in　Nevada
as　well　as　elsewhere；　and　there　were　plenty　of　patriotic　souls　out　of
employment；　but　to　get　a　legislative　hall　for　them　to　meet　in　was　another
matter　altogether。　　Carson　blandly　declined　to　give　a　room　rent…free；　or
let　one　to　the　government　on　credit。

But　when　Curry　heard　of　the　difficulty；　he　came　forward；　solitary　and
alone；　and　shouldered　the　Ship　of　State　over　the　bar　and　got　her　afloat
again。　　I　refer　to　〃CurryOld　CurryOld　Abe　Curry。〃　　But　for　him　the
legislature　would　have　been　obliged　to　sit　in　the　desert。　　He　offered　his
large　stone　building　just　outside　the　capital　limits；　rent…free；　and　it
was　gladly　accepted。　　Then　he　built　a　horse…railroad　from　town　to　the
capitol；　and　carried　the　legislators　gratis。

He　also　furnished　pine　benches　and　chairs　for　the　legislature；　and
covered　the　floors　with　clean　saw…dust　by　way　of　carpet　and　spittoon
combined。　　But　for　Curry　the　government　would　have　died　in　its　tender
infancy。　　A　canvas　partition　to　separate　the　Senate　from　the　House　of
Representatives　was　put　up　by　the　Secretary；　at　a　cost　of　three　dollars
and　forty　cents；　but　the　United　States　declined　to　pay　for　it。　　Upon
being　reminded　that　the　〃instructions〃　permitted　the　payment　of　a　liberal
rent　for　a　legislative　hall；　and　that　that　money　was　saved　to　the　country
by　Mr。　Curry's　generosity；　the　United　States　said　that　did　not　alter　the
matter；　and　the　three　dollars　and　forty　cents　would　be　subtracted　from
the　Secretary's　eighteen　hundred　dollar　salaryand　it　was！

The　matter　of　printing　was　from　the　beginning　an　interesting　feature　of
the　new　government's　difficulties。　　The　Secretary　was　sworn　to　obey　his
volume　of　written　〃instructions；〃　and　these　commanded　him　to　do　two
certain　things　without　fail；　viz。：

1。　　Get　the　House　and　Senate　journals　printed；　and；
2。　　For　this　work；　pay　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　per　〃thousand〃　for
composition；　and　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　per　〃token〃　for　press…work；
in　greenbacks。

It　was　easy　to　swear　to　do　these　two　things；　but　it　was　entirely
impossible　to　do　more　than　one　of　them。　　When　greenbacks　had　gone　down　to
forty　cents　on　the　dollar；　the　prices　regularly　charged　everybody　by
printing　establishments　were　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　per　〃thousand〃
and　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　per　〃token；〃　in　gold。　　The　〃instructions〃
commanded　that　the　Secretary　regard　a　paper　dollar　issued　by　the
government　as　equal　to　any　other　dollar　issued　by　the　government。　　Hence
the　printing　of　the　journals　was　discontinued。　　Then　the　United　States
sternly　rebuked　the　Secretary　for　disregarding　the　〃instructions；〃　and
warned　him　to　correct　his　ways。　　Wherefore　he　got　some　printing　done；
forwarded　the　bill　to　Washington　with　full　exhibits　of　the　high　prices　of
things　in　the　Territory；　and　called　attention　to　a　printed　market　report
wherein　it　would　be　observed　that　even　hay　was　two　hundred　and　fifty
dollars　a　ton。　　The　United　States　responded　by　subtracting　the　printing…
bill　from　the　Secretary's　suffering　salaryand　moreover　remarked　with
dense　gravity　that　he　would　find　nothing　in　his　〃instructions〃　requiring
him　to　purchase　hay！

Nothing　in　this　world　is　palled　in　such　impenetrable　obscurity　as　a　U。S。
Treasury　Comptroller's　understanding。　　The　very　fires　of　the　hereafter
could　get　up　nothing　more　than　a　fitful　glimmer　in　it。　　In　the　days　I
speak　of　he　never　could　be　made　to　comprehend　why　it　was　that　twenty
thousand　dollars　would　not　go　as　far　in　Nevada；　where　all　commodities
ranged　at　an　enormous　figure；　as　it　would　in　the　other　Territories；　where
exceeding　cheapness　was　the　rule。　　He　was　an　officer　who　looked　out　for
the　little　expenses　all　the　time。　　The　Secretary　of　the　Territory　kept
his　office　in　his　bedroom；　as　I　before　remarked；　and　he　charged　the
United　States　no　rent；　although　his　〃instructions〃　provided　for　that　item
and　he　could　have　justly　taken　advantage　of　it　（a　thing　which　I　would
have　done　with　more　than　lightning　promptness　if　I　had　been　Secretary
myself）。　　But　the　United　States　never　applauded　this　devotion。　　Indeed；　I
think　my　country　was　ashamed　to　have　so　improvident　a　person　in　its
employ。

Those　〃instructions〃　（we　used　to　read　a　chapter　from　them　every　morning；
as　intellectual　gymnastics；　and　a　couple　of　chapters　in　Sunday　school
every　Sabbath；　for　they　treated　of　all　subjects　under　the　sun　and　had
much　valuable　religious　matter　in　them　along　with　the　other　statistics）
those　〃instructions〃　commanded　that　pen…knives；　envelopes；　pens　and
writing…paper　be　furnished　the　members　of　the　legislature。　　So　the
Secretary　made　the　purchase　and　the　distribution。　　The　knives　cost　three
dollars　apiece。　　There　was　one　too　many；　and　the　Secretary　gave　it　to　the
Clerk　of　the　House　of　Representatives。　　The　United　States　said　the　Clerk
of　the　House　was　not　a　〃member〃　of　the　legislature；　and　took　that　three
dollars　out　of　the　Secretary's　salary；　as　usual。

White　men　charged　three　or　four　dollars　a　〃load〃　for　sawing　up　stove…
wood。　　The　Secretary　was　sagacious　enough　to　know　that　the　United　States
would　never　pay　any　such　price　as　that；　so　he　got　an　Indian　to　saw　up　a
load　of　office　wood　at　one　dollar　and　a　half。　　He　made　out　the　usual
voucher；　but　signed　no　name　to　itsimply　appended　a　note　explaining　that
an　Indian　had　done　the　work；　and　had　done　it　in　a　very　capable　and
satisfactory　way；　but　could　not　sign　the　voucher　owing　to　lack　of　ability
in　the　necessary　direction。　　The　Secretary　had　to　pay　that　dollar　and　a
half。　　He　thought　the　United　States　would　admire　both　his　economy　and　his
honesty　in　getting　the　work　done　at　half　price　and　not　putting　a
pretended　Indian's　signature　to　the　voucher；　but　the　United　States　did
not　see　it　in　that　light。

The　United　States　was　too　much　accustomed　to　employing　dollar…and…a…half
thieves　in　all　manner　of　official　capacities　to　regard　his　explanation　of
the　voucher　as　having　any　foundation　in　fact。

But　the　next　time　the　Indian　sawed　wood　for　us　I　taught　him　to　make　a
cross　at　the　bottom　of　the　voucherit　looked　like　a　cross　that　had　been
drunk　a　yearand　then　I　〃witnessed〃　it　and　it　went　through　all　right。
The　United　States　never　said　a　word。　　I　was　sorry　I　had　not　made　the
voucher　for　a　thousand　loads　of　wood　instead　of　one。

The　government　of　my　country　snubs　honest　simplicity　but　fondles　artistic
villainy；　and　I　think　I　might　have　developed　into　a　very　capable
pickpocket　if　I　had　remained　in　the　public　service　a　year　or　two。

That　was　a　fine　collection　of　sovereigns；　that　first　Nevada　legislature。
They　levied　taxes　to　the　amount　of　thirty　or　forty　thousand　dollars　and
ordered　expenditures　to　the　extent　of　about　a　million。　　Yet　they　had
their　little　periodical　explosions　of　economy　like　all　oth