The chair appoints various subordinate officers.
Murphy presents a report of the committee on reporters, which recommends a reporter and an assistant and two shorthand reporters, and that verbatim transcripts be prepared at 20 cents per page. If the convention lasts more than 100 days, reporters should not get more than $6,000. Reporters must post a bond of $10,000.
Beerstetcher offers a resolution to dispense with reporters entirely because the people of California are "groaning under the burden of greivous taxation." (p. 36). This is made the special order for 11 o'clock.
Estee presents a report of the Committee on Rules and Order of Business, which suggests 23 committees be created. Hager moves to add another, called the Committee on Schedule, consisting of the chairs of each committee. Estee says the report already provides for that. Edgerton says there are a few he's thought of that aren't on the list. Herrington moves to add a Committee on Federal Relations, but Tinnin says that's already part of the Committee on Immigration, "which includes also the Chinese question."
Keys suggests a committee on mining. Dudley of Solano says there's often conflict between mining and agriculture, so the two should be separated. Blackmer agrees. Other state conventions have combined the two, but the mining interest is so big in California that they can't be combined.
Estee says, in Pennsylvania, where the mining interest is six times as large as in California, the two were combined so that the differences could be hashed out in committee. New York did the same. But if the convention chooses, this part of the report could be recomitted to the committee. Blackmer: "If they mine gold in Pennsylvania, upon the plan we do here, then it is a parallel case." (p. 37). But he opposes it.
Dudley of Solano moves to separate the two. O'Sullivan moves to consider the report seriatim. Edgerton asks Dudley to withdraw his motion and he does, on condition that this part of the report be recomitted. This is done, and the rest of the report is adopted.
The question now is on the section from the report of the Committee on Rules, which is recomitted.
Nominations proceed for assistant secretaries. Huestis suggests voting for two at a time. Larkin says this will cause delay unless there's been a caucus already. Edgerton says it's "quite refreshing to hear the gentleman talk of caucuses," (p. 37) but the point is to get this done as soon as possible. We've been here four days choosing two officers. Larkin says, "we are not responsible for the delay. We have not come here for the spoils." Smith and Thornton are elected. Sherwood is then elected Sergeant at Arms. Nominations are made for president pro tem. Wilson nominates Belcher (NP-R); Larkin (W) nominates Wyatt (W). Belcher wins. Crawford is elected minute clerk. McStay elected journal clerk. Chambers elected Assistant Sergeant at Arms.
Estee moves to adjourn until Monday, since they can't do anything without a report on the Committee on Rules. Beerstetcher opposes because the delegates aren't paid for more than 100 days and they're not allowed to adjourn more than 3 days at a time, pursuant to the enabling act. Estee says, this would only be three days. Hager says, Sunday counts, so it would be four. Suggests they adjourn tomorrow morning, since the debate about a reporter will take the rest of the day. Barbour says it shouldn't take that long to prepare rules, and we should use this time to fill the vacancies.
Winans says it wouldn't be counted as four days, and the president needs time to choose committees, so they should adjourn. Estee tries to withdraw the motion, but the president says he can't do that. McCallum says the Rules Committee shouldn't take two hours to report some rules, and we can require them to report tomorrow. Wilson points out that with 22 committees, there are some 273 memers to be chosen, and the convention can save money by adjourning. Larkin says we should spend the time filling vacancies. This is made the special order for 2 o'clock, and the Convention breaks until the afternoon.
