The fourth legislative session of the State of California in 1853 took place in Benicia while a permanent site for the capitol was still under debate. There Governor John Bigler was in regular communication with the Legislature regarding necessary state business. Typically he would send a message to the Senate and Assembly transmitting items that he felt should receive their attention. When a message was received, it would be referred to one of the standing committees with instructions to report back on a certain date. Once the report was in hand, legislation would be proposed and voted on to resolve the issue that needed to be addressed.
The five messages in this collection illustrate this process. Printed copies of the messages along with the accompanying material can be found in the Senate and Assembly journals for 1853. These journals also document any subsequent action taken on each of the referrals.
From the description of Administration documents, 1853. (California State Library). WorldCat record id: 58927327
