The Arkansas banner., 1846-01-28
WASHINGTON, December Is, lS45.
CYPRESS BEND, Dec. 29th. 1915.

.1f. RtHheft0fG, Slr--liaVng determined on a removal to California, as soon as l can make the necessary arrangements, by dis posal of my property, and being frequently written to upon the subject, ibeg leave, thro' the medium of the Banner, to say, that from a conversation recently had with Col. Lea vitt, the Chairman of the Emigrating Com mlttee, the organization is steadily going on. Many Wlllgo by water, and myself and ainl- ly among the number. 4 vessel is expected 10 leave New Orleans next fall, for Calllor mia, with cmigrants 4 line of packets wlll also shortly be started from New York to Porto Bello, in connection with liue ilom Panama to California and Oregon. The dis tance from Porto Belo to Panama, will be land carriage of 65 miles. Many emigrants will ultimately go by this route; while by far the greatest number will take the over land route from Fort Smith.
 Those of the Arkansas Californians, who go by land, will rendezvous al Fort Smith, on the lst. Monday in April next, preparato- " 10 taking up the line of march for the Pacific. By letters received from different parts of the Union, we are led to believe that the company will be very large; but we may be disappointed in many Some we doubt will, and many may, have the will, but lack the nerve. With such. however, we can dis pense. Ours IS peaceful emlgration, still, energy and determination of character is re- quisite for the undertaking of the journey With men of energetic and determined minds, will California be settled. Richly will ihey deserve ihe country; and that they will be most richly repaid in the country, all travel ers and historians concur. That the climate on the coast Is mild, sprlng-like and healthy, we know. In richness of soil, the valleys are unsurpassed; and from the cteu terlpera- lure of the seasons, adapted to all the pro- ducts of both the Torrid and Temperate Zones. There, in the same field, with but slight cultivation, grow, luxurianty, wheat and all northern grains, roots and plants, as well as the finer products of the sunny south. For tobacco, California is equal to ilavanna. For rice, the San Markina bot toms arc believed to be equal 10 the swamps of Carolina. Sugar and cotton grow most finely. As grazing country, il IS unsur- passed If now, as is the case, thousands of cattle are annually slaughtered for their hides alone, by the indolent Spaniards, for tunes will be amassed by the enterprisng emigranis from the United States, by supply ing the Chinese with the article of beef a. lone. The fisheries are inexhaustible The furs of the country are, and for years will be. an immense article of export. The best of live-oak for ship building, is abunGant- Ia minerals the country is rich. The exports of the country, even now, are immense for her population. ~ln l840, according to the report of Capt. Wilkes, her exports were S55 for each soul-whie, black, and cop per colored; while in Arkansas, for the same year, it was less than S8.
 California is a new country, just beginning to engross the attention of the world. Tex as was settled by ones, and by twos. Cali forna is settling by companies of as many 1 hundreds and thousands. Texas was years 1 in gaining the notice of the word-laborious wa the infancy of Texas. In California, if8gid will be the transition from child 10 manhood of the country. Now is the soil unoccupied, and as free to the emigrant as in the days of it's creation. Now are there many inducements held out by the Califor- nan government, to the emigraat. Now good l ttiles can Se obtained. Soon will the in- ducements be less. Soon will the most de- sirable part of the country belocated. What i is now within the grasp of the poor but en- ergetic man, will soon be beyond his reach i There is also now some merit in our emi- gration-in wrestling the country from na, thre. Texas will cherish the name of Aus- TIN, as does Kentucky BOONE; and sacred will be the memory of the Pioneers of Cali fofna
 JOHN WILKINSON.