New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-27
More about California.

scto, Of II, enthusiasn, its energy It's enterprise
ia ambition In no former century since Adam
WA, ever half soarge an area Of the esrths surface
reclaimed from its native wildness and rendered
.nh.ervien, 10 the uses Of civilized man as viii
have been in the present. In place Of the sea
Kings and conquering, devastating hordes OF Old
which the less civilized races were wont 20 send
forth 70 prey like locus,s on the possessions Of
weather. AMI more cultivated nations, 10 our age
the armies OF Civilization are everywhere il
vading the less sterile domains Of the savage.
pushing forw ard their hunting and trapping sharp
shooters In advance 70 clear the way lstie' io.-
lowed by the compacter main body armed with
the ak, the plow. the spinning Jenny and the
printing pres. Toe jagged line Of this grand
move ment on our own continent stretches from
the St Peters and Lake Superior on the North 10
the Cspes q Flor.da and the mouth Of the RIO
Grande on the South and Is pressed forward with
majestic energy. Half tho century has suHiced
wherein to possess and people the immense valley
Of the Mississippi, the largest the most genial and
most fertile on the globe The remaining half ~
obviously destined 70 subdle snd people ia Ike
manner the shores Of the Pacific and throughout
the temperate and some part Of the tropical zonel
be whole Western slope Of our Continent
California west Of the Sierra Nevada region
not dssimilar in area, climate and character Says
Fremontl 10 ltaly-s Insniiestly destined oreceye
the Hrst gsn; influx Of this tide OF emigration,
though it has been supposed that Oregon would
have the precedence. Bot California Is softer and
more genial in cline, is somewhat more accessible
both 10 immigrants and to commerce, has immense
mineral riches has proted by the chances Of War,
which 50 seldom prove advantageous 70 the regions
they embroil aud is evidently destined to acquire
a civilized population, arts pohty and commerce,
more suddenly thtn any country Of like extent
ever did before 1t becomes, therefore, an inter-
esting subject Of observation and study, and W.
shall frequently to 1t, not more for the sake
Of those who will soon people It than IN behalf Of
those who will remain with At this time
however, we propose to speak farther Of It's natu
raj capacities
That there are rich and vast deposits Of Gold
and other precious metals In that large portion Of
its soil which is watered by streams from the
Sierra Nevada, all recent testimony conspires TO
establish Those who still affect skepticism on
this point may well be quietly left 10 persist n
their absurdity We have not for some weeks
doubted tbs the efflux OF Gold from California
during the next ten years will be so great as Sc
voosly to affect the value OF that metal throughout
the world. The Phila. North american has at
tempted TO controvert this opinion by citing the
case of the discovery OF America, when JIG a.
leges) the vast amounts Of Gold rapidly acquired
aud put in circulation only suifced 10 depreciate
the value of that metal some FIVE per cent. The
mistake hero arises from iorgetulness OF the
fact that Slrer was also obtained from America |
in nearly equal proportion with God, so that the |
depreciation Of the latter observed and admitted |
by the n. American was only that portion OF its
general decline in value which was not paralleed |
by corresponding decline IN the value OF Silver
The actual depreciation of both Silver and Gold
ss tested by the appreciation In money price OF
nearly everything else was many times what our
cotemporary suPPoses it.
Yet 1t by no means follows from the tact that |
California is morally certain 10 produce speedily |
large amount OF Gold, that her people are des
tined TO become even wealthy-much less emil sht |
cned, virtuous and happy. On the contrary, the |
extraordinary richness of her mineral deposits is
a source Of the gravest pers 10 both couutry aud |
people Should gold continue 10 be found 80 sbun-
dantly as it had been from April to October ias'
we doubt not that California would soon prove q
region Of moral desolstion and physical wretched.
ness. So long ample employment for all shall
be coupled with the strongest indictments 10 ln-
dustry and Thrift, all things must naturally move
on harmoniously; but the momen. population un-
used to afuence, untitled for other than the gross
est sensual enjoyments. and little inclined TO fore
cast and saving shall find their Golfers overhowiu,
with gold, an epidemic o; idleness debauchery
and crime is morally certain to follow
That all things are Divinely, and ofcourse wisely,
ordered, we know but to the narrow range OF
earthly vision It sppears most unfortunate tor Cal
ifornia that her pacers have proved so amazingly |
productive. Had their wealth been more widel, |
daused, so as to yield from one to FIVE dollars
worth for each days labor employed in digging |
it, the influx of immigrants would have been far |
more measured and gradual her Agriculture and |
Arts would have been steadily aud rapidly ex-
banded and perfected, until she should have Ia
time become popuious without anarcny and
wealthy without decentralization. As 1t is-bul
let US see the problem work itself out before We
render decisive judgment.
We cannot err, however, in advising those who |
contemplate migration far Westward by ses 20
take with them large assortments OF choice Seeds |
Roots, Gratis, &c. with the best implements OF
Agriculture, as well as those calculated for Mn. |
ing. Magnificent as are our sdvces not only Of |
the wealth but of the extent of the Gold Region |
we all know that the uncertainty of mining is pro
vsrbisl-you may be doing well to-day and appar
emily on the brink Of boundless riches Yet to-mor
row shall see you desparins beggsr The Gold |
lying loose in the soil OF California IS OF determ
nate amount and every ounce acquired leaves an
ounce less for those who come after. A, the rate
emigration is now commenced aud contemplated
there viii be Hall Million people IN Cshions
before next octcber-sufloicnt to dig and wash
Ten M'HsoH P0sads Troy weight of gold in one
year, reckoning ,oar.hlths OF them to be engaged
IN sctusl digging and to obtain one ounce per da,
each. working three hundred days. We don't
say that is all and more than all that California
Is prepared to render up but We do sa,
that when So much has been Gus there vii
l. =