Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-12-07

Every thing in regard 10 this new Ell ID,
rado is read just now with extraordinar az
avidity. The following is an extract iror
a letter received by the Secretsry of I'll
Navy from gentleman occupying a
official position in Monterey:
MONTEREY, Sept. I6, lS46.-The Gil
liens Of California are very anxious 70
the establishment Of a branch mint il
this territory. There is very little coine
money in the country, and the conse
quence is, they are oblidged to sell thei
grain and wheat at ruinous sacrifice. =
The custom house duties are all requires
10 be in coin, and this absorbs the it'll
khat still remains in circulation. Tn
people are obidged to carry their grail
gold in their fobs, corners Of their pock
ct handkerchiefs, and in goose quills, fo
change. They want United States mint
and have had many public meetings OF
the subject.
1t is calculated that over two million,
Of dollars are taken out Of the mines in
grain gold, per month-and this sum will
be more than quadrupled another season
This grain gold is now shipped off in large
quantities to Mexico, Chill and Peru,
where 1t will be coined under the nsip.
MIA OF those republics, and lost to the me.
tailic basis OF our own circulating medi-
um. This gold can be secured to our
own country only by mint. Such an
institution will bring the grain gold at
once to its intrinsic value, and sustain it
there; and save the poor emigrants who
get 1t out Of the earth from the hands of
the spectators. 1t will do more to cher
ish emigration, than the appropriation of
millions for ordinary purposes, and will
at the same time swell immensely the
aggregate Of our national coin. :
The head Of the emigrant column for
the year has already reached California.
They will throw themselves en- masse in
30 the mines. There will also be large
Emigration from Oregon, and also from
the Sandwich Islands and there will be
ID heavy tide ever the Isthmus as soon as
ghs steamers are on their destined track.
|When the wealth of these gold mines is
really known and believed in the United
Estates, there will not be wagons and
steamers enough that can be spared to
bring the emigrants here. You are now
all incredulous-you regard our state
ments as the dreams of an excited mar-
ihation-but what seems to you mere
fiction, IS a stern reality. 1t is not gold
N the clouds or in the sea, or in the cen
te OF a rock-ribbed mountain, but in the
soil of California, sparkling in the sun
and glitering in It's streams. 1t lies Oh
the open plain, in the shadows of the
deep ravines, and glows on the SUBMITS
ofthe mountains, which have lifted for
ages their golden coronets to heaven.
As an evidence of the facility with
winch it procured, let one or two facts
suffice. Every sailor that now ships from
h port in California, gets bis $50 per
month, and but very few can be procured
|1 those wages. An offer of 500 a month
fould be rejected by nine-tenths of those
how engaged in the mines. They con-
Fider their labor there worth $50 day,
hnd it often realizes them even more
Even the poor Indian, when you talk of
bring him, shakes his bag Of gold in
our eyes. The consequence is, we
have no hired laborers, no servants; ev-
Fry one must black his own boots. This
practical democracy; no theory, no
|alking about equality. We are all on
|evel by that great law Of circumstances
Fhich none can surmount. The rounds
F your ladder, it is true, are Of gold
put your neighbor's ladder runs Jrst as
high.