Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-04-06
VERY INTERESTING FROM CALIFOR

a0"N. ANXIOUS.
VERY INTERESTING FROM CALIFOR-
:, MA.
W. are indebted says the Washington Uni.
ON 10 MAJOR General Jesup Tor The following
very Important letter from California. We
az =" room to-day Tor HE comments which il
n"'u'd''y cdlis ioI; but in what a ish, does
- -, piesen' me conduct Of those statesmen in
"s'oh VINO nave defeated the establish
ineft Of an efficient government in Ina, distant
country!
This letter is full Of deeply Interesting inor-
nation as 10 The present condition and fu,ure
prospects q neglected California. We hone ey
-! one VIII read u With care, Tor its merits en-
lit!e " 10 Inc most serious consideration.
SAN Francisco. California.
January -, lSi9.
NY dear sir: A vessel is 10 leave for MaZa,-
ian IN lew days, aud take the opportunity
mus oietirs Tor sending hasty letter.
o'hce my idst private communication Golhing
has occurred 10 change the general views thea
expressed IN relation 10 California. Within The
ias' lew weeks much has been said and done in
regard 10 The organization OF a provincial gov
eminent Tor this territory. Several villages
have appointed delegates 10 attend a convention
ior Inc arrangement OF fundamental laws Tor The
county; ana other election, are now understood
o De taxing place in the remote paris OF The
country. u is proposed Ia have the convention
assembled al The Pueblo de San Jose, about six
| " miles from this place, on he 4lh Of March;
uu oelleve Il will be found impossible 10 as.
senhe al The delegates a, that time; and il will
| probably be found eypedien 10 deter the meeting
Until II IS known that the presen, Congress has
not acted on The question O a Territorial gov
erhment. This will probably throw The whole
question BACK more or less, and think The meet
lug VIII mol Occar before The middle Of
Arfil, and not ata!l should Congress have TACT.
ed AT this time this is a most important oues.
ton to every citizen OF California for life aud
property are, and will continue 10 be- unsafe in
TINS territory until Congress gives US stable
government. The fact is brought teeingly
nome TO The apprehension of every intelligent
man mat there IS no government and 70 law in
California general feeling of insecurity de.
presses the whole population, and operates
most inIurnusly upon all classes of society.
Crowds OF men are fiocking from all quarters of
Inc country, and among them are many person.
oil bad character and desperate fortunes; and
everything about them affords a reasonable az
surance that every kind of villiany may be prac.
Used with immunity throughout The territory.
The only tribunals which have attempted any
Jurisdiction in cases of murder &c. some
months past, are those formed for the occasion
as 1t arises; and offenders generally escape or if
they are taken, II Is amidst The phrenzy of DO
Pular excitement, when the guilty and innocent
may be victims together. Several executions
nave taken place IN pursuance Of this kind Of
Jaw; aud II Is supposed that several others will
be announced by The next mail from the South
Id The mean lime outrages are occurring in all
quarters OF The country, and the public astonish.
ment has scarcely subsidized after one murder
has transpircd before another is committed.
more horrible than the first. House breaking.
thelts and roDberies, are Of almost hourly oc-
clirrchce. This state of things must continue
until We have tie firm and steady rein nr o.
vornmcnt rntciided o.cr the territory by Con-
gress. ] have no expectation that provisional
government, should it 90 into operation, and
this cannot be the case in less than year from
this time would be found adequate 10 the pub
lie wants. The material, for organizing a
stable government do no, exist in the country al
this time; aud Of such Us there are, the best
cannot be commanded for The business. The
most respectable men who are engaged in
lucrative enterprises in tho country, quite TO-
reign to politics, will not desert .hclr own in
tercsts 10 take public stations which pro
and should the local Organization 60 mo opera
ton, very much iuub. ii i will produce any re-
licl Tor the Ills which now afcl he county,
Ii will b. temporary in lis nature, and having
no peTnianeh hold upon the Co" nlunlty, II Will
be only ille better Than no government al all.
Such has been The result 0! Inc provisional ar
raneement III Oregon, and such must be lis result
cvgfywnrrr in new ccmnu nil:es composed OF all
venturers from almost every cline AMI country.
Besides, the natives and foreigners have been at
cuStumcd 10 different institutions and religions
AMI strong aniipahY exists among the former
Tor hose WON they look upon As their conquer
ors and enemies In the excitement i Scil dig
sihg these various races and casirs a.. brought
into contact under circumstances when rave
more than once threatened 10 break oul int open
hosiilities; and The ensuing summer The CANCER
ol sucn an occurrence will be increased IN hun
bred fold in consequence OF the augmentation Of
numbers and The constant accession Of emisrants
who are moIe reckless adventurous, AMI fIssu
lutte than their predecessors. II Congress has The
weli-bcin@ ot this territory in view, an immedi-
ATE organ Zatinn ongaI 10 lake place, ant such
salaries should lie 10 he territorial fl .cfs
as 10 secure the hughes; order Of talent and meg
| ri!y. Any cool Workman can realize more from
his labor IN tie mi.S than is gwen 10 orr Terri
turial governors by law and what would be a
very ample compensation III the United States
would mol afford decent support in California.
| believe The experience OF every public officer
who has been III this territory within The last
Twelve months will be an endorsement Of what
| have said.
Within The las five or six weeks We have had
weather Of extraordinary severity. Il is said 10
be he coldes, season experienced here since thar
| OF lS23-24 In The gold mines he snow has been
tour feet deep and al Suffers Fun ice has form
| ed three inches in thickness Within Two weeks
| The slreeis Of this village have been repeatedly
whilened with snow and haul, ana me mus wInin
I sight on The opposite side Il The bay. OWelVe
I mllss dis'an',) have been capped WIN snow Tor
| the last fifteen days Very heavy and protracted
| falls IL ram have now swept of the STOW from
all The hills within sight, but high in the noun
talns. among the mines, il is though: that hey
| nave had nothing bur snow; il 50 il must have
| fallen 10 very unusual depth. We now have
| cool WINDS and occasional rains, but the severity
| Of he later i. is believed, is now passed. Du-
ring the last winter We had no snow here, and
| only on ore occasion (iur two days. was there
\ any in sight, and Inc tails OF rain were much
/ less heavy Than those We have recently expe-
! rienced
As general thing, the operations among the
maes were suspended On The approach ut winter;
but large Numbers OF persons built log .hGuses in
| the mountains, and haVirS lad IN winter
stock Of provisions, continued among The mines
Tor he Prosecution Of their business. l. is now
understood mat the extraordinary severity II the
weather has prevented them from eiec!.ns much
and there can DC no doubt Thai much suffering
will be The result. MANY Of the Lighthouses were
good, or a, ieas' comfortable and some Of the par
lies were loer.by well supplied with provisions
and clohns. This remark, however, is net BY
any mans OF general application, and there car
be no doub. that many are suffering Tor food
clothing, and shelter. Alter the winter rain.
have once set in, i, is almost impossible 10 sem
goods into The mountains. and large number:
have no doub, been 100 reckless and improvlcen
10 torcsee the consequences and provide for them
Those who are now in The mountains are almcs
exclusively Intians indigenous poopula'ion) an'
ioreisnerS or emsrants. The Spanialds ant
Californians have retired TO their ranches, or L
the various towns about The country, 10 await n,
return OF spring. Many oil Inc people who have