Washington telegraph., 1849-03-21
FROM PANAMA.

the lSthmuS. An Indignation meethS
had been held at Panama by those per-
sons who had engaged passage in New
York on the steamship California, IN con-
sequence of that steamers baying subse-
quently taken in passengers IN the oouth
American ports to the detriment OF the
New York passengers. About three
hundred persons were present at the meet
ing. A committee was appointed to con-
slider and report upon the course pursued
by Captain Forbes, of the California, III
bringing passengers from the Pacific coast
to the exclusion of the Atlantic passengers,
and also upon the circular issued by Gen.
Smith, relative to the trespass OF foreign
ers upon the public lands or mines OF the
United States in Calfornia-which cir
cular reads as follows:
VIM. Nelson, U. S. CONSUL AT PANAMA:
Sir-The laws of the United States
iufict the penalty of fine and impris on
ment on trespassers on the public lands.
As nothing can be more unreasonable or
unjust than the conduct pursued by per-
sons not citizens of the United States,
who are docking from all parts to search
for and carry off gold belonging to the
United States in California, and as such
conducts is in direct violation of the law,
it will become my duty, Immediately on
my arrival there, to put these laws IN
force, to prevent their infraction in future.
by furnishing with the penalties prescrib-
ed by law those who offend.
As these laws probably are not known
to many who are about starting to Cali
fornia, it would be we'll to make it pub
licly known that there are such laws in
existence, and that they will be in future
enforced against all persons not citizens
of the United States, who shall commit
any trespass Oh the lands Of the United
States in California. Your position as
Consul here, being in communication with
the Consuls on the coast of South Amer
ica, affords you the opportunity of MAX
ing this known, most generally, and |
will be much obliged to you if you will
do it,
p, f. SMITH, B. Maj. Gen. u S. A,
Commanding Pacyfc Squadron.
1t will seen from this circular that Gen.
Smith is resolved to prevent the trespass
of foreigners on American soil. As there
are already large number of foreigners
engaged in hunting gold in California, and
large number of others are OH their way
thither, it is very probable that much diff
ficulty will be encountered in carrying
Gen. Smiths determination into effect.
The committee appointed by the meet
ING reported series of resolutions, which
were adopted with unanimity and enthu-
siasm. They declare that the passengers
across the lsthmus had legal right to
passage over those who We're shipped at
the Pacific ports. They further declare
that these South American passengers
are hrespassers who have resolved to
hunt gold in defiance of the laws of the
United States, and they cordially approve
of the course which Gen. Smith had de-
termined to take in relation to all such
persons on his arrival in California.
The agents of the steamship recogniz-
ed the force of the reasons presented by
the meeting, and gave all those who had
engaged passage at New York tickets for
berths. The California was to sail from
Panama about the first of February.
As we have already stated, we antici-
pate difficulties between the native and
foreign gold hunters, The Americans at
Panama expected to be called on to fight
on their arrival at San Francisco. The
foreigners, who have docked to California
in quest of gold, will not readily deslst
from their darling purpose, The feeling
of enmity between them and the native
gold diggers will doubtless lead to some
extremely painful consequences,
The New York Herald has. by this arri-
VAL also variety of correspondence from
Panama, from which we take the follow
ing items
The note of Gen. Smith to MIR, Nelson,
the consul, doubtless applies to the Pc
ruvians What the effect will be at Cal
ifornia is obvious. We must fight OH our
arrival at San Francisco.
Among the Peruvians who applied on
board the California, was man worth
$29,000,000.
An American died last night (22dD at
the Americano, whose name l did not
learn. The schooner Angelica sails to-
day, with twenty-five passengers for Cal
ifornia. .a.
Two Americans died yesterday (24th)
in the city, and many are sick, some of
whom will assuredly die, again entreat
the Americans to reflect ere they rush
madly upon this perilous voyage of gold
hunting. There is plenty of gold in Cali
fornia but as common as it is there, l
know that large number of those here
would retreat for home, sweet home, were
it not for the contumely that would con-
front them and follow them,
The California will sail on Monday at
farthest. ..EI UE a0V
The British consul is IN town, ON his
uzau to Mauatlan and aSSureS me that q