The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-02-25

under ANYTHING more than the nominal rule
of Spain or her colonists. The few Indians
on Its praries, and the few settlers on It's coasts
rosmed and vegetated without any more aPple-
in New Guinea. When 1t was made ever by
Mexico to the States, no Mexican had any more
knowledge OF Its character or contents than OF
those OF Asam or Labuan. As long as its trea-
sures were still hidden, this state OF things might
have continued without any serious evil; but un-
der the circumstances lately disclosed, II becomes
matter OF the greatest Importance and, as 1t will
he seen, OF almost equal difficulty, to organize
some efficient government In the province, and
some protection tor life and property.
The Californian continent was conquered IN the
late war by wing of an irregular corps, whose
operations were obscured by the comparatively
interesting campaigns OF General Scott and Santa
Anna. A military detachment was subsequently
lett at San Francisco, as a symbol OF occupation,
and this u was presumed, ,-""d sntfice until the
settlement Of the slavery question, ard some
otheIs, should persalt Congress TO asre upon
systsm Of organization Tor the provlrae. But,
alter q hrief show OF rssistancs to the torrent,
these asthonties have ncw Joined the invaders
In common quest Ct plsna1r. Governor Mason,
with all nis ;lcera, was eS tue ateSt intelligence
informed rs, deep in t.s ssiyg,ags. Colonel Ste.
phensOn had disbanded his regiment, and was
camping out on the Sacramento. Captain Marcy,
son OF the Secretary at War, had " set to serious
washing IN the great placer" There was no Off
Ger, and scarcely an lnhabitant, at any part of
the coast. Where head quarters" might, be was
altogether unknown but the most plausible con-
lecture seemed to point to a certain " four-mue
wagon travelling over the gold region" Nor did
any amendment In this respect seem very likely.
| The commandments chief OF the Pacific squadron
had reported, and not unreasonably, that she had
no hope OF maintaining In California any naval or
military establishment tor some years to come
/. e., we presume, until the sure operations of
time and trade had brought ''dlggngs" aud wages
to level again. The fact is, that the ties of dis.
clpline and patriotism snap asunder in moment,
when an American is brought In presence OF
substance OF SO superior affinity gold. The
mines act like tina great mountain OF l0adstene in
the "Arabian Nights" which, whenever a ship
came within certain distance, attracted all the
nails from Its sides with a tremendous noise, and
lett the unfortunate vessel to founder In fragments.
Soldiers, sailors, officers, secretaries, and ser.
wants, are drawn OIL TO the "diggngs," soon as
ever they touch the land. BY our last advices,
governor and Judges" bound tor the new pro-
vince, had already arrived at Chagres; but, the
same correspondence sensbly inquiries, " what
wages must be gwen to make a man serve his
country, when he can earn 800 day on his own
hook %
There seems to be no doubt about the reality OF
the reports, though we are to be sure, informed in
the same dispatches that the manufacture of arti-
fclal gold tor expectation TO California, was
| ried on tc great extent IN New York and Con.
necticut. Still, this consderate provision can have
hardly taken much effect as yet, and the yield
must be mostly genulue. The modes of explora-
ton In this land of wealth, vary according to the
tastes OF the operatives. Pleddng old stagers grub
on steadily In the sand, and wash their scrapngs
in tin pan. The more lazy ones, "roll about and
pick up the big bits, leaving the smaller pieces for
the next immigration" Some fine dashing fell
lows, on blood horses, career over the recks with
bowie knives, at full speed, and ''gouge" out the
gold from the crevlces with twist which practice
has made familiar. The 'dust," when collected, Is
packed In bags OF COW hide, carried to the port,
and put on board vessels tor expectation. At this
point OF the process, however, there is a serious
hitch. The vessels are all without crews, and the
gold, therefore, remains In port by boat loads;
is 1t hkely to move of until whole ships CON-
paDy are found sureted with the fruit OF the Dig
gIngs. AS 10 the climate, disease rather than NOR
tally said to prevail, and most people compound
tor an intermittent fever through five months of
the year. Law there Is none, nor government, nor
police; but our brethren across the Atlantic have
knack OF extemporizing these requisites, and the
passions in California pretty well concentrated.
Besides, where 1t Is easier to dig than to rob, even
| Jonathan Wild would have given over thIeving.
We are anticipated In any speculations upon the
european results" OF this great discovery, by
some reflections which will be found IN another
celsca, conceived, SD ttc ::.hc- INKS in spirit
OF 'sobriety. religion, and suietade." 1t will be
time enough to calculate the market value of gold
when the ;el0e 0OO, 900 sterling arrives annually at
Liverpool in the galleOns Of the republic. There
ere some old stores to be cleared Oft first, and
tolerable per centaee TO be deducted afterwards;
but what Is OF greater consequence to Us, II Is plain
that whether gold falls not produce CT all kinds
has already risen. The actviy consequent on the
enterprise, has sensiby raised the value OF agri-
ana manufacturing prO0uCtS. Bre aQStuflS
and calicoes alike command higher prices than
before; and though the mania will probably end in
the ruin OF many, and the disappointment Of more,
it hardly be without Its beneficial effects the
colonization Of the New World, and the COM
merce OF the old.
tFrom the London Chronicle, Feb. ~
Hotter and hotter, faster and faster, hurryng
wards In greedler and more GREATNESS haste, pell-
| seekers to the distant Ell Dorado OF the Pacific
| Ocean. From Oregon, from Lower California, from
the Sandwich Islands, from every seaport In the
Union, flock all who can muster up enough to pur-
chase spade and TIN pan, and who think 1t worth
while to earn, by not very distressing labor, hum
| DIRE d dollars day. The news gains interest with
every fresh report; the predictions of unbounded
wealth glow with roster brilancy,. Larger and
larger shine the Jumps of virgin gold IN the Gre
vices OF the rocks; the precious spangles glitter
more and more profusey IN the sand. s'Some,"
! we are told, "wOrk In the sand by washing from
the surface In wooden bowl or pan; some gouge
II out from rocks or slate; the lazy ones roll
about andPck up the large pieces. leaving the small
gold for the next emigration" He who by this
sort of work gains less than 100 ounces troy weight
IN month"; slraightway prospects" or looks out
Tor more productive dlgglns. "On one OCCASION
says the correspondent OF the Nsw York Herald,
"nooniDg or refreshing on the side OF stream
entirely unknown to diggers or 'prospectors,' or,
rather If known, not attended to- one of nv COM
panions, in rolling in the sand, said, Give me
TIN pan; why should We not be cooking in gold
| sendsP He took pan, filled ii with sand wash
| ed 1t out, and produced in five minutes two or
three dollars worth OF gold, merely saying, as he
threw both pan and gold on the sand, : thought
So" Where the lightest work 10 go profitable
we are not surprised to hear that little ne Is
| sacrificed to the amenities OF life "As to shaw
| ing, have never seen a man at the placer who
had time 70 perform that operation" In this
Elysum Of the Birmingham economists nothing
| is cheap but gold Doctors bills are paid in
pounds Of specIe-.or the golden age has it's alloy
In the fact that one half of the diggers are always
laid up with ague or intermittent fever. As to
washerwomen, they are for the most part dlspens.
charges-an instructive circumstance, which In.
duces us to suggest that when our Speoner shall
be King, and all the half-pence in England shall
be changed into f5 notes, 1t may be advisable, as
a sanitary measure, to confne the exactions of
that useful but too rapacous class OF females with
In the limit OF statutory marlu1nnl
Brother Jonathan, it must be admitted, never
made more successful deal than when he bought