The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-11-12

coast. A colony OF this singular and ingenious |
people are located at San Francisco, occupied in /
house building, having brought number Of smell |
wooden tenemsnts from Hong Kong. They are
spoken Of az among the most industrious and
peaceable OF the popu ation. According to CHI
nese records, the Central Flowery Kingdom has
been shut up against foreigners tor at least 3oOoo
years. more or less, and Tor about the same period
the Celestial people have been prohibited from
leaving the empire 10 settle in foreign countries
But the California fever has invaded China, and
effected the beginning OF a more astonishing revo-
luton there than in commercial affairs. II has
broken up the old prejudice of exclusion; and ten
thousand miles across the Pacific the Chinese
have come TO get their share Of gold DUST in build
ing houses for the Yankees and other outside
barbarisns " at San Francisco This Is the first
symptom Of The emigration and immense trade
from China, which Will come TO the Pacific coast,
when our lines of steamers shall make their regu-
lar trips across to Canton.
The convention, for the adoption of a State con-
stitution, mad nearly perfected their work. The
most important Of the Fundamental articles adopt
ed, are the prohibition of slayery,'Sy unanimous
vote and the exclusion of all banking corporations
The importance of the first is very clear, In set
Ting the controversy on the slavery question, and
in saving Congress from any further trouble, on
that score, IN regard to California; and IN narrowing
down the free soil dispute 20 the territory Of New
Mexico, and The District Of Columbia. The import
ance Of the prohibition of paper swndliag shops
not be over estimated. The Plainiied, Jacksonville
Sutquehannab, and Morris county iinanciers, are
shut off, as the gold diggers had presentiment
that they ought to be speedily attended to- Cali
forna is no place for the Beaches or for Colonel
Webb country without banks is not the place
for Them This is to be regretted; but something
may be done with Mr.. Cliugman's plan of bank,
and Canada and Cuba are ripe for negotiations.
In another column, readers will fad more par
tcular information respecting the California con-
stitution. Upon the whole it is credtable pro-
ducuen, ard especially in the clear-sighted view
II takes of Planield and Susquehannah currency.
Among The distinguished persons figuring in the
convention are Ex-Governor Bogqs. of Missouri;
Il. o. Larkin, late our Consul, and the man who
furnished the first authentic Information with ac-
tual rpeclmens Of the dust from the gold discovery
which was first published in the Heratd; ]. A.
Suffer, the William Penn Of California; Robert
Sempe, an editor, brother OF Elk Senator Semple,
of Ilineis; NJ NJ Gwln, of Mississippi w. G.
Marcy, and Caleb Lyon of Lyonsdale. Mr.. Lark IN
for several years our California espondent,
before and during the Mexican war; and by his
enterprise and activity Il man of business, has
become one Of the wealthiest and most influential
men in the new State. The convention Is free
from religious prejudice. They have prayer one
day by Rev. III. S. Wiley, probably Methodist,
and the next by Padre Antonio Ramirez, a
Spanish priest 30 that, like the Sacramento gold,
if their religion the real thing, priest or parson
it is all the same to them.
The shipping IN the harbor of San Francisco, on
the lst of October, amounted to 81 33i tons, equal
to 500 vessels exceeding three hundred toas each
and not over one-half the fleet from the United
States had yet arrived.
In business point Of view, the state of affairs
in California looks decidedly squaly. The mania
OF speculation RACES, and town ots and city sites
are selling at most unhealthy prices Upon the
basis Of the gold retained in the country, and on
that which sti'l in the mines the most extensive
credit system, and very loose many respects, has
sprung up. With all the gold, money commands
the highest per centages, and the widest and most
visionary schemes seem TO find the readiest custo-
mers. The day of settlement must come, and the
revusion will bring things to their proper level.
The loose gold dust cannot las; over year or two
longer. The washings ne not nexhaustlble; and
when they are cleaned out, the process Of mining
becomes Improbable, except to companies with the
necessary capital and machinery. California must
then fall back upon her commercial poslton-the
mass Of the emigranfs will clear out, and things
will settle down TO a more steady system of busi-
ness. Men will then look back upon the gold ma
mia, end its explosion, as piece Of romance. But
lie advantages, in the impulse gwen to steam navi-
CATION, and the settlement OF the Pacific coast, can
not be over estimated; advantages to which the
gold iiself is an item Of small importance.
But the news wall be found al length in our CO.
lumns to-day. II is exceedingly rich.
CURIOUS IInKL SUlr-RIGuTs OF TIE Pass