The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-02-01

I
from the islands, that ihero IA scarcely
mechanic Lett At Honolulu. The same IL
likely to be tho case in Oregon, - every
vessel comes in from there crowded, and
We hear Of large overland emigration.
Among the people engaged in the mines,
however, there are many runaway sailors,
deserters from the army, trappers, and
rnountaineers. who are naturally idle, dis
,ipaied, and dissoluic: in short, taken 10
the aggregate, the miners are the worst
kind Of laborine population. have nsked
for estimates Of the average gains Of oil lhc
miners at work in the gold regions, inclu-
ding both whites aud Indians, and have
never heard them stated n, loss than six
dollars per day for each person. believe.
taking these minimum estimates al date, |
am fully justified in concluding. TINT do
ring the year commencing July LIST, 1S4s,
there will be $4,000, 900 removed from the
mines. reckoning the ounce troy st GIG.
This sum is considerably greater. accord
ing tn McCulloch's Commercial Dctiona-
~, than the totnl amount Of gold taken from
nll the mines in the United States for the
fifteen yenrs ending in ISIS; and il is
nearly three times ne great rs the entire
gold coinage Of the United States mint aud
all It's branches for the snmc year.
From the latest information | have been
able To collect, ! believe that something
over $500. 600. ut SIG per ounce troy, will
have left California in the three months
ending September 30; and IT this amount,
at least lour.fi,hs will find its way TO Cor.
eIgn markets, aud consequently 10 foreign
minis. The same will bc the case f,r some
Years 10 como, unless immediate measures
nre taken by government 10 establish .
branch mint in California; and, in the
mean time, the United States coin Is nj.
mos, totally unknown from Cape Horn to
Paget's Sound. In this country the great
est Inconvenience prevails for want of coin,
while enormous amounts of nncoincd gold
are lying dormnnt in the hnnds of people:
It they sell il, heavy sacrifice il incurred;
and, il they keep il, no improvements can
DO made. and they are destitute of the
'noans Of support. Tho Interests Of the
United States, ~ we'll NJ those of Caliior
nin, call loudly Cor immediate relief from
Congress.
Il 10 impossible to foresell what will he
the ultimate result Of this sudden develop
mont Of wealth. Il 10 sufficiently obvious
however. that the country will he prema-
iurely filled by n restless. exctable, adven.
tnro"s and reckless population, and tina,
extended agricultural or mechanical i'm
provements are At an end for some years 10
come. Gambling and all sorts Of thought.
less profusion begin toprcvail. The pres
ent excitement will aitrnct vast numbers
OF the idle, vicious, and dissolnte. Refn.
gees from justice from the United States,
~ well CO other countries. will flock 10
California among the better disposed popu-
laiion, and will find shelter among the in.
accessible Businesses Of the mountains,
where such mines 81 wealth are now opcp-
ed. These regions nre Of vast extent and
are remote from the regular settlements,
mud from the operation Of the laws. In the
solitary reccsscs 81 the Sierra Nevada ore
little clusters Of men, with nothing hu, the
trees for their covering, and no protection
bnt their own vigilance and strength
Many Of these people nrc known 20 poasess
very large amounts Of gold (sonctimcs 90
much NJ twenty thousand dollars) wrapped
in their blankets, where there is no eye to
see. and no agent to pursue the guilty.
Is il strange, when the temptation 10 ~
great, that the robber and assassin, should
be abroad nmong the mountains? Many
robberies and some murders have slready
been committed; but little attention is ex-
cited BY these events. whore NIL 10 the en-.
ger pursuit Ut wealth. No ono can con-
lecture the extent Of these outrsges, Cor
living witnesses are moi II hand, and s.dead
men tell no tales" The strong and firm
hand Of government must be promptly ex-
10 save the country from the most revolving
acis Of violence.
Il becomes matter Of importa nee, there.
fore, that the must efficient measures should
he taken for the establishment and prsser-
walton Of good government in CALIFORNIA;
The governor ofthe territory should be Z
man Of the highest possible character for
talent, frmness and integrity, ADD no sala-
~ hitherto allowed for similar services in
other United States Territories, will be an
adequate compensation here. Any good
laborer can realize fifty per cent more
from his services than the highest govern
ment officer now receives, taking tho time
together, for year. II will be impossible
to organize q good government, under suit
able men, unless the salaries Of every class
Of government agents are proportioncd 10
the unavoidable expenses to b incurred in
the country.
know ofno section Of tho United States
Territories which more imperatively 70.
quires strong garrsons for the pscserva-
ton Of order. Without them, believe the