The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-04-14
Essu, s,.lIf.v.I..


interesting letter from California, January 23d,
addressed by Capt. Folsom, OF the Quartermaster
Generals Department 10 Gen. Jesup. The letter
has much to say about the movement 10 form a
Provisional Government, and expresses the belief
that il will be found impossible 10 assemble all
the delegates by the 4h of March, and il will
probably be found expsdient 10 defer the meeting
until Il is known that Congress has not acted on
the question of territorial government pfoba-
bly, the meeting will not occur before the middle
of April. What follows was evidently written
with the hope that il would reach here before
Congress adjourned, and operate fayorably upon
that body: l..ri.
The fact is brought ieelingly home 10 the sppre-
hension OF every intelligent man, that there is no
government and no law in California. general
feeling OF Insecurity depresses the whole popula-
tlon, and operates most lnluTlously upon all clas-
ses Of society. In the meantime outrsges are
occurring in all quarters of the country, and the
public astonishment has scarcely subsidized after
one murder has tTanspired, before another is CON-
milted more horrible than the first House break
Ing, thets, and robberies of almost hourly &C.
eurence. This stateof things must continue un-
al we have The firm and steady rein OF government
extended over the territory by Congress. have
| no expectation that provisional government
should 80 into operation, and this cannot be the
case IN less than year from this timel would be
found adequate TO the public wants.
The most respectable men, who are engaged in
lucrative enterprises in the country, quite foreign
TO politics, will not desert their own interest 10
lake public stations which promise 10 yield little
but vexation and annoyance, and, should the local
organization go into operation, ] very much doubt
II Il will produce any relief for the ills which now
afilict the country
| In the excitement of gold-digging, the various
races and castes are brought into contact under
circumstances which have more than once threat
ened to break out into open hostilities, and the
| ensuing summer the danger Of such an occurrence
| will be increased hundred fold, in consequence
OF the augmentation Of numbers, and the constant
accession of emigrants who are more reckless,
adventurous and dssoiute than their predecessors.
In reference 10 the wintering Of miners at the
mines, the writer thiaks there must have been
much suffering among some of the impTovident--
though many of the log houses were good and 9th
ers well supplied The SPaniards and native CAL
ifornians more discreetly left the diggings. He
confirms also the ides that business, which mad
been dull, would increase in March, with the ten
dency towards the mines, and gives these inter-
esting facts: r
Within the last ten days, six or eight yessels
have arrived from Mexico and the west coast Of
South America, and we hear Of more than forty
which are likely 10 follow them from Chill and
Peru with abovf 1900 emigsnts. Every vessel
which leaves task away a rich freight Of gold, and
there are still very large amounts OF II in the coun-
try. I am satisfied that more than 50, 600 900
worth of gold has beer taken from the mines up to
this time and that s., 0O0, 600 have been taken
away from the country, mostly 10 foreign countries
/ for market. ] have no doubt that 81 ,5O,O 900
worth will have been shipped from this port alone
With regard 10 the various routes and the hard
ships TO be met on the overland passage, he says:
We learn by letters from Mazatlan that there
will be O,OUO people starting in the spring across
| the Rocky Mountains for California OF course
the report is an exaggeraiion; for, should that
| number of people start, they would require, al
least, 10 90 animals 10 lake them over the
mountains, and il would be impossible TO snbsist
more than one-thrid part. of that number on the
! route usually Travelled. l have conyersed with
many who have crossed the desert, and they all
concur in this opinion. On large portion OF The
road vegetation is only found in small isolated
patches, and the limited emigIations of former
years have consumed the yerdure even TO the last
blade of grass. II this is the case when there are
but or 200 animals, what are we to expect
when 100 600, even 50, 90, start upon the routel
Many horses, mules and oxen annually aban.
doned on the journey, so reduced by hunger 10
be unable To proceed. What, then, must be the
consequence when such vast herds OF animals
are started upon the same road! The loss Of IN iii
animals would cause thousands TO be shut up IN
the mountains amidst the SHOWS of winter, and
we should have the scenes of starvation and can
nbalism, which occurred two years since, Tepest
ed on a more extended and terrible scsle. be
lieye this is rot mere speculation, and should the
emiSrants take the best possible precautions fo
their safety, and that Of their animals, such mum
Der Of people could not reach here by that road in
one year.
, Those who came late in the season might take
the Santa Fe trace, and enter the country by tht
Ura Tiver ia the wiatsr or IAN, tbs only period o
the year when that route is practicable for laIs'
parties having many animals in their train. IL u
said that large emigrations will take place iron
New Mexico ans some of the Mexican States il
that quarter, and IL would not be safe 10 rely to-
confidently upon the resources Of that route. w
now have news OF an emigration from New Mex
co, being on the road, and one Of more than tw
thousand people from Sonoranow coming in.
believe the steamer, via Panama, will afford
more certain, expeditions, and comfortable way o
reaching California than anv other; and for tn
| Eastern, Middle, and Southern States il will prob
ably be the cheapest. Where families are com
ng with the intention of remaining in the country
! believe the voyage round Cape HON is pIefera
bic in all respects TO journey across the noun
E tains Il is cheaper, safer, and more comfortable
and quite as expeditions, generally speaking, a
that over the mountains; and for emigrants lea'
ing the Eastern and Middle States far preferable
any route except that across the isthmus at Pans
= ma by the new line of steamers.
The trade Of the country is rapidly increasing
e viz:
Il For several months past the average amount
S duties collected at this port, exclusive OF the e.
d penses Of The custom house, has been rising $50
e 600, and Il ia thought that {; will exceed $50 %
the present month. II will be safe, think, 10 PI
the revenue Of California, for the current year,
81, 600 COO and four ffths Of this will be eOllec
! ed at this port.
d All the trade Of the coast is fast concentrate
in this bay. Nearly all the goods consumed in u
lower part Of this territory sent from this por
h and as soon as coasters can be got for the bus
q ness, foreign vessels will not visit those ports
l. all. The introduction Of steamers on the Goa
p will give additional importance 10 this harbor, ar
e it is most likely that much of the business
Oregon will be done here also.
Two Weeks Later.
The New York Herald, of Monday, publish'
some intelligence gathered from Mr.. Suwerkro
" late Danish consul at the Sandwich Islands, wi
8. arrived in New York ON Sunday. He left San Fra
e. cisco on the 30h Of January, but brings news fro
there upto The 7th of February, which he obtai
ed In letters at San Bias, the 10Th Of March, fro
whence he came overland 10 Vera Cruz, and them
in 10 Mobile in the steamer Great Western. He m
AZ in Mexico about 1000 Americans, Mexicans, f
" gshmen, Frenchmen, &c, on their way 10 u
N coast, bound TO Caliiornis. .rH
a. The latest letter states that, after winter OF 4
greatest severity fine weather has set in, the snc