Democratic banner., 1849-01-15
TO GO OR NOT TO GL-THAT'S THE
QUESTION:. e

The subject of the gold mines in California.
flor a time so completely intoxicated the minds
Of thousands, that every difficulty that present
ed itself was surmounted at once, in their i'm.
agination, or totally eclipsed by the glittering Of
anticipated wealth. Many have been induced
to take incipient steps to an early departure IN
the spring, whose age, whose families, whose
health and whose circumstance are all argu-
ments against such a course. And why should
reasonable men commit such all error? The
cause is apparent. Every account that has yet
been received, is clothed in the most extrava-
giant language, as il written by the victims OF
the yellow (gold) fever in It's worst >tsge. The
accounts have been deemed worthy '"f publica-
Ition by the press, precisely in proportion to the
uonder they revealed. And here We beg leave
Ito remark, is an error in the press in rejecting
matter that is reasonable and moderate in Ian
Iguaee, for that tina, will strike the reader as
more wonderful.
The experience of individuals have only been
Irelated wherein they were successful; whilst
thousands whose opportunities are better than
can the next springs adventures p"ssibly De. are
still unknown 10 W ealth and whose adventures
have found no place in the public journals
We are glad TO see however, that the press is
now discussing the advantages Of a trip TO Cali
iornia in its proper light. We have before ex-
pressed our doubts as 10 whether u majority Of
individuals who have comfortable homes and
friends, will better their conditions or add 10
their happiness. That rich gold mines have
been discovered in California, is no longer a
doubt. And it presents a fine field for enter
prise and industry, is equally true-but that
they will ever enrich one third of those that
work them, we cannot believe, if we are to take
the history of the mines of the old Southern
States, Of South America or of Mexico Tor ex-
The history Of all mining operations for pre-
cious metals, show that the great mass Of ope-
ratives have been impoverished, while but few
have grown rich. But it is believed by many,
that there is no mining 10 do. that all can sup.
ply themselves with the precious metals with a
jack knife OF a bark trough to wash it out of the
sand. This may do totell until it is put to prac-
tice. One or two hundred thousand men with
jack kniues, seeking TO extract gold from the
of the rocks, or with their little troughs
it from the sand, would present a
strange spectacle. If this could be truce, gold
worll % hng9 be Q ~prAuiousnpeta. Nsresss-
ries Of life would become luxuries Of infinitely
more value than the gold. a
The curious stories written by those who have
seen the elephant" would then represent more
truth than fiction Some Of them now state.
that the only thing Of no value there is gold.-1
That it takes a months wages 10 purchase a bar
rel Of -four, &c. A letter from q Mr.. Barnes,
of the New York Regiment. closed as follows:
/ worked there myself about a month, and
got as much gold as would last me all my life,
but it is nigh upon all gone already. l wore
cut my shoes and trousers. and jacket, and when
leone to buy new ones, ! found they were worth
more than their weight in gold. | wish Col.
Benton was here; ! reckon he'dlarn something
new about gold and other folks, too who say
there is nothing valuable but gold, say what /
now know is an everlastin' and eternal humbug.
There amt no prices now in all these diggins;
the question is, when you ask the price Of any
thing, how much gold have you got?' And
then the measure is q handful.