Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-07-11
FROM THE NATIONAL ISrELLIoENcEa.
AFFAIRS In CALIFORNIA.

The following information, was communicated
TO the New York Courier and Enquirer by Mr.
JAMES l.. LoRING, who, after having spent some
weeks in San Francisco, (whither he went on ner-
camille business) left that place on tire LIST Of May
'on his return home: .~
@'Mr. Lorng represents the number Of Foreigners,
chiefly from Peru, Chill, Mexico. and the Sandwich
Islands, who pouring into California as almost
incredible. From three to four thousand, chiefly
from South American, ports, are supposed to arrive
In California every week. The proclamation of
Gen. Persifer +. Smith. forbiddng them 10 come,
excites no attention whatever, and is not regarded
lin the least.
"GTeat peril TO the whole country, he says, is TO
grow out Of this influx Of foreigners. Not only do
they seize upon the mines, from which they have
been excluded by formal proclamation of the United
States Government, but their department towards
ahe Americans is said to be in the highest degree
insulting and provoking. At the latest accounts
the foreigners outnumbered the Americans tel 10
one, in the mining districts, and their demeanor was
cOrrespondingly opeTbearng and insufferable. This
had created the deepest Indignation among the A
mericans, especially as The Mexicans were foremost
IN insult and braggadocio The Yankees had al
ready taken steps towards organizing themselves
into Native american Association, and il is said
that upon the arrival Of large bodies Of Americans,
who were understood to have sailed from various
parts Of the United States during the months of
january and February, they We're determined to
drtue erery foreigner out Of the country at euery
hazard. During the coming season Mr.. Loring
says there will inevitably occur the bloodiest and
most terrible scenes, growing out of this feeling,
that the imagination can conceive. The Americans
are hardy, desperate, determined, and well armed ;
and they will not desist from their purpose till the
whole country is cleared offoregners or they them
selves are forced TO yield.
"On the 18th of April news reached San Fran
rIcC hat tf,oI bod IL al.
leans at the mines by the Indians. 1t proved that
such an attack had been made, and that .frc Amer
scans had been killed. 1t is supposed that the In
dians were set on by the Mexcans. The miners
Immediately formed strong party and started in
pursuit. They soon overlook the Indians, attacked
them, and killed fifteen on the epot They also
took fWenty fire prisoners and brought them into
the camp. According to the usual forms Of pro-
ceeding, steps We're Immediately taken to give them
an &c tEnipore trial, which would, of course have
been followed by summary punishment. The In
dian prisoners made an attempt to escape the first
night after they were brought in. They were de-
tected, however, and tUenty four Of them tuere kill
ed on The spot.
''It is said by Mr.. Loring that Judge Lynch is
the only advocate known throughout the mining re-
gion, and that his DEGREES pronounced with all
proper Judicial forms and executed with relentless
severity. There is law, of course, for the dis
trlct except such as is created by the emergency
vi tito cast force can Dc maintained
there for moment. Gen. Smith was applied 60
by an express from the mines for soldiers to chastise
the Indians after their attack open the American
camp. The General smiled and said that 'f he
should send a company there would not be sLele-
ton to return. Soldiers would desert of course in
stantly upon their arrival There are none al the
mlnes, and few in the territory-a small detach-
ment being near San Francisco and the main body
Mt Monterey.
"Whenever any offence is committed among the
miners, the culprit is seized jury of twelve per-
sons emranneed, testimony is heard, the verdict
rendered, and sentence promptly executed. All
this is done, are informed, with perfect fair
ness and the greatest care. There is very little
robbery or crime Of any kind at the mines. Since
the opening of the districts TO emigrants eight or
ten executions have taken place for robbery and
murder, and this has had most salutary and re-
straining effect.
'"There was very great anxiety at San Fran
cisco, and indeed throughout California, that Con-
gress should give them government. 1t is sup
posed that as soon as they hear that Congress ad-
tourned without making any provision for Them
they will organize government of their own, suit
ed to the necessities of their condition. In spite of
the immense number of foreigners there, it is not
doubted that the Americans will retain complete
CONTROL"
Since the foregoing article was put in type we
have received the New Orleans papers of the Odd
utimo, from which we learn that the ruinors of an
nsurrection having occurred San Francisco, here
tofore received by Telegraph, rest On no other au-
shortly than the statements Of several correspond
ents of Mexican newspapers, and are not even al
uded to by other foreigners who left San Francisco
at the latest date. We therefore place no conf
dence in them but, in order to crafty the curiosity
Of those who desire to know the whole story we
include it in the subjoined eptome of intelligence
copied from the .Neto Orleans Bee, and ma6e I'D
from the files Of Mexican newspapers coming down
to the 9th of June, which were brought by the
British steamer Clyde, lately arrived at Mobile:
These Mexican papers (says the Bee) contain
large amount Of information respecting California,
some of which, we imagine, 10 not entitled to much
credit. First letter signed Juan Reddino,
10 the editor of the Trait d. U,,on and
warning people not to go to California, as the dan
gers and difficulties to be encountered i'm obtaining
the precious metal ncalculable. Mr.. Redding
says:
"The gold is not extracted with knife nor is
It gathered by haudfulls To obtain it, excavations
must be made from yard TO yard and half in
depth, by the same width, with crowbars and pick
axes. These excavations, being made in the beds
OF the borders Of rivers, are consequently soon
filled with water, an Inconvenience not much
found in the dry placers. The miners, who work
In this water up to their knees are exposed during
the day to heat great that of the Terra Cat-
ientes of Mexico. They pass their nights, which
are cold, either under tent, if they have one in
the open air, it, as is frequently the case they
have no tent. This is the true state Of things.
few lucky persons gather gold but, unfortunately,
the majority do not find enough to defray their G.
normous expenses and he who is enabled to return
home in good health, with what he brought out
with him, may be considered very lucky.
"Ihe labor of the miners is that ofa galley slave
The most robust man cannot stand it month. Up
per California, the fertility of which has been so
much Wanted is, on the contrary, deporably ster-