Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-02-15
CoresI ondenee of the Burlington Hawk Eye.
The Gold Fever among the sSuckers''-its effects

The gold dust for to SEQ;
Pm going to Sacramento,
With my wash bowl on my knee!'
DEAR FRrrSDs:-Many long months
have elapsed since I have greeted my
friends through your valuable columns,
and although have seen 'ssights" since
my last communication, my folio groans
beneath the accumulated wei aht of scraps,
sketches and sdoings' of Bloomington,
Iowa City, the New Purchase and many
other places there-away, yet leave them
all in undisturbed repose, TO give place to
the all exciting subject of the slittering
gold! 1t is said that the history of our
own beloved country has fully illustrated
the capacity of man for self-government,
but | suspect the "solons" who uttered
those sage remarks never dreamt that old
"Monongahela" would bring eight dollars
a drink in upper California ]: came ever
here in tile ''Sucker State" about a month
ago calm and tranquil as summers morn,
but ! must confess the clever" has touch
ed me deeply and dangerously.
.Im going to Caniforny boys,
To drain the rivers dry;
ssPocket full of rocks'' bring home,
So brothers don't you cry!'
Every where in the military tract" the
| subject of conversation is gold, glittering
gold % carats fine. Ask a man how his
wife and children are, and ten to one, he
tells you early in April. Ask him the
prospect for "winter wheat and | dare
say he'll calculate 200 pounds TO man!
1t has become the "ruling passion" But
seriously, ought we to be as,onished a: the
excited state of the public mind, in view
of the astounding disclosures made con-
corning that far famed region, and that too
under the sanction of official testimony
and thus far, without one particle OF con-
troverting testimony? 1t is not mere
transitory excitement confined to our from
tier States. Look at the East. Behold
every State throughout the length and
breadth of our union; you perceive the
stad and sober minded have caught the
spirit. The shrewd calculating Yankee
is loading his ships, (and he is the man TO
look before he leaps.) The sturdy farm
ers Of Maine and New Hampshire "ra,h-
er guess" they had better be off after lit
tie OF the yellow dust while it is agoing.
But why expatiate ; the Press teens
| with golden visions. Time will not admit
my detailing TO you, one half facts con-
corning this gold that have come within
my personal knowledge. know of poor
volunteer of the Massachusetts regiment,
sending home TO his mother Is 900 dollars
worth OF the real article. l know lady
in Knox county, Illinois, who has just re-
! ceived letters from her husband, confirm
| ing all, aye more than all that has been
said and written, by wha, he has actually
obtained. In this State every town and
village that have passed through. has its
organized company or companies. Gene
rally on the principle Of 'home and emf
grating" partners. AT Canton and Lew
i>,own, Illinois, several merchants have
sold GU, TO GO. AT Knoxville, Mr. Ewing,
considered one of the ablest men in the
county has sold out TO leave Tor the Pla-
GERS, and thus might euumerate adm
| faiiam.
Although there may be doubts as 10 the
amount of Gold that will be obtained in
| California, there is one effect in the gold
mania, about which, there can lie no mis-
take. II will carry to Francisco and Sac
ralnento, thousands of adventurous spirits,
who will fill large portion of this terri
tory. Among them will be found the best
elements of commercial enterprise and po-
litical power; believe it safe to say that
three-fourths Of those who are now flock
ing to California will remain there; and if
gold digging fails new enterprises will pre-
sent themselves. II is utterly impossible
tor large population, principally Ameri-
cans, TO be placed any where upon the
earth's surface not impenetrable TO the
march Of civilization, without leaving in
delible traces Of their efforts. The same
spirit that animated the Puritans to flee to
new world to worship in security-the
same indomitable enterprise that peopled
our own prairies, will be found in Calilor-
MIA. Ii is the spirit of our race and with
all the depraved, the unprincipled and Ii
centlous that may congregate in California
J there will still be found enough Of the ala
ven' Of recti!ude, Of righteousness and
integrity to redeem tie mighty multitude
from chaos and anarchy.
learn at Peoria large company is formed principal.
y religious people, who eschew spirits of all kinds
and rest upon the sabbath
THE SouruERN Nov EMENr.-Thc cor
respondent of the Philadelphia North A