The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-10-12

ln.the mines SIX months, and return
ed two weeks ago with little over
$1,000.
Now you have the cause, let rs
look little at the effects. 1t las
raised labor, as before stated, and il
has also, more or less, raised almost
everything else. Oxen from $50 TO
60, pork from &c to 25c per ID, hor.
scs from $50 to GO, wagons, from
$50 to 100, wheat from SOC to lO0c
per bushcl, butter and cheese still
higher. Passage by sea from San
Francisco to Oregon used to be $2J
it is now 100. Persons owning
property are almost afraid to put a
price upon any thing except wheat }
for fear of being taken at their offer.
Everything is unsettled by this in
huX of gold, and no one can guess
when or how the excit emcnt will
terminate.
| have given you the extent oil
this valley, according to the best OF
my Judgment. There are also others
viz. Powder River valley, Grand
Round, Whitman'S station, Sound,
Cowlitz, Umphqua and Rogucs riv-
or, with the klamath, all excellent
land ; and if this were multiplied by
six it would nearly give the quantity
Of first rate land in Oregon. In all
probability not more than one half of
Oregon is yet known to us.
On the I'd inst. arrived at Oregon
city, in good health and spirits, Gov.
Lane, a Lieutenant, a sergeant and
twelve privatcs. On the Bird the
Governor issued his proclamation,
gIaddening the Responding inhabi-
tants with the thrice welcome news.
that the laws of the United States
were extended over us, and that
the star-spangled banner covered
Us, not in mockery, but in reality.
The census is now being taken-the
sitting Of the members takes place IN
June ncXt-all who have conyerSed
with the Governor are pleased with
his urbanity Of manner, and feel as
surcd that Congress have wiped off
80 per cent on their past, | had al
most said, their shameful neglect.
1t still remains to DC seen what part
Of the &C. will be paid us, in the
H5cTa' grant of land, so oftcn pro-
missed or whether our wild lands
are to be valued at Il 25 per acre,
by the Eastern and Southern mem
berS. Not a single family ever ar
rived in Oregon, vino had not Sacri-
feed more than would have entered
a section Of land in any of the West
crn states. We wait to hear their
definition, or construction Of the
word hi1erak They should bear in
mind that the world knows the in
duccmontS held out-has some idea
OF the losses and hardships endured,
and will pass sentence on their con-
Struction of the word Hjeyai. if it
should be SO construed as to signify
in reality, StiogY. When parents
use grown up children III, it is not
right that the children should use
might, but it is right that they should
be heard in their defence. fear,
from present prospects, that the
Congress of the United States will
DO that collectively from which they
would shrink individually. If one
private citizen were to act towards
another in a similar manner, and the
members of Congress were asked
individually, what ought to be done
to such man, they would nearly
one and all answer, that the penitcn-
tiary was too good for him. 1t is not
the present, but the rising geneation
that will be robbed, and if Congress
should pursue such a course, and
proceed to rob the widow and the
orphan, they ought to sit with closed
doors. We boast of being Amcri-
cans, but when Congress sends us a
Governor Shorn of the veto power,
it reminds us of a period earlier than
T6. When we arc told that laws
framed by ourselves have no force
until they have received the sane
ton of Congress, we think this is
following John Bulls footsteps pref
ty closely.
| would be pleased to hear from
you at your convenience, giyingSuch
particulars as may be known to YOU
respecting the neighborhood. Re-
member me kindly to old friends
and believe nc, Sir,
Your obi. servant,
JAMES RAMAGE.
n WrR CaSe.-A MIR. Kcnnelry,
- -, I ,,;., ,,l, ,,.,g ,ollny,