Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-05-20
From the Spirit Of Jefferson.
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.

| Mr. JAMES Fl. KELLY, dated March 9TH 1881,
at Webon Creek, California. He gives favora-
Bile account of the prospects of the miners-speaks
of the country as in a fourishing state, and is,
himself in fine spirits. The members ofthe late
Chsrlestown Company, SO far as heard from, he
represents as being, with the exception Of one or
two who are slightly indisposed, we'll:
WELDON CREEK, California,
March $3.50.
DEAR Enthusiastically arrived at home
as may yet term 1.-THE old cabin where we
have been chartered the last winter wrote
you two letters whilst in Sacramento City, last
week, W hicll, trust, have come safely to hand
/ n n a Sacramento City at this
time, as with last fall, might fifty be compared
to the freshly plouehed field in the fall and the
green and luxuriant growth seen the following
MAY. No city on record has ever sprung up
with such rapdty, and no point in so short a
space of time, has ever done half the business.
One year ago witha solitary building and scarce
a corporaIs guard Of souls. Now, larger than
than Winchester-a population of twelve thou
sand, and one hundred aud fifty vessels in port,
and DUNG a business such as | never seen IN
Baltimore. Indeed, many have put Sacramento
down as the New York on the Pacific. The
river after which the city is named, is naviga-
bic at this season for the largest class OF vessels
and CAPABLE OF bearing on It's bosom craft OF ordI-
nary size all the year. Towns are springng up
all along its borders, and that Of its tributaries.
I There is Yuba City, Vernon, Stockton, York,
Nicolaus, Sc, Sc, all rapidly building. Farms
are being taken up along the water courses, aud
| everything wears the appearance OF energy and
! industry. I feel confident that California pos
sesses all the elements OF greatness and distlnc-
ton, and they within her at this time. There
were never thrown together as many keen, ac-
tive, enterprisinG, and business men, as you will
| find here As to talent there is no lack. have
met with many who have filed many honorable
trusts in the States and whose names are not
strangers in the book Of fame.
In the States, weeks and months are required
for the erection of a building-here, have known
the contract to be made and the building
completed in week. | saw last week large
building going up, which, on inquiry, | found
was for Hotel Although spacious, found
the contractor had only fifteen days allowed
him for its erection. So confident was the pro-
prietors Of its completion, that tickets were issu
ed for large ball on the evening of the day the
contract would expire
Twas at ball at the cyan Doren House7' Gu
last Friday evening. There were some twenty
ladies-alnong others a daughter of Gov. Peter
H. Burnet. SO you will observe that we are
not entirely destitute Of the 'sbetter halt OF crea
TOM
Il | will give you one or two instances OF Callfor
MA marriages.. A few weeks ago ball was Civ
en- in an adjacent tewn. A youngster became en-
ainored at first sight, proposed and was accepted.
Although strangers previously, the gentleman rose
and said" Before God and this respectable audi
ence. | take this woman (naming herr to be my
) lawful and welded wife, and forsakng all others
cleaye only unto herr He having fired and fell
back, she arose and repeated the same, substltu-
ting the proper gender.
} a friend of nlnetn the city, whom you are
not acquainted with, went to ball, became sinlt-
ten with the charms of fair one, at once made
proposal, (Which is so trying to youngser IN
the States, who is buoyed up one moment with
hope and Responding the next with feat and to.
his infinite satisfaction left the crowded hall an
..engaead man." The next day he took three Of
his friends and visited the house Of her father
company were presen.-nothing sbashed, he went
on to state the purpurt Of his VISIT viz: Rising ON
the floor he grasped the hand of father and mother
proceeding-"M Mr. and Mrs B. | have sought the
affection of your daughter and obtained II.
want your approval" All were struck speech
less by this unlocked for announcement-the com
pany doubtless wishing they were .out OF the
snap" Tears started in the eyes of all. and al
; though the old gentleman had never before given
gis consent to the marriage of any daughter IN
the States; this open, frank and manly appear
went home to the heart too strongly to be resisted
"I'ake herr was about all the old gentleman could
utter Then turning to his affianced he said,
"Bet, are you satisfied ~ OF course she ''wasn't
any thing else" The water at that time was
three or four feet deep in the CITY, and it was de
cided they shoud be married on the morrow eve
ming at the Fort. My friend F. had large whale
boats hired, at 500 apiece, and gayer or more
| happy throEg never assembled than that which
, met at this bridal feast The couple are now liv
ing as happily and merrily as though they had
, known each other from infancy. So you see Tong
matches are not the order of the day here
The account first written by me and pabllshcd
in the esprit" of the 18th of December, relative
to the mines, find to be substantially correct
believe one halfof the miners have made only
bare subsistence this winter-one-tourth expenses
and some 200 or $3OO-one-eighth from ooo to
} 81 Coca sixteenth 81 ,50O-and the remaining
f., sixteenth from $500 upwards. Whilst in the CT
ty | met with John C., Walper, who has been by
far the Iuckest man that came out in our Compa-
ny. He made So G00-in eleven days he took
) out 81 800. Comegys and Wagner have each
made about 81 GOO. | have seen or heard from
. AZ OUT of 70 members, and as near as can astl-
mate, find by adding all their gains and dividing,
there has been an average Of only 1892 to each OF
the AZ members. Although this is no favorable
view, yet confess like California better every
day. There is so muce business and activity, and
all around seems to be so growing and prosperous
; that the heart imprecepby forms an attachment
4 The birds are warbng on the green and the
squirrels sporting in the sunshine.
Geiger is in the city, in rather bad health
: Conway is there and looks thin. All Of Moores'
mess are we'll. Asquth's mess is within mile
/. of here and well. Srider's mess we'll.
There are letters in the City for nearly every
member of our old company. The mail came in
and was assorted whilst was there-l was I'M
fortunate enough not to receive a line from any
one. month ago received yours of December
IL, which was all have had since the lst of Sep
TENDER. Yours truly, }. Ii. X.
HOMESTEAD ExEMprIoN.-The New York
Legislature have passed a law which provides
, that every family may have and retain home
stead of the value Of $1,000, wthoutthe liabili-
ity OF being legally expelled therefrom fer debt
Over and around this home the State throws its
,4l,,,4 y anf