Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-12-26
nlisrfllancous.
The Reaction in California.
From tho New Orleans Delta.


We publish below statement which pre-
sents gloomy picture OF the condition OF
.fFairs in she whiiom land of gold. II was
drawn up and signed by the passengers OF
the Alabama, returning from California, and
handed to us by Col. Mills, formerly OF
Texas, with pressing request that we
should give it place IN our Columns. Coi.
Mills is an observing and sagacious gentle
man. He has spent several months ia the
mining districts of California, aud vouches |
for the correctness of the facts contained
in The communication. The Coluntl assur-
ed us that he had never Witnessed such
scenes of suffering as were presented ny the
mining districts al this time. Twenty thou
sand miners have been engaged all the sum.
mer in the Southern mines, ia damming aud
turning the rivers Stanisiaus, Tewalame,
Mercedes, and other streams, the beds oi
which have all proved barren oil the Pre1lous
dust. They have exhausted all their means
in this Improbable labor, aud are deeply IN
debt to the merchants. The raining season
which commences in November, will force
them back, penniIess and destitute, to the
towns where they must be Ted aud support
ed during the winter. or sent back 10 the
States. either of which appears almost in'-
possihIe. Col, Mills fears that this desper-
ate situation of the miners will give rise to
excuses and disorders Of the most alarming
character.
The great object of California emigrant
is no louger TO make fortune. but to save
enough to pay his passage back TO Inc
States. This is sometimes the labor OF
months. A party Of migrants-comPosed
of eight persons-applled 70 Col. Mills
when he passed through Panama, for means
to prosecute their passage 10 California
Col. Mills advanced eight hundred dollars
10 them. on condition that they should ioi.
low him aud work for him until they woo'o
reimburse him. They agreed to has icfms'
labored faithfully and perseveriugly during
five months, and could repay hlm only one
hundred and thirty-fse dollars OF the amount
advanced by him. The Col. related many
other instances Of disappointment aud unfe-
warded toll. which occurred under his own
ohservat,oo. Out Of seventeen personal
friends who labored in the same diggings
with him. only three had collected enough
Of the dust to detray their expenses back
An their homes-lhe others had not only ios'
an the money which they brought with them
but had gone In debt
Thus IS the golden mirage OF Cal'iorn'a
vanishing
STEAMER ALABAMA, Nov. 81, 1851.
We. the undersigned, passengers IN the
steamship Alabama, direct from California
in view of the many false aud exaggerated
statements in circulation as regards the pro
duc,iyeuess of the mines. deem ha duty
10 Give some facts, which came under oui
immediate observation, for the consider atioi
of those who contemplate visiting that S,a''
Tor the purpose Of mining. In thus voon
,arily laying before the public our exPer,
euce and observations in California, we wisl
Il distinctly understood-1hst our Statements
can be relied upon as strictly true, aud ina
we are actuated by no motive save = aes't'
to serve those who may be induced to ieav
present comfortable homes for the desPerae
chance of making fortune BY gold d'e
ging.
We have viewed with regret the man
false statements circulated IN newspaper
based On information derived fiom the pres
in California, the conductosa OF when -
engaged in the transportation business Q
the Atlantic and Pacific. TIE eanksrz
merchants, and usdess, WHOSE bas'aes
transactions extend throssbost she ees.s
leagth and btsBdih Of the gold reg'on' -