The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-05-13
From The New York Journal Of Commerce, May 10.

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verified IN these modern days by the sudden OF an
dependent sovereignty the shore OF the Pacific Cali
ornia has sprung from the head OF her father full
grown and armed TO assume the attributes and
characteristics oil maturity. promugae laws for her
own guidance aud direction. and 10 determine, by the
rapid development oil her own resources the position she
shall occupy IN me political and commercial world That
latent power oil development which operates with such
wondrous elect upon all the institutions OF society,
moulding anu transforming them as The exgences OF ai
vancing ue require, seems 10 her case to have trans
gressed The laws by which has hitherto been governed
and 10 nave concentrated ino sing yearolmost into
single inpuse-the force which has hitherto extended
through centuries. She has reared for herself a political
constitution by single effort aud It's benlcent operation
is already manifested IN popular and general regard for
justce and IN growing regard for order and established
law. Yet the little scion that on its parent stem would
have long renamed wig becomes, when grated upon
new stock sell tree, and IN comparatively short period
produces he hnest fruit IN prouson So in the political
world The institutions that have started into life under
political organization may be safely and adyantageously
transferred aud the uon OF new vigor energy, and
taily Is lhe necessary result The American element is
predominant IN every aspect OF California; only in her
constitution and laws proiessedy copied from those Of
our eastern States, bu, in the moral and social condition
OF her people, strangely that condition is affected by
circumstances Tor which find parallel in the
I history OF the world. The influx OF immigrants IRON
every quarter OF The slobeand there is quarter that
has not contributed It's quoa-has had little effect in sup
planting the truly American spirit infused into the
State by the frs, thousand who went ihher from the
Atlantic coast An immigration like that which poured
INTO San francisco upon The first announcement Of dis
covered treasure the world never before. Unlike
the ou lnarauung expeditions OF CoreZ and PizaTo,
which consisted Tor The most part OF reckless advenlu
rers, associated only by interest in the acquisi
ton OF plumber, and by the necessity Of mutual defence
against common foes, the first California eng on
pissed IN itself representatives every class and
e'lIon in American society |, took from midst the
bone and sinew OF our land-not the mere refuse OF
crowded popuiation-our young Just the verge
OF active life and fitted TO endure liie's struggles by an
early discipline such no land but can fur
nish i took them from their woIk shops, their oTges
their fields, with strengthened by toll, with spirits
rendered resolue BY hab,tua self reliance Ii took them
from educational pursuits, from college, and from school,
with minds well cultivated and balanced, ready for life
struggle with ignorance and II took also of
mature years Of nigh intellectual and moral worth-men of
experience ami reflection, npelei not alone by idle cupid
NY anu avarce but by large and comprehensive views
by considerations Of national well individual inter-
est In search Of gold 1t is true, all, nearly ALL thus
left their homes many, indeed 10 Dug for gold, bent
only acquiring the largest pile in the shortest period
and expecting return at the earliest possible moment
Yet there others Of less sordd nature, who re.
garded the State as fitting field for permanent la
Dor who had the foresight to appreciate her adyanta
ges of position her extensive resources her capacity for
immediate greatness; who while seeking The advance
ment OF their private fortunes, were not unmlniful OF
their relations to their native land, OF the manifest
destiny" of the Anglo Saxon Those relations and
that destiny the true American never orgets Yield,
he may, to that "uuant disposition" which may be
garded national characteristic, he 10
abandon hrs country. II is his purpose TO extend the
restrictions under which he has iived-no, to be dsbur
ldened OF them II he bury himself IN the wilderness,
IT that he may widen the OF cvilizationnot that
he may slip beyond It's pale Thus wherever he goes he
applies hmse zealousy TO the appearing OF those free
institutions which al once the glory OF
country and the source oil national prosperity. As
an illustration Of the American spirit, AT migratory
and domestic, we quote from Letter written by a Cali
lorna miner among The iasinesses OF the Sierra Nevada
"What in my letters seem like coming homr? Yet
you write that you gather fron them this impression
Overhaul the whole list Of them AM, when found,
particular note suppose hat our souls ars content
with experience Of C,ofnia cleaned in couple of
yesrsf Can you imagine az that wo have seen ALL half a
osophy taught morality 10 the Feec isianders-re-
formed Tue Grand Lamiw,..,en our BOOK on Nepauiodug
vaounded sister State IN the very heart OF japan No
1--WE are all determined 10 take the pleasurable novelty
of this rovng tie and mus lar have succeeded The cup
long win be before see down quiet, respectable
bufahers, OF us can oresee bat some time in the
nenr fay ycsrs we hope to assume that character.
"Stnce arriving here we have been all things 10 all
men some of our occupations omit menon o. for fear
gicbs But IN the practical parts OF life custom has
made sdrpts. We can make bread like bakers cook
up fancy like Deonicu, chop down like Hi
axemen, kill deer bear ike old Boon, dress Il
like ancien, master Of veney, eat it like Robin Hood
dig direhes and holes like Irishmen work IN the
like ksnakas, and break up rock Ike an old haud on
%sa less aeel Muse nad dancing we WOW no
except when mules take Stampede love is an I'M
Somewhat OF Il IN our sweet youth J
| We should cut an awkward figure in isdys chamber,
cspsfin1 sounds OF the ascyious luc You, who
nave te ia civilized regions, have undoube
advanced in refinement; but yet do not show any CON
and viii only .le broa.ielo,h when the bucksktn Is
worn out"
The writer Of this letter. though at present conlenied
with savagefy" win be likely before many years have
passed to Insignificant influence in extending the
light OF civilization Meantime, with such capacity
for crcunsanal adaptation he may remain in The mines
breaking rock in the ofest hewing trees, without IN
curing any special danger OF reapslng into primitive bar
barsn. And The same may be said Of no small portion
OF the coonsts, removed though they from the soft
enin5 influences of domestic life The American citizen
trained from his earliest by complex process OF
eucaton-a process that develops his physical as well
intellectual capacities, producing at Length iba versa
ulity OF genius which Is proyerbal throughout the
void as The distinguishing CHARACTERISTIC of the Yankee
race Ii is manifest that single qualification, however
great, could be so practically vauale pioneer this
universal duclilty OF which speaking. II - only
IN the cultivated communities that the glea, principle
Of dividing labor be successfully praetsed la The
woods every must depend on himself and the more
eeneral his scguiremenls the less difficult his task Self
confidence induces action and ability increases with
what it accompIshes The great body oil California emf
grants possess this spirit developed to unusual
extent Their embarcaon in enterprise so novel and
necessarily dcut pesnpposed either great resolution
and fir nness utter OF reflection and entire lndt-
terence 10 results The latter supposon ~ incompatible
with mat calculating shrewdness which Is so general
| among Doubtless, among the muudes who lett our
shores there many who hoped, in new land, where
their previous iollies would be unknown forgotten 10
retrieve by honest industry the losses they had sustained
while tere and probably there whose dupcl.
" and dishonesty too well understood TO avail them
long home, and who therefore sought new held tor
the exercise OF their vfany In every community the idle
and the profgae to be found and IT is not to be won
dered that stories of untold wealth, acquired almost
without esertion, should allure such 10 the abaD
donment OF their accustomed business Where the car
cass is, there will the eagles be gathered" Nor IT may
be added will the rm,iuss be far behind But that the