American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-07-31
FOREIGN NEws.-see Geographic news.
A safe Investment.

a company could be got together to proceed
to California in quest of gold, and the large
sums of money they were ever willing to
invest One hundred men, with thousand
dollars each, could be mustered without an
lives in the enterprise; to endure hardship; tt
suffer exposure in variable climate; to en-
counter the perils of the sea- the perils Of al
unsettled and incongruous community, where
the protection of law was not to be relied on
and OF the vicinage of savage tribes by whom
many have in all this time been robbed anC
murdered. Added to all this, too, has beer
absence from home, from wives and children
and friends, with the deserton of all business
and interests from which livelihood had been
derived by the exertion of only ordinary effort.
More than half the men, too, who thus departed
carried with them hundreds and thousands Of
dollars, with which to cooperate" at their new
scenes OF enterprise on private account.
What proportion of these men have returned,
or ever will return, in better pecuniary condi-
ton than they departed from their homes, will
never be known. We fear it is small, and that
where such advantages have been reaped, either
physical or moral impairment has been the fear
full forfeiture. But the lesson had to be learned,
and could only be well learned in the school Of
practical experience. We do not write to con-
denim the adventures; they chose for them
selves, and were willing to assume all risks
If there has been loss, it has been theirs.
But there are other speculations more invit-
ing in every particular, yet less needed, and
our purpose is to direct attention to at least one
description of them.
1t is known that wherever the poor, laborious,
and honest settler purchases o few hundred
acres of land, at dollar or two per acre, and
clears, encloses, and improves it for but few
years. its value is increased two, three, or four
fold. If two or three neighbors gather around
him, and with him comprise ever so little q
community, the value of the land, improved
and unimproved, for miles around, is greatly
enhanced. If, from any cause, sudden growth
takes place in such community, and dozens of
families make their homes in the vicinity, and
even by the direct interchange of the products
of labor commerce is created, such is the in
crease in the value of land, of water-power, of
mines, of quarries, and of every thing pertain
ing to the land, that its fortunate owner at
once becomes enriched. These are facts of
general knowledge, and there is no want of
shrewd and skilful capitalists to profit by the
knowledge. But such men are not wise; wis
dom is moved by the voice of benevolence, and
this, under the CONSTANTS of wise thinking, is
essential to great and deserved success.
We're a company of one hundred p1en to con-
tribute one thousand dollars each and to expend
the half of this in the purchas,e of wel-selected
land, and the other half in establishing few of
their number upon it, tile greatest advantages
would not fail to be realzed, although it is very
certain that still larger amount of capital in
vested would present greater certainty of
accruing advantages.
Were we to recommend desirable locality
for such an enterprise we would not 90 beyond
the boundaries Of the Old Dominion. She pos
sesses all that can be required to give assurance
Of early profits and permanently satisfactory
abiding places; mineral wealth, productive
forests, water-power, healthfulness of climate,
fertility of SOIL increasing facilities of access to
markets, lghtness of taxation, sound State
economy -ey everything that can invite is pre-
scented by her She has, in past times, been
too tardy in her attempts at progress, and the
industrious, talented, and laborious, have not
sought upon her soil for the homes she now so
alluringly presents, and the demand for her
lands has been limited. But this will be the
case no longer, and they who are not prompt
to seize the present opportunity may soon find
that the golden hour has passed, and its advan-
tsges are lost.
The community principle is much derided,
and we never would commend ii where the at
tempt is made to destroy the conservative and
social influence of the family home. But so far
as it inculcates the joint labors of many for a
common benefit in the incipient stages of a
community where mutual dependence is so
manifest, it has our hearty approval. By means
of it few hundred men, with but one or two
thousand dollars each, may attain to happiness,
independence, and wealth
In families and in communities many of the
Europeans who arrive at our shores are retiring
to the interior to profit by the means we have
suggested. Let all who look upon the pros
perity of these people with envy but initiate
their example, and they viii deserve better Of
their country, and enjoy degree of prosperity
and happiness to be attained by few without
the use of such means-certainly by very few
who seek for gold where the revolver and tn,
bowie knife must be their only protection from
violence and wrong.
HoN. VoLNEY e. HowARD.-The Pe1nsylva
man says that the triumphant reelection o.
his accomplished gentleman and Democrat
of'ing in the western congressional district
exhibfs, Is generally conceded Col. Howard
and madgreat ability during the last Congress,
Qast reprepy friends In the other district,
that paper add BY the lamented Kaufman. !