Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-01-09
Gold and Death.

The recent intelligence from California
confirms beyond q doubt the many express
sions of apprehension relative to the dark
side of the golden picture. This is but the
beginning of the end, and it is only what
might have been expected from the unnatural
course of events which have taken place on
every point connected with California. Her
wealth, her saubrity, the easy acquisition OF
fortune, were all exaggerated. That vast q,
territory was prematurcly born State OF the
Union, and it will only be by the most careful,
patient and prudent nursing, that she VIII
ever be worth anything. We clip inc 1oiiow-
ing brief but truthful comments from the
New York Star:
"Thrce millions of gold and a list of more
than one thousand deaths, are the latest inl-
portations from California. Let those who
would have gone to the mines long ago, it
they had possessed the means, knccl down
and thank God for their poverty. As yet we
have only the beginning Of the end. The
cholera has scarcely yet taken hold OF the Ill
clad, badly-fed multitudes on the placers, and
the still more squalid horde now approaching
the confines of the mining districts overland
Wo to those seekers of gold when the pesti-
lencc shall overtake them in the Wilderness
The spades and mattocks with which they
hoped to exhumc the buried treasure, shall be
used for more mournful purpose, and thou
sands, we fear, will slccr their last sleep, en-
tombed among the glittcring dust that has lu-
red them from home and family.
The misery and suspense Of the friends and
relatives of the emigrants, at home, is scarcely
less painful to contemplate than the sufferings
of the gold hunters themselves. The fate of
many ofthe latter will never be known to those
they left behind. Among the lists of deaths,
the words stranger" and "unknown fire.
quently occur, and hundreds have died and
will die in that far-off land, of whose decease
not even these anonymous memoranda will
be made. The story Of the overland emf
grafton for the present year has not been half
told. Thousands are yet struggling through
the CRASHES and unwatered plains between
Councils Bluffs and California. as the first
crusaders struggled through the marshes of
Hungary, and their line of march, like that of
the croises, will hereafter be known by the
graves and bleaching skeletons in their track.
MELANCHOLY ACcIDENT.-Mr. Thomas
Tart who resided with his mother six miles
from this place, met with n fatal accident on
Christmas day. lie had returned from
Charleston but day or two before, and had
brought with him ten barrel revolver, as a
curiosity. While engaged in shooting it, a
cap on one barrel exploded without discharg.
ing the load, and turning the pistol to examine
it, the ball was shot into his body lie sur-
vived until Thursday morning. lie was much
esteemed by all who knew him and died deep.
" rcgretted.--Marion Star.
MISSISSIPPI AND THE FLAG.--It is stated
that "thc Mississippi Legislature refused to
allow the United States flag 10 wave over the
Capitol, rs usual, at its late session. Wha,
of it. They had a right to do so and We see
no good or sufficient reason why it should
wave over the Capitol Of any State. If it is
necessary that the members of State Legs-
latare, in session, should have flag to indi.
cate their location or that they are in session.
each State House should have the banner OF
its own State. 1t would be more becoming
and appropriate in every way-Carolinian.