The Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1852-1872, 1853-03-19
Assault Of the San Francisco Press upou
she Legislature and Northern California


The San Francisco press have always consid-
cred San Francisco the State OF California proper.
And any law that was enacted by the Legislature,
however beneficial its provisions might be for
the State at large, provided they conficted
In the least with the profits of San Francisco
artizans and merchants, was at once declared to
be detrimental to the interests of California.
Any one may see, by reference TO the legisla-
tive journals upsto the present session, that the
same fuany idea prevailed to a most astonishing
extent. even among the country members
Hence almost much legislating has been
done for the capitalists Of San Francisco as for
all the rest of the State, thus con irming San
Francisco editors and politicians in the singular
delusion that San Francisco, of which they are
the great men. was the great centre of Califor-
MIA How cruel then, of the present Legisla-
ture, to dispel this pleasant conceit-to awaken
these gentlemen to the humiating fact that the
Legislature of California does not assemble an.
nualy, merely to enact such laws as they NAV
snggest-to convince them that they have here
totare occupied false position before the world
in short, to crush to pieces tine fair but frail
pedestal OF greatness upon which for months
they have set and, big with arrogance, egotism
and imagined wisdom, taught legislative cap
tains how to win BATTLES in legislative fields.
1t is not to be wondered at, then, that some of
these gentlemen, seeing their greatness thus
passing away, and knowing well that nothing
save the miraculous interposition of God AL
mighty himself will prevent them from finding
their natural level. have assaulted the men that
have thus ruthlessly destroyed their greatness,
with all the bitterness of defeated ambition
and impotent rage. The Wing, especially, ex-
hibits a degree of malice and vituperation.
strangely at variance with the usually mild and
courteous course that we have SO much admired
in that journal In its LIST of March number it
has the following:
1.-THE history of California Legislatures is the
history of bad, weak men, trif1ing, dishonest
dsnagogues, aspiring, self-conceited little men
remarkable for drunkenness, gambling and
other disreputable practices-inhuenced by few
high and honorable motives-not ambitious to
distinguish themselves by acts of usefulness to
the State-governed by petty jealousies and
petty prejudices-in word, possessing scarce
ly qualification emitting them to the position
of legislators"
See further what absurd and nonsenscal stuff
anger will make an intelligent and usually good
natured gentleman talk:
If there is any one reason more prominent
than another why we should desire division
OF this State, 1t Is because we are anxious, by
separation from mining counties of the NORTH to
be rid of the stupid Legislation of their members
against our city. They are too devoid of COM
mon sense to learn that, without San Francisco,
they would be cyphers at the left of the mineral
of very little account. They will never learn
that San Francisco is the mouth through which
their belly is filled and their legs supported"
This is simply ridiculous, without San
Francisco they for Northern California; would
be cyphers at the left of the numeral" And
pray, Mr.. Wing, without Northern California
what would San Francisco BET Does not the
Wing know, that Northern California has in the
main built up San francisco Will it deny that
more than one half of the business houses in that
city would be closed in month if they were de-
prived of the custom of that portion of the State
lying north of it? And yet, blinded with mad
ness, it expresses the wish to be separated from
Northern California-to cut off the legs and
body which support that great and Unsuitable
mouth" as it SO aptly names San Francisco.
But again:
. 1t there is quartz minc San Francisco
capital is required TO open it and supply machin-
erys IT there Is water course to be dug. stock
books are opened here for money to carry on
the work. They come to us for their bread and
SALT" &c.
True, Mr.. Wig, but you are not so simple as
to suppose that the shrewed monied men of your
city would ever invest in our midst single cent
of their capital, unless they hoped to realize ten
or twenty per cent per month on the invest
mentl Ifyou do you are more credulous than
we supposed it possible for a sane man to be.
We ALSO as you say, 60 to you for bread-but,
unless the palm of our hand be lined with that
precious product of our hills which has made
your proud and arrogant city what it is, do we
ever get aught save stonei We went to you
for bread last winter, when our wives and lit
tie ones were starving, and our strong men were
growing weak for the want of food but even
the sad and emaciated countenances and glazed
eyes of these suffering creatures could not move
you. But your well-fed capitalists, with plethorc
purse, even gloated over the sight, because was
confirmation Of the success Of their -four specu-
lstions. And we now tell you that this refusal
to supply us with bread, at time when our
people were thus starving and when large guam
titles of flour were garnered in your warehouses,
has engendercd feeling in the northern mind