The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-04-07
CALIFORNIA AS II Is.
ROUGH AND READY, CALIFORNIA,
Ecbru1r, ID 1859

n v INC EuHU " TIC 4'WtoUut
DEAR SIR The climate of California pre-
sents greater variety than any other State in
the Union. High up in the mountains you
have continued winter, or at least perpetual
snow. AS you approach the valley, the eli
mate is more like that Of the Middle States,
with the exception of seasonsble rains. Low
down in the valley snow is seldom seen. From
the first of May till the middle of November
there is perpetual sunshine. This fact may
strike the reader as being very desirable. 1t
is an old saying, and as true as it is old that
variety is the spice Of life" This state of
things is anything but pleasant to the person
who has always been accustomed to refresh
ing showers during the hot season Of summer.
By the middle of June the hay is made, the
wheat and barley cut, and everything begins
to wear the appearance of severe drought,
and so continues, until vegetation is literally
dried up. At this season there is nothing beau
tiful for the eye to rest upon The flowers
fade the grass withers, and even the foliage
upon the tall oak gives unmistakeable signs of
approaching dissolution. The travelled high
way presents one unbrOken cloud of dust. No
body rides in wheeled vehicle for pleasure.
The harvest, after it is cut, lies exposed in tho
field for months, without the least fear of dam
age, while the straw hlcachss to almost n per-
feet wilderness. We have mo dews in this coun-
try, consequently The straw receives no damage
from repeated damps.
Ordinarily the rainy season commences in
November, and continues for FIVE or six weeks.
Through the months Of January and February
we have uninterrupted pleasant weather-the
thermometer ranging from thirty to forty de-
grees through the night, and from forty to
seventy during the day. The winter months
are decidedly the most pleasant and desirable.
1t is neither too hot nor too cold, but resembles
the month of May in the New England States.
During the month of March, and part Of
April, we have another wet season, after which
commences the drought.
! have no hesitation in saying that the eli
mate of California is highly conducive to the
health of her inhabitants. That vast num-
Der Of persons die here is true; and the only
marvel is, with those who understand the true
condition Of the country. that there are so few
of its inhabitants who find resting-place on
the Pacific. With the same care and protec-
ton which the most obscure have in the States,
California might challenge the world to COM
pare bills of mortality.
The inhabitants of this State are more mixed
in their character than those of any other place
on the globe. Since have been in this State
| have seen persons representing nearly all the
civilized nations in the world My convic-
tons are that every nation, however remote
nave more or less of it's citizens in this State
In word, California is a world in miniature.
The morals of the country are decidedly
bad. Few men who come to this country main
tain their integrity as honest, upright, and con-
scentious persons, no matter how high they
stood in the moral and religious world at home.
regret to report that there is no difference be-
tween Jew, Infdel and Christian, but each look
upon the other with suspicion. The very mo-
ment that the emigrant lands upon the 18TH
mus, that moment the mercury in the moral
thermometer goes down, and seldom rises after.
The effects of sea voyage, particularly upon
those who are not accustomed to it, the object
in pursuit, the character of the associates, all
tend to decentralization. have known persons
to sicken and die on board Of ship, and while
few are disposed to turn, aside for few mo-
ments, to pay the last tribute of respect to the
departed, and witness the sad scene of deposit
ing the same in the dark, blue sea, the great
mass would be occupied in story telling song
singing, or gambling. The morbid desire for
gold, which prompts o man to leave his home,
friends, and all that he holds dear, has a ten
dency TO blunt his moral sensibitios, and de-
stroy all the finer feelings of his nature.
In the mountain towns the Sabbath il rec
ognised only as day Of recreation. The
morals of this place are better than in most o
the mining towns but even here, the mer
: chant makes his calculations to do as large
f business on that day az he will do the rest O
, the week The broker, butcher, grocer, baker
blacksmith, and gambler are busy from earl,
dawn till late at night. A staid New England
man, to pass through our streets, would hard
| ly suspect that il was the day set apart by tn.
Christian world for the worship of Almight,
God What must be the effect of such stat.
of things upon the unsophisticated young mar
who comes to this country In nine cases ou
Of ten, his morals become contaminat ed, anC
he ultimately ruined, all to crafty an inordi
nate desire to become suddenly rich.
The discovery of gold in California has un
doubtedly been the means Of promoting the
happiness of a small minority of those who
have acquired it; while, on the other hand the
suffering and woe which it has produced, both
mental and physical, can never be written MOI
told by man, and is known alone to God who
counts the tears and sghs, and reads the
heart as an open book How many hearts
have been wrung with anguish, Mt receiving
the sad intelligence of the death of a kind
husband father, or son, who sickened and died
in some rude cot in the mountains or was de.
posted in the dark waters Of the Pacific, in
passing to or from the country II has been
my painful duty, of late, to transmit the melan.
ehOly news to two young widows, made 80 by
the death of their husbands on their passage
from Panama up The two last steamers
which came to our shores lost nearly sixty
young men with fever, who started from New
York with high hopes of returning, sooner or
later to their friends with O competence for
life. could give instances Of suffering and
want, which have come under my own observa-
ton, the recital of which would be enough to
break down the stoutest heart
The vegetable productions of this country
are similar to those raised in the Atlantic States
in the same latitude with the exceptions that
; they are much fiirer and larger. Barley is
the great crop of the country. Large fields
of wheat have beon sown this year.
The animal productions Of the country are
much the same, with the exceptions of the
grizzly bear, kyotec, which, is similar to our
wolf, and mountain cat. Rats and fieas arc
the most numerous, and the most annoying.
Large quantities Of geese and ducks are to be
found on the bay. The fish which are taken
in great quantities in the Sacramento river,
are Of the finest quality, and Of the largest
size.
As I predicted in my last, the capital Of the
State has been removed TO Benicia. Nothing
worthy Of note has taken place in the Legisla-
ture but strong disposition is manifested by
nearly ell the politicians of the State to call a
Convention. They do not pretend that it is
for the purpose Of dividing the State, or en-
grating slavery upon us but for other objects
Of minor Importance. But a. the schemes Of
Southern politicians have generally succeeded
at home, 30 think they will here. But, thank
God, there can be no organic change without
the sanction Of the people; and that the people
will countenance slavery in any form, except
for crime, do not for moment believe. The
act of the last Legislature, which secures TO the
m a afar thu riuhf 10 take lack his slayes who