Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1853-03-25
Tm G0l1 mania.

The GOla alaaIa..
We have met nowhere so striking. We might
say revolving pictures as are presented in the
annexed extracts Of the awful scenes exhibited
at the gold diggings by the furious strife Of
men for the precious ore. The poet had wit 4
messed nothing like this when be spoke Of the |,
aHri sacra fumes The extracts are from let.
ters published in the Inverness Courier, which
that paper states were from respectable people /
who had emigrated from that part Of Scotland
10 Australia The journal vouehes for the au
lhenlicity Of the documents. The following is
from letter dated Melbourne, September -
!Notioaol IntelligsRceT.
Things will not last forever in this way.
There will be an outbreak here before many
years Nothing but separation from England
IS talked Of Thousands Of Yankees and Cal.
ifornians are swarming in every week. and thou
sands of the rif-raff Of all the world. The
country is in a fearful state for want Of protec-
ton, and robbeIies and murders are committed
with impunity. sleep every night with a pair
Of pistols under my pillow, my fathers big
sword hung up by the bed-head, and also an
American bowie-knile under my pillow. Our
house, to be sure, is in a lonely and romantic
situation, and is thus liable to attack at any
time Of night, but we do not like leaving it 10
come and live in this vile Melbourne.
In another letter, the same writer speaks as
follows:
"It would be utterly impossible to give you
any idea of the state Of things in Melbourne
now. 1t is such as the world never saw before,
and perhaps never will again. With thousands
arriving every day from England, California, and
America. &c, we have still the same number
of houses in Melbourne that we had when the
population was only about $4,000, before the
gold discovery. You may think what it must
| be now. A complete wilderness Of tents has
sprung up all round the city, in which all the
most hardened villains in the colony have their
haunts, and through which it is not safe to walk
in broad day light. The whole interior Of the
country is completely overrun with bands Of
bushrangers, mounted, armed and thoroughly
organized. The murders and crueltes they
practice on their victims are fearful. They per-
form their exploits quite in the old style as the
old banditti however, they sometimes get
caught A party Of them. while prowling
about the main overland road from Mount Al
exander to Adelaide. in South Australia, stop
ped to rest and refresh themselves at shep-
herds hut, and there openly stated that they
were lying in waiting for a party Of diggers
who were returning with large quantity Of
gold Nothing more was seen OF them for two
DAYS, when two of them returned, one so fear
/ fully burnt over his body that he died in few
hours the other one also died from the effect
of run.shot wound The other three Of the
gang were missing A few days after, the
burnt remains of several men were found a
short distance on the road, and it ultimately
turned out that the party they intended to have
robbed had overpowered them, and taken a
fearful revenge by burning him to DEATH
These men were all old convicts.
Is not this practical illustration Of the evils
inflicted on these colonies by the continuance
of the transportation system But there's
good time coming, and if it is to be continued,
why, the sooner the colonies are independent
the better. They are already ripe for it. /
have no hesitation in saying that the gold dig
gngs have hastened the approach of that event
by fifty years. 1t is not to be supposed that
country which can export twenty millions ster-
ling per annum in gold dust will long submit
to be made the sink hole of England. Howev-
er, it is no use talking more about that subject.
am writing this in my Office, which is splen-
ddy situated, being q very high room, and
having a view of about twenty miles down the
Port Philip Bay, SO that can see every ship
and steamer that comes in, and as have a
full view of the telegraph station, can tell at a
glance what part Of the world they are from.
Whilst am writing there are three large ships
coming in from London, two from Liverpool,
TIM Nann of (lnOH
Hope, one from New York, two from San Fran
cisco, and whole feet of traders between here
and the neighboring colonles-all crowded with
passengers for the gold diggngs. This will
give YOU some idea Of the rate at which our
population is daily increasing, and this is only
the commencement Of it. This is not only my
opinion of the state of things, it is that of ev'
ery sober rejecting man in the colony, from
the Governor downwards. Every day -four is
rising by Jumps of E5 per ton at time. It's
now fS5 ton tomorrow, in all probability,
it will be Gao. Our only hope is in America,
from our friends the Yankees. Any one ship
ming -four here now would make an immense
fortune. OF our own growth there will be lit
tle or none this year. In addition to this, our
social condition is fearful; only fancy bodies Of
armed men rushing into the shops and gold Of
fees in broad daylight. shooting at the owner
and making clear off with the spoil AS for
the stirring out after dark, it is madness"
THE JAPAN EXPEDITION Boston Post
publishes the following evtraCt from letter re-
ceived from gentleman who had just return
ed to this country from a trip to China rela-
tive to the feelings of the japanese toward the
expedition of Com. Perry
II was Informed by gentleman-a native
of Japan, that the Emperor is all ready for the
American expedition. He exhibited letter to
me, which lie had just received from one of
his countrymen, then on the island Of Jeddo.
That the people kept a strict look out all over
the coast and their fires were already burn
inc on the mountains at night in order to be