Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1853-07-29
The Misery and Dclusion OF California.

We give some extracts from II private letter
to the New York Yrbunc, written from SAN
Francisco Il few weeks since All this, TO be
sure, has been said again and again, and
must be taken as 50 much ttuth, to be con-
sidcrcd lust as carefully as the chance of find
ing nuggets, aud scoopng out sou and Sl0o
a dav. The writer is wrong in surprising
no,h,ng Of all this is told at home. It has
been told y thousand times. and dlsreGarded
as many, and will be again.
1t had been told him, time and again, but
he did not hear it, 4" Digging go", " find
ing uuggetS the words iuscinatc the
ears, us the sparkle of snakes eye docs a
bird. All tho risks and hardships. are skip
red over in HqpgM, but not always i'll fco('fy.
But the work will 60 ON, for all the writer
SAYS just as high price will be paid fora
passage as ever. just as many great stories
will be told of wonderful success. and just as
hard ones Of dislrpointmcnts. Still the work
will 90 on Why, they are going to get the
real nting-goMi Not something to cG' or
.ear. or to scll,-but goM' But to the
letter.
at hn. been matter of great surprise to me thai
come one has not before this, given true account
the condition Of ,hc people, and the state OF tAlhE
In California.
al have been in this State twenty weeks, and dur
iag that time have seen more W'Soy more P''' NOR
,gm9rqAty, more blasted hopcS and uthFihg "'SNdp
,,,ut,nc more utcr urctchedueSS amt mp,t'Df rfgrh
than have ever witnessed before in my whole lie
and it is astoniShing-it is 0AdehE--tint SOM
philanthrop,t ha, not taken upon himself the taH rs
4 / t,n V,rl Il q
here and the almost universal fate of the great ma
iorty of California migrants. All who leave nom
ior his supposed land Of gold, do 50 with nigh nope
and brilliant expectations but dld they kh"" IN
almost certain destiny which awaits them mere, the
would sooner dig potatoes for fifty cents daN INA
undertake this expedition.
81 have seen young men who left good situation
in stores and Office, at home, pilng up lumber hrf
ON the ducl. washing dishes, and doing the mos
mental service in restaurants and hotels ANA uthcl
,yho are unable to find my work. which, from thc
hysica constitution habits OF life, they are con
potent t. perform; and know OF many. anu nav
heard of many more. VIII" are working Tor l"'"'
r,d thirty dollar. Il month"; and hundreds who al
working for their board, and glad ot the op"rtull'
To- do that. There are hundreds of strong and II
bust men sitting in the hotels and standing UPS
the corner, of the streets. without cent OF mono
ia their pockets. who have sought ana StrlN'n IL
employment until tlclr stout hearts become hc''
with despair.
.Tho.n who have been accustomed to all the III
nric. Of life at home and unused to manual lah'
hnl themselves here compelled to encounter an
cultrs and suffer pryntion- they never dreamed
b,t,rc pccu,r are willing and anxious to work
do ann work--hut the ,r,r@ Is mt h1' u do. The
urc A. hrlplcss H. babes. for they clnnu; matt, Wor
nor they toroc Il man to give them employing
when he has none to give The great ldrd tn
seems to icrvadc the state, from one end To t
other in regard to California is stupcnd"uS frau
II gigantic humbug-a most inhuinan scheme
cheat thousands out of their home. their happluc