Grass Valley telegraph., 1854-01-19
CALIFORNIA. WHAT SHE HAS BEEN, WHAT
SHE IS, AND WHAT SHE WILL BE.

but dreary waste. broken and mountain
GUS desert. 1t is true, that its valleys then,
were as rich and as lovely as they are now.
The same venerable ranges of mountains
which, at that time reared their lofty SUBMITS
on either side, are still looking down, as if
with smiling appreciation on the modest,
though partially cultivated fields that lay so
cozily along at their base, Yet, mark the
change. At that time, the voice of civiIlza-
tion was almost unheard 1t is true, that oc-
casionaliyss scattered at great intervals be-
tween, might be seen the e]ovely cottage of
the Pioneer or the Garrsoned home of some
secluded Lord, yet, what were they in com
parison with even the present, -'twould al
most be the comparison of a drop of dew up
on mornings flower, to the great and turbu-
lent waters Of the Pacifc,-now the homes of
eontented and happy citizens may be seen in
almost every direction as you travel through
the country. Wild barbarity has given place
to civilization-and where only few years
ago, you might be startled by the savage
whoop of an Indian or the scarcely less eivi-
hzed yell of the native Californian. You
may now be charmed by the song of gladness
as it sweetly echoes from the soul, as it were.
of some fair, though adopted daughter of the
new world, or else in more rustic notes as it
bursts from the manly voice of him, who
tills the soil" The same-or even greater
changes have taken place in the mountains
for there, no Pioneer had been found so har-
dy as to pitch his tent. In fact, up to the
year 1848, their towering heights and roman
tic dales had been almost entirely unexplor-
ed. But now, behold the changes villages
and cities have been planted on almost every
stream, and upon the sides of mountains. ap-
parently, too desolate for even the abode of
wild beasts. What let us ask ourselves the
question, what has effected all these changes?
The answer is contained in syllable, and
that syllable, is gold. Let us now confine
ourselves simply to "matter of fact" The
pursuit of gold was the moving cause, which
has brought so many adventurers to the Pa
cifc coast. It is this, which has induced
thousands to fOrsake the luxuries and privi-
leges of society, and home, to work and toll
among the mountains and in the gulches, to
endure hunger, hardships, and in many in
stances to jeopardize life, simply for it's at
tainment. But now, the days of those hard
ships are mostly over. The wildnesS of our
mountains and valleys has been overcome by
intimacy with the energetic voice of Ameri-
can freedom mining labor has been reduced
to system, and the trade of Commerce. to-
gether with the labor of home agriculture is
sufficient to ensure us against either naked
ness or hunger. Nay, we have even more
than the luxuries of our brethren of the At
lantic. But few people I'VE better than do
those of California, and rbaps, as to dress,
there are none other SC fuse or extrava-
CANT. What else besides gold could have ac-
compiished all this in so short time? The
millions that have been taken out of the ra-
vines and hill sides Of our California noun
tains then, has accomplished it all, and to
this we are indebted for the highly prosper
GUS state and condition of California as it IS
at present. Let it be remembered that all
this has been accomplished by men, without
capital, save, as they "panned" it or tom
med' it from the mother earth,-by men who
have looked upon California as place of
temporary sojourn, place to be endured on
ly for season their affections were far over
the eternal snow-capped mountains of the
FSierres" and the Rocky ranges of the
desert, or else away over the s'deep blue sea. -
and thither they went as soon as they accu-
mulated suffciency to crafty their wants
But 1t IS not SO now. The endearing names
OF friends and home are, thank Heaven. be-
coming kindred attractions with many others
that are now being developed in this, our no
bic country. Men are now willing to stay,
after they have made their ten or fiftenteen
thousand, and where two or three years ago
they would have sent their bard earnings to
the States, they are now willing to invest
them at home and in business that must prove
advantageous to California, and what is euu-
ally to our advantage, many, very many are
sending for their families, intending to make
fhls their permanent home.
Let us for moment look at the still great
er changes which this course must soon nro-
duce among us. Hitherto, our gold has prin-
cipally benefited the States. Men have rare
iy entered into any permanent business among
us from the fact, as they would say, that they
d1d not expect to stag in California long
enough to be benefited By 1t, and thus, hun
dreds of good citizens have left us, and mil
Lions OF dollars have been swept out of Cali
tornla, without any benefit to her whatever.
Now, hundreds of our best citizens are loca-
ting themselves permanently among u.s. and