The Empire County argus., 1854-01-14
NUMBER 9.

! counties
| Keeping OF CRIMINALS. there has been comparatiyev
an immunity from punishment This fact. and the
! no less important one that escape was possible
cmboldcncd the vicious and daring and served
greatly to increase crime for it is not SO much the
$eretHy OF punishment, as the cetQintg of its in
iilctlon,' which holds vilIainy in check But now
that we have secure prison, that escape is hone
less, and punishment certain, crime, it is hoped and
believed, will rapidly diminish,
Justly proud Of onr adopted State, it NAV not be
unprottabc for us on this occasion, to recur once
more to the scenes the trials, the difficulties and
the eventual trlumphs which marked an era in
the history of Tie world-thc birth of new State
into the American Contcdoracy. Springng into
new hle, alter letlargic sleep of centuries, Cali
lorhla opened 70 an astOnshcd world the hidden
wealth Of her mountains, and her nowar-clad val
leys gave prcsage cf future productiveness
or ages had her golden sands be,n WASHED from
their mountain heights, and the riyuets and streams
which iortzed her plains, bore golden flakes on
their resist less floods But it was reserved for the
research aNd energy Of people, first to discover
and then to dcyclopc the hidden wealth which ad-
ded new field to the labor, enterprise and com
mercc OF the world, and which, for centuries had
remained unknown to thc inhabitants of the paci-
iic coast! Excited by the intelligence wafte to
their ears from the Pacific Shore the American
people, who by their intelligence energy and all
those virtues which eXalt nation, have acquired
the right to disseminate freedom and civilization
the right to inoculatc upon the dccaying frame of
despotisn, the living principles Of civil and rclci-
Gus liberty. led the van OF that mighty concourse
which set towards golden shores and ovcrcom-
ing every nteIposing obstacle. laid, broad and
dern the foundation Of great and prosperous
Sovereignty.
The discovery of ncXhaustible mines of rold u,-
on the borders Of the Pacific was an extraordinary
episode in human affairs. 1t was a circumstance
which involved the most important consequences
to the monetary affairs Of the world 1t gave IL
new impulse to labor everywhere. and infused new
yigor Into all the departments of human industry
~ increasing the rewards Of labor and the demand
tor its products, it gavo to it practical dignity and
importance that it never before possessed But and
immediate and remote results of such discovthc
are too important and varied to be enumerated
1 here. 1t was, however, apparent that country
possessing such advantages, and destined to exert
such an influence, would speedily become an object
ot peculiar interest. 1t was apparent, also that
the wants of such country would be uncommon
and tiat without the exercise of slceplcss vigilance
rs interest would often be icopardized The dis
coycry OF the precious metals was succeeded by
crisis In California. during which it was sometimes
subject OF doubt whether order or anarchy would
be paramount. The want Of the protecting care of
t the General Governments which the country on ac-
count OF its Scograp phica position, and its conse-
quent isolation. kcenlv telt--thc rapid influx Of
immigration from all quarters of the globe contrib
utcd t0 rct@rt the permanent establishment of law
ana Ord1f; ana rendered necessary well regulated
government, and rigid code of laws. For the
control OF people 50 heterogeneous the provisional
government established in California was soon found
TO be totally Inefficient Police and municipal req
ulations--the great safeguards Of society and !.
general system OF government, more comprehensive
and mCre detailed i'll its operations. We're wants
which the public interests cmincntly dcmanded-
Accordingly. the representatives of the people, in
September lN49. assembled in convention, and
adopted I State Constitution: and, in a remarkit-
bly, short period Of time, after the ratification of the
treaty Of Guada:l liidalgo, by which this terrific
ry was acquired California was admitted into the
American ContGdcracy, and invested with all the
prcrogatiYes OF Il sovereign State. need not here
recur 10 the accamations with which the intclli-
gence of this event was received or to the impress
i've scenes which marked its solcmnizaton. [ p to
the period Of the organization of the State Govern
. mcnt we were q community, or might rather say
collection Of persons, to some extent without law
and without any Of those securities only to be found
(, in stern and impartial administration of Justice
The InaXims and obligations of selfgoyernment
were too often set at nought and society was SEEM
ingly suspended over the abyss of annhaton.
Bat the perls which attended tLe infancy and
early organization of our government have happily
passed away: and under those restraining influences
OF habit, education and natural aftc ion, which
So insensibly but powerfully eXerted, and with
which we are inspired by our liberal form of govern
ment stability and order have risen out OF chaos
and confusion
In all cases of grievance, the law has prescribed
the mode of redress and ii is alike DUTY and our
CUSTOM toreSpccti its requirements. While from
earliest bovhood there has been insticd in
breasts love AID reverence for the free institutions Of
our country we have also been taught to respect and
E obey that countrys laws Obedience to the laws
principle, forms the main pillar in the edfce
which the people have consecrated to liberty.
But California is not alone dependent upon tho
rlitterng ore, which primarily attracted to her
, shores thousands Of men and fleets of deeply la
den ships Her soil prolific in mineral riches is
, no less productive of all those commodities which
form the staples and luxures of the world. En-
phaticaly the land Of the olive and the vine her
fields Of waving corn end clustering vineyards on
her southern SLOPE, bid fair rival her mines
Of gold, and render her as renowned for abundant
harycss rs she has been and is for stores Of min
, eral wealth. Each year gives renewed proofs of
the fertility Of her soil, and increas Importance
to agricultural pursuits Her geographical position.
is emncntly conducive to health, and favorable to
the production Of every article necdfu for consump
ton at home and in time for expectation abroad.
In ATTITUDES analogous with southern France and
the finest wine countries of Europe, California al
ready possesses fourishing vineyards, which will
one day, no doubt, render her celebrated for every
variety Of wines. Her bounteous soil nourishes the
olive and the ig and fruits ofcyery kind are to be
found throughout the state,
Hitherto the unparalleled productiveneos Of the
: mines deferred the people, generally from under