The Sierra citizen., 1855-01-20
Our San Francisco Correspondence
SAN Francisco,
Ian Ii lQ6k {


peculiar to this region, as unlike the rest
of the world as the tastes and habits of
the people. In spite of all the warnings
Of the wise, our citizens continue to revcl
in the golden fancies of coming prosper
ity, verifying the line of the witty moral
ist: MAN never is, but always to be
blessed"
Loafers out of employment lie on the
favors of their friends refusing 81 day,
when 50 is actually good wages. Every
body looks for the "good time coming"
unable to perceive that it has come and
gone, and that when prosperity does come
it viii appear in very new shape, and
will not arrive, either by clipper or steam.
er; but from the country, I presume.
l have heard of one firm who are re-
alizing" by the sale Of boots and shoes,
because everybody must be booted anew
against the wet; but while these gentle
men are booting, the country merchants
smiling over the adage of that '' i'll wind
which blows somebody good" the rest of
the world can sympathise with the cat in
the empty house, who found nothing but
the crust in the cupboard. This city has
no internal resources, and as California
depends more upon herself, and less on the
importers, the spectators in barley, bacon
and baby linen do not as often sign them
selves merchant princes" and in fact only
whisper the phrase over a second bottle.
Talking of merchant princes who are most
ly like Spanish Dons in these days, with
nothing left but cloak and sword, l
am reminded Of Swery e. Baugh's New
Merchant Exchange and Stock Auction
rooms just opened, with house warming
by the enterprising proprietors." This
will be the place where merchants most
do congregatc, for lack of something else
to do. The whispering gallery, i. e. the
reading room, is spacious and pleasant
The building itself snowy, expensive and
artistically ornamented but like most
other large structures in this city, it has
squat or depressed appearance, significant
of the spirit Of the times. 1t looks as
though it had settled down over the win
dows, which are the eyes of the building,
like a lcafer's hat. AS the times grow bet
ter, | suppose It will rise up, shake itself,
and lock cheerfully about.
The Common Council are talking, as
usual, about the funding of the city debt.
An action has been commenced, or threat
ened. forget which, by Scripholders as
is proper, for the non-payment of these
paper promises. The Treasury Of this
city is merely shin-plaster bank of the
worst description, without specie basis,
and without any adequate security. 1t
issues very bad bills, easy to counterfeit,
(witness Harry Meiggs) and not payable
at any time, that / am able to discover
They draw no interest, but instead of that,
share Of 30 per cent. All this paper rep
resents money borrowed by the Common
Council at enormous usurv-cither to be
entirely repudiated, as in the case Of the
County Building Fund Script, or paid at
some remote epoch-not settled by the
almanac makers. Funding" suppose,
means counting their rascally scrip notes,
called though they arc not
warranted by anything under heaven, but
bonds at ten per cent. per annum, upon
which the city can pay interest as long as
it chooses. The Aldermen are divided
amongst themselves-the true men against
the peculators, so evenly balanced, nei-
ther can stir a pin.
We are to have dinner here in honor
of one Thomas Paine, who wrote excel
lent articles during the Revolution, in "a
vor of Republican Rights, and was after
ward very actively employed in Paris, as
an American Filiibuster, associated with
Danton. Robespierre e. Co. But if his
spirit takes any interest in the affairs of
the present day, he will be tempted to
overturn the mahogany on which his rep.
utation is to be guillotined. Paine, was
one of the most vain glorious, sensitive
and jealous men Of his day, brave d.
fender Of Republican Rights, like hun
dreds of his betters, and violent to RI
diculous degree, against the doctrines CON-
monty called Christianity. His ideas were
strangely crude and hastily formed; his
philosophy altogether coarse and brutal,
and the career Of his life not on the heroic
line. No matter, let poor Tom have
dinner, let chair be set for him at the
table, and occupied by medium who
will deliver his sentiments. We should
have some singular revelations, if he
should tell the truth.
A very ingenious piece of putting was
cot off the other dav in the newsnsners br