The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-11-23

Character Of the Gold Btnters-The Original Ek
meats Of California Sooefy-The Hay Justice
tcas Administered IN the Cowfs-O6ic,ai Cor
ruTticn-" The Bank Crash Origin Of the Vi
gisaace COMMITTEE and Offence Of its Course--
IAe Reroiuton Effected Taereby-The Great Ma
arai Resources Of California It's Climate, Pro
dsetions, Musical rrealth, Moral Character,
agricultural Population and Future Destiay--
The Postage SSstsm and Interesting Statistic
Relating Taereto, &C., &C., SC.
You think, no doubt, that You know something OF
California, because you have read its history and
letters, both private and printed, ancient and mo-
dern, and have talked with many Of those who have
sojournei With us for time, dc, &c. Bat your In
dustry will have proved Of but limited avail without
q personal observation on passing events, and the
peculiar organization Of a community formed as
this has been. Other States Of our Union have
grown up il is true with almost fabulous rapicity,
but still il was under the genial influence of agrcul
tural and commercial pursuits; this population
have been formed, both morally and So
cialiy, out of some Of the best materials
of their sister States, and their progress the
result Of tina. HONEST labor which instils the best
habits into an entire community. If some Of the
new settlers scquired sudden wealth it from the
6evelopements of the riches and peculiar advantages
of those lants which they had themselves aided
in bringing into cultivation and tire natural increase
of value consequent upon q RAP iy increasing popu-
lation. The foundation OF thea social system,
much rs the ordinary fraiity OF woald admit,
were TIE love of virtue, tie love Of c041Er aud
that innate respect for the law in which, III fact is
contained the whole spirit and effective power Of
government created BY and existing under the action
of the people.
But here in California ured by the temptation of
what our great poet styles "the power of all cor
ruptng goldn the sudden disclosure OF its unheard
OF abundance brought together confused mass Of
men OF al M ions and languages, Of all classes
ana degrees, OF sll temperaments and dispositions,
and Il al grades Of fixed character among whom,
an ineyitaoe consequence, were TO be found q ten
sold proportion Of vice and infamy-men who in
thes een homes had been eng excluded from
the sphere q Ordinary society, assembled to form q
couaanits ia tie asla accep alton OF the term "a
socieFs bound by the usual ties q interest
and common sa'et., Tor mutual aid and protec.
ton No such thing They were, even including
the best OF them Of Adventures in the eager
pursuit of one only oaect-the acquisition of gold.
They scarce paused to inquire into the nature or
character of the country; its hidden stores
OF vegetable riches in almost fabulous amount
ami variety; the gorgeous beauties OF its
climate, temperate and invigoratng, aud
bearing health and strength IN every breeze from
the great Pacific; its noble harbors and vast mate.
rial Tor the creation Of extended commercial en-
porium. These, as the prominent elements of future
empire, we're unthought OF in the ardent chase of
tie par amount ohect-gold But few took time for
reflection on the proper organization OF society.
Laws were enacted, but their administration was
committed TO interruptions or incapable agents,
through whose ignorance or yeDahty were sown tie
hra seeds OF those scenes Of violence and disorder
Of which Il IL my design to speak.
IL is in truth, chiefly 70 the axity with which the
laws enforced in its early DAYS that California
owes all its subsequent disasters. In the tribunals
and IN The officers OF the courts were to be traced
the irnpatience Of men on the one great pursuit
Judges, clerks shelifs end juries If not themselves
engaged in IT, were closely linked by companion
ship aud interest with those who came within their
power rule, that justice seps, while the criminal
escaped or the land obber triumphed. Citizens
who might baye upheld The supremacy Of the Jaw
'shi,kea their duty jurors in their never eeasng
pursuit Of the ore and that duty oevolved upon the
noted gamhier, the bully the professional Jury
man, who again. Tor the ever ready gold, barscred
thef 'voices in the jury room Men we're placed
in authority, Judicial, legislative executive and
nicpa, some o; whoa were Of known disrepuaole
habits ana unks sntecedents- Many Of tn chief
Of good order when they honorably prac
tce their honorable unreasonable iswyer-clutch-
ed the gold exte need their ready palm, and splt
the ears" OF the court and jury BY their hArangues
not alone in defence, but often with eulogum upon
the murderer or The harlot,-threw the mantle Of
their convivial influence with the Judge over the
bully Or the thief enyeloped IN mystery and chi
canory The "land msrks' Of The county.
These wore the leading Characteristics Of the
sYudely formed society % o. our State and city.
Is bass was rudely formed coordination Of hesero-
genoous materials It's progress coursed through
the I'll cerrupnng IL not debAslng, action Of q multi
tudncus assembly, which, .ith ew exceptions
abandoned Ill other CONSIDERATIONS for the acqui
sition Of the great dcside1tum OF mankind, as
:heash increase Of appetite had grown BY what IL
ted upon
As the bank crash Two large and three or four
smaller establishments failed; and although one Of
the larger ones, Page, Bacon a Co.. could be &C
cused snly with want OF ordinary prudence 10 Its
relations With i partners the affairs OF the Others,
especially that Of Adams 4 Co., exhibited such
glazing frauds and dishonesty, for which the parties
escaped unpublished that II Is only surprising that
heir hundreds Of suffering depostors albeit unused
20 the tortuous way by which the fraternity Of false
bankers convert the money OF the masses CT the peo
pie 10 their own uses-have not In the madness OF
their despair, taken the law into their own hands,
and executed summary justice on the heads OF those
through whose vilainy they we're despoied Of their
hard earned little stores. That they did not was
simply p~ovdentia; but You sssonished that when
they ssw those men mngling again In The walks OF
honesty and resTectabiity, ,oy shoald have formed
q reduced Standard Of moral honesty Tor the whole
community? That such q spectacle should have
stimulated others IN Whatever sphere OF life for the
acquisition q dishonest gains, was but natural and
Tho eject, you may suppose, was not limited
II was Ia this state Of things, when duels, muir
dss, brswls swiudhng-in It's o-dinsry sense %
well a. through the bankrupt drunkenness,
gambling and every vice which mortality 10 prone
TO- that General Richardson, the United States
Marshall, was killed under circumstances Of pecu-
liar atrocsty 10 . dispute with Charles Cora, an
Italian gambler. Richardson's friends rose in q
body and threatened 20 take summary vengeance
on the Assaxsin, but be was allowed . trial In
the courts; the bcst counsel was Of course EN-.
ployed, for the fancy fraternity were all banded
together to defend him, and bis ohsre uvis poured
out her ample stores Of III gotten wealth with To-
wish hand, and-the jury disagreed, and he was
rcnAnded 70 prison 70 undergo the farce Of another
trial
II vas shortly before this occurrence that Mr.
49, nns g ,,..,n a, ne paper sns psan.
tor Wns bold and fearless In his attacks upon the
vices and abuses OF the day, and m boldly exposed
indixiduaIa nv name in connection With the ricea