San Andreas independent., 1857-02-21

hold OF the pick and shovel and assist In
extracting the precious metal from the au-
riferous earth which covers the valleys, the
hillsides and the mountain tops of the
Eureka State. A great deal has been
said, and truly said, of our wonderful pros
perity, and the almost fabulous amounts
of gold that has been shipped from our
shores But with all our apparent pros
perity, with all the gold that we dig from
our mines, and which is smelted in every
mint, and stamped in the coin of every
civilized nation on earth; the question may
be asked, are we contented, are we a
happy people? We answer most emphatis
cally, no ! That no people, or community
of persons, can, for any great length of
time, be happy, when there is 50 great a
preponderance of the male over the female
portion of society as exists in the State of
California.
Man never has been contented under
such circumstances, and never will be till
human nature itself changes. God has
justly ordained that man should not live
for himself alone. 1t is part of his very
nature to desire the society of the opposite
sex; and that man who will wrap himself
IN his own sel6shness, and refuse sympa-
thy, or a feeling of attachment for that
class to which his mother belongs, or to
be influenced to a certain degree by the
presence of yirtuous female society, is void
of all feelings of refinement and should be
banished without the pale of civilized So
clety. 1t is true, many may for time
enjoy themselves in their own society,
when there is a freedom of expression and
action that pleases, and appears to possess
charm for the time being, but of which
they soon tire, and grow melancholy, mo-
rose and morbid in their dispositions, be-
come rough and uncouth in their man
ners and selfish in their actions and long
for change, where they will be surround
ed by that refinement and delicacy-that
something-the real charm of which is
nowhere to be found but in the society of
woman.
Woman has, in all ages, controlled soci-
ETY. at large, and thatsociety has been good
or bad in proportion as the women have
been virtuous and respectable, or abandoned
and proAigate.
Now, what we most need in California,
is an addition of yirtuous females, who will
bring with them the refinement of the
older states, and stamp its impress upon
society here, and shed upon all classes''that
benign influence which they alone possess.
Then will that moral reform be perfect
ed, which has been working it's way slowly
but surely, for the last four or five years.
Then will "dance houses with all their
attendent evils, be banished from our
midst; drinking saloons will become less
frequented; men will spend theirevenings
in the society of females pleasantly, and in
accordance with refined tastes, and leave
off the coarse amusements that are trump
ed up to create momentary excitement,
and which are forced upon them, rather
from necessity of circumstances in which
they find themselves placed, than from
taste or inclination. Then will the school
teacher be always found at his post of duty,
and the Minister of the Gospel, instead of
holding forth in the public streets and ex-
haustlng his lungs in loud exhortations to
the passers-by who heed him not, will
have commodious churches, we'll filled with
an attentive audience, who will Justly ap-
preciate his labors.
To bring about this state of affairs, let those
whoare here, having families in the Atlantic
States, send for them, settle down, and sur
round themselves with the comforts of home.
even if they intend to remain here but
few years. The greater part of them, will
by such course, save sufficient to keep
family, besides the pleasure of having
around them those who are near and dear.
Times are not now as they were few
years ago, when the miner was constantly
moving from place to place, and never
had any permanent location. In those
davs it would have been inconvenient to
have moved family, with the household
furniture, at every remove the miner him
self made. But now, miners are in the
habit of locating themselves, in some par
ticular section, and there remaining.
When the California acidoper locates him.
self, is he not satisfied that he would be