San Andreas independent., 1857-11-14

rance to overcome every obstacle that
may present itself in their course. Let
us not lose our fame in entrusting the
work, that is ours, to strangers, to foreign
countries; but let us push forward, and
convince the world, that the word i'm
possible" is not known by miners, and
mechanics, and farmers in California.
Ed. WoLLEB.
MORALS OF WASHINGTON CRY. -
The following extracts are taken from the
Washington correspondence of the Rich
mond South:
"Washington is, in fact, disgrace to
the nation and of all cities in the Union,
its reputation is unrivalled for the worst
forms of lawlessness, and for the most
loathsome and blighting vices. Other
cities may have more of open rowdyism
and violent outbreaks, but in none other
is there such an utter negation of law, in
which unnoticed vice fourishes in its
rankest growths. The Avenue that d.
vides the city, and is SO admired for it's
natural beauty by strangers, presents to
the initiated an almost unbroken success
sion of the temples of vice, gambling
hells, gin palaces, and the painted dens
of SIM There is a law for the suppress
sion of gambling, but it is never enforced !;
and it may be said of Washington what
was once remarked of the modern Sodom
of California, that it was in all respects
in the condition of conquered city, be-
ing in the hands of gangs of gamblers
and prostitutes. These "sports," as they
are designated in the Corinthianism of
the brothel, may be observed at every
corner of the Avenue and at the doors of
the hotels, watching with brazen audacity
for their prey, or perhaps Willing away
their hours by coarse and insulting criti-
cisms of the poor lady on the street who
has to run the gauntlet of them, and
passes them with such meek and sacred
look. There is no way to punish them.
They defy all law in Washington, because
the police are corrupted by them, and
frequently, | am told, in their regular
pay; and the magistracy, too, fear the
political influence of men who are mem
bers of some Ward association, or who
can command so many votes in the Nor
thern Liberties, or who belong to the
, crib Qately opened here) of the Empire
Club.
'sThe moral infamy of Washington
f may be nothing new; but it's causes are
; not very easily explained. Reflection
however, has satisfied your correspondent
that they may, in the main, be traced tt
, one source of corruption-the system o
police and magistracy at present prevail
ing here. We look in vain for any es
sential elements of vice in the constitu
tion of society here. The citizen-popu
lation is undoubtedly one of the finest il
the Union. Noble and refined minds
congregate here, especially of all parts Of
the country; and an elegant hospitality
on the part of the residents, characterizes
the social life of the city. There is not
even here the corrupting influence OF
trade, which has to answer for so much
of the poverty and vice of the large com
mercial metropolis. There is nothing, in
short, to account for the infamous morals
! of Washington, unless it be the wretched
system of police and magistracy, the cor
ruption and inefficiency of which have
been blindly tolerated, until they have
invited to the city from all quarters the
, gamblers and the sharpers, and all sorts
of moral harpies, who have eagerly focked
to the polluted feasts of vice. For years
the negation of law has existed, and the
invitation thus extended to all the va
grant, lawless characters of the country
to congregate here has been obeycd, until
the Capital of the Republie-ti.e very
temple of liberty-has become den OF
thieves. With their natural allies in the
half-starved police, and in political ju-
dietary, they defy all law and elude every
effort to bring them to justice or to in
fict chastisement upon them; for if a
gentleman should attempt to punish theil
insults, the authorities are found eager
enough to victimize him. They enjoy q
perfect impunity, and their very brazer
looks of defiant vice are insulting on the
street"