, 1857-12-04
From the San Francisco Herald, Oct. SOth.l
About the P. M. s. s. Company.

The mighty swell of popular wrath is at
length surging against the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company, and it is to be hoped,
before it subsidies, that detestable monOp9-
ly will be forever swept away. In the in
fancy Of California emigration, the Govern
ment Of the United States, with the view
Of bringing into existence, and fostering in
TO full growth and vigor, safe, speedy, and
commodious means Of transportation for the
hundreds Of thousands of adventurous spir.
its desirous Of peopliug this far-off province,
awarded to some wealthy capitalists in New
York, contract for conducting q mail com
munication between California and the At
lantic States. The contractors were paid
q most liberal sum, and one Of the express
stipulatons on the part Of the Government,
was to the effect, that the steamers to he
placed upon the line were to be Of such d.
mensions and so strongly built as to be ca
pable Of taking heavy armament, and Of
being used by the United States as war
steamers in case of emergency. II was at
least to be expected, that, so literally Gu
dowed as was the agency, tile recipients Of
the Government patronage would liberally
and in good faith have carried out the In
tent of the contract. The people Of Cali
fornia have had bitter and woful experience
of their sordid liberality and want Of faith.
Hundreds died in the early times, by dis
case contracted on the Isthmus, through
the failure Of the company to provide means
of conveyance at the proper time. Hun
dreds died in our hospitals Of fever con-
traeted on board their steamers crowded 70
such an extent as TO generate disease. All
this, our long suffering people have borne
their complaints sti6ed at Washington BY
persiscess misrepresentation and the nee
essities Of travel compelling them to use
the mail line for the transportation Of them
selves and their families, 10 despite Of the
Oompany's grinding extortion and NAL
treatment but this last fearful result of
criminal recklessness has at length aroused
the people 10 pitch Of absolutely vengful
evaporation, and there is. we rejoice to
say, reason to hope that the doom Of tho
monopoly is sealed.
Indeed, indeed, ID Is full time. Fonr
hundred brave men, true sons OF California,
have been untimely sent TO their account,
unannealed except by that last act Of
knightly heroism, such as King Arthur's
peers might wei DO proud Of Dragged
into the depths Of ocean with that battered
hulk, four hundred gallant men went down,
in sight Of that shore where their eyes bod
6rst seen the light, where their best alIec-
tons clustered, where loving wives and fond
waited with gladsome impatIence
to welcome them after years Of perilous
wanderings to which, as the land Of their
birth, their manly loyal american hearts
turned with joyous pride alas
Nor wife nor children more shall they behold
Nor fricnda nor sacred homo.
From the depths Of the trcacherous
ocean, there Is, for these poor victims Of
heartless eupidity, no return TO the loved
ones whose heartsnre now bruised with mn
speakable anguish ia their lorn bcreave-
ment But, men Of California, let Us take
heed that this thing shall not occur hereaf
ter. Let the united voice Of the people 20
forth, declaring that this monopoly shan
tyranize over Us no longer We do not
ask to avengo The dead Heaven forbid
bnt in the name Of humanity let rs save
the living from like fate. Those purse
proud ingrates IN New York-made purse
proud BY the gains they have gathered
from our shores-think that The State Is
legitimate prey to their rapacitys Califor-
mans are their meat. For them, you, mi
ners delve IN midnight darkness in the deep
shaft for them, you, artisans toll for
them, you, merchants traffic for Them.
you, farmers cultivate your land and raise
your crops.
Is this, then, the use to which this young
and beautiful State Is to be turned 7 TO ili
the plethoric Golfers Of those New York
money seekers. We may well say with
Cassius:
What trash Is Rome,
What rubbish, and What o1iIl, when i serves
For the base purpose 70 Illuminate
So vile thing ns CEaari