Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-03-21
Times Past and Present.

Nowhere can be found, in the same brief period
of time, contrast so great in its character, and
so widely different in its nature, as the past and
present history of California. Those who have
lived and witnessed the progress and social con-
dition of things since 40, can better comprehend
the causes which have produced this singular state
of things, than anybody else. The want Of per-
maucncy, more than anything, has entaled a
ruinOus chain Of circumstances around the sphere
position and operations Of men who have taken
opement of those grand and ample sources Of
wealth, which abound plentifully in every
county of the State The first age of California
is past. 1t was teverish one, and its example
has had its bad effects in the various channels OF
trade and enterprise which have been opened
within the last two or three years without a
pcrmancncy and stability of public and private
operations, there can scarcely follow successful
results. There must be pcrmanency and deter
mnation on the part of the working man and the
man Of business, whether he be a miner or a
merchant 1t is not the man who runs headlong
into business-and frequently into business which
he is perfectly ignorant of-that makes fortune
or even good, honest and secure living. 1t is
not the miner. who scratches impatiently over a
wide space Of ground, and tests nothing properly,
or experiments Systematically in his labors or
operations, who makes money at mining, But on
the other hand, it is the merchant who enters
into and lays the foundation of a permanent
trade and who conducts that trade properly, and
upon scientific and business-like principles The
mere fortunate speculation of this or that person,
in acquiring very suddenly an immense wealth.
is no indication of sound and prosperous cond-
tion OF things. On the contrary, one of the worst
signs in the world of the sound and healthy
growth of community is this transitory move
ment. and brittle operations Of men who pursue
the course of spcculating, for the purpose of get
ting rich in an hour, or day. Time. to them, is
everything; but the true calculation to make that
time profitable is seldom INDUCED in. There is
no kind of business now at which men can turn
their attention, or employ their time and money,
make it successful.
The idea of pormanency, above all things, is
most needed at this time, to succeed in business.
Let people give up the foolish practice Of doing
business, with the idea Of accumulating fortune
in hurry and leaving the country. 1t betrays
the worst kind Of Judgment, and all who follow
such policy, will learn in the end to their great
surprise and pecuniary loss, that it was very
blind and stupid practice There is broad and
ample assurance to every man of intelligence,
that the county of Trinity will be populated with
an industrious people for years innumerable and
that the property which is being permanently
erected will maintain a value in proportion to
everything else, for the next hundred years.
Let men. therefore, who would do g safe, and
what will be found to be a sure business in the
end. operate with view Of making this place
their home. Ifnccessty compcls them to leave,
the property which they have acquired or the
buildings which they have properly constructed
for the uses and purposes of permanent trade,
will seldom, if ever, dcprcciatc by compulsory
transfer.