The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-12-10
EXTRACTS FROM BUSINESS CORRESPOND.
ENCE OF THE ERA.

| THOMAS 81. BENTON.
EXTRACTS FROM BUSINESS CORRESPOND
ENCE OF THE ERA
| Sonora, Nor. al enclose SIS for another
years subscription. The members of our club
are much pleased with the Era, and some who
are siraitened are giving up local papers in order
to continue their subscription to it. l think,
also, it is doing good in this benighted region.
| But to those who have not an abiding confidence
in truth, the prospect of making California a
| truly free State is very discouragiug We are
behind where we were in lS49; and, except in
freedom speech. we havenot sppa-en;ly gained
! any within the pastst years. The true req.
| son why We have retrograded since $40 is this /:
| The first population attracted to this State was
OF the best portion Of the older S.ates-of men
who had been unfortunate but whom rnisfor.
tune could not conquer. They came to recu.
perate their lost fortunes-to accumulate sufIi.
Gent 10 release their farms or homesteads from
mortgage, or TO buy new homes, AID establish
themselves 10 business. They did not come to
California to remain. Their families were left
behind; and as soon as they had acquired SIS
much So they needed, they returned to their
families.
The policy of our rulers and politicians has
been 20 keep tie mines open to every adventur-
er, instead OF giving fee-simple title 10 bona
pde settlers; and The result has been lust So
predicteC-asnely, gradual decrease OF that
class OF population which regards homestead
as CT value, ard which possesses the finer feel
lng5 ana sentiments belonging to the peassn!ry
In their room are left floating, rowing p9pu.
lation, without homes, without family restrantg.
| without those kindly feelings which are nur.
tured IN the family Border Rufians, in the
literal sense Of the term without patriotism,
aud without humanity.
W course, Rsp1biicanisn cannot be expected
to flourish in such soil. Ny hope is in a second
I Change IN society. As the placers become ex-
hau5ted, men must turn their attention TO other
pursuits, a1d the discontented will leave rs in
search OF glory uader some filibuster general or
Will wear themselves out with d;ssipation. Clti
mately the meek shall inherit even this portion
Of the earth. 1t is Gods Law, and il will surely
be accomplished.
Sielbycille, Ind Nor. IA have been stri.
wing to hnd time to write you ever since nv
return from Texas, september 2S;h.) whittier
went in April last, and indeed tried to write
while there; bat, although there was full enough
to write about, my time and strength we're so
fully occupied with the business which took ne
! there, tnas could not write. When I shall be
/ able TO tLd time TO write ron ANYTHING of the
| country, people, &c, of Texas, / cannot row
! conjecture. But this | may now saY. Let the
/ friends of Freedom not be excited, by the ap-
peals OF ultra Southern papers against The form
/ alton OF q free State or States out Of portions
| OF Texas, to form sanguine hopes of tie early
! contamination of an object 50 desirable. 1t
! VIII come, but not now, nor without a seriens
i struggle. As of cd, "Tne children Of this
/ word are wiser in their generation thsn the
/ children Of light" So it is yet. In Northern
| texas, where there are but few slaves, every
/ energy 10 directed to the large Increase OF tie
numbers Livery man who can command enough
money tor the purchase of a slave, so uses it ::
ana no, only SO, but those who have slaves
readily sell to those who have none. On time. or
| preferably, lend them money With which TO pur.
/ chase, that they may, as far as possible, bind
| al their people 70 the peculiar ms tuition"
! IL was my fortune to'fnd but few opponents
! OF Slavery in Texas, although the vel7 xorss
enects OF Slavery were paten, to every observer,
Ia nigh degree. And l confess 70 60 great re-
gre: perhaps should ssy, to much less reeretl
al the defea: of General Houston for the Gov.
ernorship, from the fac. that be stooped in his
| pubic speeches 70 pander 10 bad pessiops. and
! cherish what ne well knows to be false notions
| IN the use OF such phrases as "Abolitionists y
Back Republicans DC. representing the
hepublicau party ss AbolitioEists, Njpger-
stesiers,' &c. Had he possessed the independ.
ence and moral courage to come ont like a
man, snd openly avow his real sentiments. he
might have been elected, or, a. least. could have
enjoyed the privilege OF knowing and feeling
that he was defeated on principle By the PEG
| pie, instead OF by a corrupt clique. made up of
the fsgends of al parties. Yet, cannot Int
regard General 4. as one of the very ablest and
most conservative of Southern statesmen. New
ertheless, he is slave in opinion, speech. and
action; and his master (the peculiar institu-
ton Is very hard one.
The CurTeHcy.-Msny suggestions are being
! made TO remedy our currency. The opinion
appears 10 be gaining ground, that there should
be no banks OF issue; but, how can thirty. one
States be brought to act together? Only in
one way Let the present Congress propose
to the States al amendment of the Constitution
OF the United States, prohibiting the ,S,otee
from chartering any banks OF issue whatever
hereafter" Congress, not the States, should
/ control the whole question Of currency.
Ii such amendment were submitted to Con.
renttons, chosen By the States. separating the
matter from party politics, it is probable
that three-fourths o: the States would concur.
Yours, Rss
Word from Virginia
Extract from @ letter dated -. Viroinia.
Nor. p" Although / have. only been a sub
scrioer to the Era for two years, have been a
regular reader OF its columns ever since pub
hshed; and now subscriber, | wish to con-
time one as long as it maintains its independ-
eat principles, and its fearlessness in the cause
OF truth and Justice. But it is not pleasant to
have ones subscription shortened. even if the
times are hard And were they ten times
harder, l want to stick BY the Era, although
It's terms were advanced so per cent.
claim to De Virginian of the Jefferson
stamp, and, although not allied to any political
party, am strong sympathizer with what Viz.
ginians term Black Republican,; and although
feel quite youug in the great and none orov.
4 ing cause of Freedom, some of nv ne;g6bors
call me- Block Republican of the blacklist
stamp, as l favor, not only free Kansas and
tree territory generally, bat Freedom every.
where.
), think mine is the only copy of the Era
sent to -, ard perhaps the only one sen,