The weekly Columbian., 1857-04-04
W EEKLY COLU MBIAN
Personal Communication
To the Stockholders and friends of til.
&. f. S. t. Water Compamy -

render it proper, and perhaps necessary,
for me, to lay before you and the public,
my sentiments and feelings toward you,
and the enterprise in which you are en-
gagged. am, by education, and occupa-
ton, identified with the laborer; any en-
terprise therefore which is intended and
calculated TO benefit him, and promote
the laboring interest, enlists my warmest
sympathy. | have been long resident
of Tuolumne county, and have viewed
with deep concern the circumstances by
which the laborer has heretofore been
surrounded and which has hung like
an incubus upon the laboring interest.
While the laborer was not only brought
in competition with his fellow laborer,
but forced by circumstances beyond his
control, to a certain extent at least, to
come in competition with the pauper la
Dor of Asia and the South Sea Islands,
the water interest, upon which he must
necessarily depend for even a chance to
labor, or earn an honest subsistence, was
not only in the hands of a monopoly, but
the chances for a change for the better, to
all appearances hopeless. For this state
of things, | could not reproach those wa
ter companies, who by their enterprise
had brought water into the diggings. but
gave them credit for their public spirit
and industry. But the consequences to
the laborer and the community were not
relieved, nor even mitigated by this cir
cumstance. The proceeds of many
hard days toll, Instead of contributing to
the support OF my wife and family, has
gone to pay an extortionate water. bill
and l. instead of being the only sufferer,
was only one among thousands. | might
also add here, that the mischief has not
been confined to the laboring interest,
but that every interest of the country has
suffered in proportion to its Importance.
From this state of things | saw no hope
of escape until the Miners strike, and the
commencement of ihe new ditch in the
Spring of 1855. This period l hailed
as the beginning of new era, the dawning
of a brighter and more prosperous day to
the laborer Of Tuolumne county.
| was one of the first volunteers in the
cause, marched in the procession and car
ried banner at the time of the strike,
and among the first to enroll my name
upon the books ofthe new Co. Circum-
stances since then have changed; by
sudden turn OF tickle fortune | have been
able to assist your enterprise to an ex-
tent far beyond my expectations, and by
your sufiragcs pr NOTED from the rank of
u.4tea t. ,,f tt,a h,,rnrn ,la
positions in the company, proof of your
confidence and respect of which | am
Justly proud, aud hope you may never
have cause to regret. The progress o!
the enterprise, have watched with
deep and peculiar interest. | regard its
success as the sure triumph of the laboring
interest, and the commencement of
more prosperous day to all branches of
business, and its downfall as the downfall
10 all our cherished hopes, and the death
knell to our prosperity. | have also
viewed with pride and admiration, the
unparalleled energy and perseverance un-
der the most discouraging circumstances,
ofthe laboring men of the Company have
been rejoiced at their success, and have
sympathized with them in all their trials,
adversities and prosecutions. From these
facts you can easily imagine what were
my real sentiments and feelings in rela-
ton to the advances and means used to
corrupt and induce me to turn traitor To
the laboring man with whom are all my
sympathies, to become recreant to my
principles, and to the true interests and
welfare of the whole community, in which
| live, and form part. | assure you
fellow-Stockholders, and all concerned in
the welfare of the Company, your enc
mics never made greater mistake in
their lives. than when they supposed me
capable of such baseness. will not pre-
tend to say by whom they must have es-
timated, or judged me, but let an intelli-
gent public draw their own conclusions
but | assure you, that my action is direct
ed by something higher than the tempo
rary pressure of circumstances, or the
love of money.
1t is true that at the time these gentle
men visited me. was. to use honely
phrase, hard up," but this circumstance,
nor all the gold of San Francisco could
induce me to sacrifice my self-respect, and
the best interests OF the community in
which reside. have often heard it as
serted that, the laboring class unaided by
the strong arm Of the capitalist, were in
capable of carrying on successfully, any
great and important enterprises and |
fondly hope, whenever | may hear this
assertion again repeated, to be able to
silence the same by pointing to the
laborers of Tuolumne county, and the
enterprise in which you are now engaged,
hen successfully completed, which
&c will stand as monumental testimo-
uoIr rnhlic Snirit ,rnu,. on .tarrrico