The Placer herald., 1858-05-29
From Our Regular Correspondent.
SAN FRANc1sco, May 2eth, 1856,

SAN FRANc1sco, May 2eth, 1858.
Friend MitcheN:-"Quie reigns in War
saw"-this city of change, variety and ex-
going old fogy could desire; items of news
are not to be had at any price; this quietude,
and the welcome, but unwonted visitation
of occasional showers. at this time of the
year, would almost make stranger doubt
if San Francisco really was herself, did not
old Boreas at his regular time of day, come
clustering in from seaward, driving clouds Of
dust into the eyes Of pedestrians, and as he
whirls and eddies down the streets, taking
the most unwarrantabe Liberties with hats
and crinoline; this very delightful (?) peculia-
rity, which so particularly distinguishes this
from other cities on this coast is, however,
always sufficient to dispel any doubts that
might otherwise have arisen, as he cannot
fail to know that no other place ever was
cursed by so detestable an annoyance. But
the richest part of it is, that those who live
here and have not travelled in the rest Of the
State, call them the "health giving breezes
of old ocean.' No accounting for taste.
The Robert Passenger brings us late ad-
vices from Canton, now under the entire and
complete control Of the Allies. The Empe-
ror, terrified at the success of the "ouside
barbarans," has entirely repudiated the poll
which the late Gov. Yeh acted. His want
Of success has been fatal; the only fault
which could have been alleged against him
was that he was faithful to the Emperor's
commands to the letter. A new Governor
has been appointed and new seals ordered to
be struck; this is the strongest mark of dis
grace that can be inflicted upon dismis-
sed official. The representatives of the for
eign powers seem confident that slight
pressure will induce this heretofore exclusive
government to change their entire policy,
and in consequence, all the available naval
forces of the four great powers, England,
France, America and Russia, were imme-
diately to be concentrated at Shanghae, Ohe
nearest sea port of any importance to Pekin,
the capial) from which point they will
make united demand, that their diplomatic
representatives shall hereafter be permitted
to reside at Pekin, and have access to the
presence Of the Emperor, that the navigable
rivers and large commercial cities of the in
terror shall be opened to foreign commerce,
and that foreigners shall be protected and
permitted to reside in them. 1t is to he pre-
sumed this reasonable demand will be grant
ed, as he dare not refuse, and its effect will
be in increasing to an immense extent our
present trade with that country.
On Monday, the oath instant the English
and French vessels in port were gaily deco
rated with flags in honor of the 3Sth birth
day of Queen Victoria, who is evidently ap-
preaching what is said to be perfection in
an English woman, "phair, phat and phorty"
This divine right of Kings is capital
thing to amuse children with, but like many
other toys and amusements, costs too mrch
money, and if the will Of the taxlidden mil
lions of England could be enforced, millions
of pounds sterling would not be wasted in
the support of family Of royal boobies and
their useless and extravagant court
The signs of the times are significant, and
it is Obvious that tremendous revolutionary
movement in Europe is impending, it is Of
course impossible TO fix upon any particular
or definite period at which the movement
will commence; but the friends Of Republi-
canism are up and ready; some apparently
unimportant occurrence will set the ball in
notion which once started will be urged on
by the resistless force Of united millions,
until it rolls over and crushes tyrants and
their boasted detenses, into the dust from
which they originated. That the masses of
Europe are, at this time, prepared to adopt
and sustain a free government like ours, | do
not believe, but by each successive revolu-
ton the people will obtain greater conces
sions, their governments by degrees will be-
come more and more liberal, so that the ul-
innate transition from monarchy to repub-
lie, will be scarcely perceptible. The history
Of the English government furnishes and H.
lustrates my position. Originally the masses
were in precisely the same position that the
Russian serfs now occupy; they belonged to
the soil upon which they lived, and were
sold and bought with it, just as were the
buildings and timber. In the progress of
time they increased in intelligence, and at
last, rising en- masse they demanded their
freedom. Their rulers saw that the time for
it had arrived, and at once yielded to their
request, ard thus it has since been. The
aristocracy that governs England (for their
Kings and Queens are mere puppets,) has al
ways possessed sense enough to yield to every
popular demand, when they saw that it was
properly backed, or in other words, that if
it was not conceded the people would rise in
their might, and take what they claimed as a
right. Every demand has been yielded, but
| that of universal suffrage, and that has been
repeatedly extended, and will continue 10 be,
until the object is finally obtained. The
difference between the English and contnen-
tai governments, is not that both are not
subject to revolutions, but that in the former
they are brought about by the force of pub
lie opinion, and in the latter by the power
of the sword. The 'powers that be- in Eng
land are wiser than those on the continent;