New-York daily tribune., 1858-10-16

The total decrease in all the Counties will probably
be not less than OO0 most of which must be charged
70 Fraser River. The election this year has been
nearly interesting and as hoty contested as that OF
hast year. 80 .
The news of the successful laying of the Atlantic
Telegraph cable created great excitement here Ii
IL true we had rumor of il by the steamer which leit
New-Iork the 9Th August but IT was not credited
When the mail of the 10Th August arrived, there was
a great rejoicing. The steamer came in about 10
O'Clock in the morning. and at in the afternoon all
the bells were rung and 2Oo guns were nred. In 'he
evening there were borfires in the streets and many
houses were illuminated. Preparations are now
making for a celebration on grand scale.
Before the mail arrived the work had been COM
menced in earnest on the telegraph 10 connect Placer
vile and Genoa, in Carson Valley and strong ex-
crtions will be made to have the work finished before
Winter in. Since the news of the success of the
great enterprise your side OF the world new zeal
Tor eleeraphs has seized the people here and proba
bly, it will not be long before We have line to Los
Angeles. Efforts will also be made to carry ON the
line from Genoa to Salt Lake City.
great feeling has been excited in the public mind
by the death of Mr. w. l. Ferguson, State Senator
elect from Sacramento County, in consequence OF the
wound inflicted by G. r. Johnson, on the 2lst ult Mr.
Ferguson died on the l4th instant The last mail ear
red to YOU the news of the duel and of hs having his
right thigh badly shattered by the pistol ball of his ad
versary. This occurred month ago to-day. The
fracture was very dangerous one, and Mr. Ferguson
advised by his physicians that probably the wound
could not be healed without amputatiOn. He refused
To submit to the operation, and an attempt WAS made
10 set the leg. He continued to grow until the
18TH when an examination was made, when II was
found that there large amount of pus, or sup
purated matter, along the bone He was then told
that he must lose hs leg his life. The next day he
submitted to amputation but il was toe late and in
couple Of hours ailerward he died.
lie had been a prominent public character. He
was member of the State Senate for three wears ana
party leader all the time, for a while among the
Know NOthings, and afterward among the Democrats.
He was excellent stump speaker very good deba-
Tor ,,1lx. 10
of life and fun and wit. He very dissipatcd 10 his
habits, but his il-treatment of himself was pardoned
in consideration Of his Kindness To everybody else
When his death was announced a public meeting of
bis friends was called and committee was appointed
To convey his body 10 Sacramento, AMI Smlar meet
Ing there appointed a committee to receive it.
The corpse arrived in Sacramento at midnight, and
the bells tolcd while large procession followed 1t to
the Capitol where Il laid on, in the Senate Cham
ber The next day Col. +. ID. Baker pronounced nm
elegant eulogy IL in the Capitol and subsequently,
the Rev. Mr. Benton delivered funeral sermon over
it in his church. The burial was performed with sol
emn ceremonies amid large eoncourse OF people.
Mr. Ferguson - years old, unmarried, native of
Pennsylvania and jus, previous Ia S arrN al IN Cali
fornia resident in Springfield, il., where he was
already becoming prominent a. a politician. He was
au elector on the Taylor ticket in lSis Mr. Ferguson
was friend of Douglas in Illinois, and All enemy Of
Lcompton here. c,
Mr. &. T.. Johnston, who shot Ferguson, Is Clerk OF
the United States Circuit Court. lie is politician
pretty good public speaker, and an espran Tor Con-
gress. He Is Southern man. native oi tennessee,
believe, and q friend Of Civic by whose influence,
according Ia common report, he obtained his present
office. or course Mr. Johnston is friend OF Lecomp-
ton.
The origin Of the duel is said to he follows John
ston apG Ferguson, aud some others were talking to-
yether in a rum shop, when Ferguson repeated an
cpgram Of an imaginary first dispatch to be sent by
the Atlantic Telegraph announcing that DIR. Gwin
and family had arrived in London and had been pre-
sented at the Court OF st. James. The language OF
sIs.e .fvVaV 80 m N
and Mr. Johnston limited that the repetition oi was
not gentlenanly Ferguson said he did not mean any
thing derogatory to Mrs. Gwin. Johnston gave HIN
cbnlkpQe followed. AT the fourth fire Ferguson fell.
About the 10th inst. Dir. Johnston left here on a
pleasure excursion down the coast, aud he has not
ripcc been heard from. Since the death OF Mr. r.,
an Indictment has been found against Mr.. j., and il
he returns as he probably will he viii have TO stand
a trial nnder law Of which he is the author He
was Member Of the Legislature in 1856, and pre-