Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-03-05
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LETTER FROM "AU REvOIR."
MrpV,rw. February ss,h. 1853

DIAN DAN: ll"w the old time comes over M"
This pleased day IT Our lard ten years agn, II gal.
liant steamer plOughcd her way through the Golden
Gate and dcOsitcd her precious carE" If adventur
Gus humanity upon the shores Ot the Golden State
Ten years ago. remember il well Enr WAS there
the bare hills upon which is now located the
hOurishing and NprI village Uf San Francisco were
made I" ring and rrverbcrate with iron tongued s4.
lutrs frnm the ST. Mary and Ohio, welcoming the
approach 1T the piUnecr steamer Of the Pacific the
glorious herald and precursor If that rushing and
onward tide Of Strong hearts aud willing hands
which were subsequently, poured in upon u.s. Ten
years age. u seems but span II time, ban. and
yet whit wonderful changes have been wrought in
that brieI period: We speak mot now If the hopes
that have Pcrishcd hearts broken. affections crushed
out and haplinesS murdered SIrychnine und pistol
reflections ct'mpOrt not with the occasion. but we
would speak III great State swinging out Ot ctMtu-
sim and chaos intW beautiful and HvmrricAl being
II Wnexp"red Wildernesscs penetrated and subdurd
Of mountain Businesses invaded aud unlocked aud
EIrccd tO contribute incuculable millions II treasury
10 the wealth aud cs,InneFce Ofihe world; Of beaut
fu ci'eu, tcCnimg with active enrrgy and enterprise
resonant with the thousand voices uf wcAreSs aud
determined iRdusry. bMlded Un the mountain tOl,
and by the sea Shurc, Ten wears ngO! Examine
the matter moment in detail. There was n" Fort
PUNT then with ir"wnIng Notifications aud threat
ening batteries; land AIIIIu Lime Point existed il
wasn't W"rth swtnJL) the little Island VI AcntrHE,
with its Qualifications and batteries bird rOnst
the Navy Yard. with its wonderful floating decks
and r,rtr'"r'iimIry MIckNmM Nkops. was u sort Of
cmral Er CaEir''s hcardS Of wild nurses there
were ma railroads then (Ony very bri.f one yet !
nor steamboats,. except the California nor tug b0ntS
nor Whitehall boats, nor pile drivers, nor hacks
n0r coaches. NOR Omnibusscs, NOR eetands, nor
peanuts, NOR ncwsbnyS, nor either such necessary
nuisances. We had no Legislature then and III
curse no debt and II" taxes; offices TO fill and
consequent: M elI'Sacricing patrUts who, loving
tie dear peeps above every thing, were willing
serve them in any capacity no after what-IhiS
didn't continue Ia be the case very long We had,
ten years ago, no State Prisons nor multiplicity Of
burglars and black guards very few newspapers and
M politics; many clever man but yreIt ones !;
few lawyers and nO litigation, plenty &c gold aud
MI nvaracinus mcannesS, q limited number Of
Heavens last best gin. and q corresponding lack
81 Prattng babies aud innocent gossip. have said
We had few newspapers and M politics. Perhaps
this requires q slight modification. Ten years agu
We sreTr al DtMar'rGts-a BLACK. Republican was
lVsuS H0tVr~. Even long after the arrival If the
California there continued IL be u unanimty Of
Democratic sentiment pCrvading all classes und
conditions Ut men. The widest mOuthcd amongst
them n0w would not have dared 10 risk his repuin-
tion ~ man IT sense and decency BY announcing
his Biack'RepublicaO Pr'cliviIieS then. Why even
Fred. Tracy and David G. BrdeVick we're prs,fessed
Democrats about that time. allhn' IL is shrewdly
suspected they were always slightly areakNd. Fred
Tracy, recOIlect disincily, observed his prOieascd
allegiance ~ late "a down to the administration If
Mr.. Pierce when, failing u secure AN office uhls
scales fell from his pitiCAl eyes and he was at once
dAHxlcd-nO, charmrd-by the ravishng lOveliness
Of Black RePUblcaniAm and fell into her embrace.
So with many another ] ctuld mention. Strange
changes have passed tho spirit Of their dreams
and tile Question often UccuFs 10 what are these
metamOrphOscs attributablcs Have defeated aspi.
ratiUus or thwarted ambition. or disappointed ex-
peetatioRs any agency 10 producing them! Can
personal chagrn and Modification mould the pO-
ical opinions Of men, arV the lOlitica opinions
II some men the mere creatures II circumstances
depending for their character and c'npleXiOn upon
the accident 81 place Or pers0Nal favor disfaVOr
Of tndividuAlSl YOu know well. Dan, it WAS not
the cAa0 ten years agSI) that tlere are prominent
politicians now 10 this State Whee cuMFse Of pOti-
cisi sciOH eesns ~ be wholly canirVd and directed
By peFa0Nal considerations. IL the President re.
NIses To bestOw oIces upon Themselves or attGcRss
they ere at once 10 the ranka If the opposition
the GOvsFnOr defeats banlliny act the passage 1T
which has been secured BY interruptions and fraud.
nlent lOhbying. they immediately plunge into an
tagOniam 60 his administration aud raise hideOus
hOWl In cOaceft with the yelling pack hOec religion
u is TO ter and worry the Democratic party right
o. WNng-at ell times aud under all circumstances.
IL . Convention. not having the fear Of wounded
pride and ssRSeeRs and sensitive vanity before their
oyes. refuse neglect To their transcend
ant poFsDnal merit and over ShadOwing political in.
aucnce, and confer upon them ell the nominations
Gor all the offices, Ihcy Indignantly withdraw and
trampIe upOn the must sacred and time-hOnOred
uSagcs and customs Of the patty. say, Dan,
such Was not the case ten years ag", for then