The Placer herald., 1859-04-16
Growth Of California.

The rapid strides made by this State are
now commanding the attention of the whole
world The remembrance that ten or eleven
years ago the exodus from the older States
took place toward the great field of human
enterprise is quickened by the facts which
come up now to show us how rapidly our
countrvmen turn the wilderness into cities,
and convert the primeval forests into the
abodes of industry and civilization. 1t was
supposed that when the large gold fields of
California were discovered that the world
would find great changes taking place in the
value ofthe precious metals, or the representa-
tive of value. Sagacious writers showed that
this could not be the case, as it would take a
myriad of men to add any very large per
centase to the amount Of the gold in the
world. This position was wisely taken, for
even with the added amounts of god from
California, the financial world feel no inn
portant effect upon the received representa-
tves of value. 1t is probable that within
the next ten years the silver mines of Mexico
will be made to yield more large y than they
have hitherto done. There will be no in
furious effect from this, for all surplus silver
will be converted into articles for domestic
use, and consumption will equalize the pro-
duction, so as to maintain that equilibrium
that is SO essential to the wants Of finance
and commerce.
We may regard the discoveries of gold in
California, however, as a great blessing to
our country and to the world The introduce
ton of the yellow ore came opportunely in
the history of commerce, and stimulated in
dustry and capital in every portion of the
globe. So far as our country is concerned,
it was an important epoch, since it opened
the settlement on the Pacific shore, hereafter
destined to have an important effect upon
the destiny of the American people. What
we may anticipate is shadowed in what has
already taken place, and we propose to
cite a few facts to show how California
has grown great with rapidity unknown
to any other r part . of the world
Such, in brief, are some of the features
of this growing State; which from chaotic
materials, has settled into a busy, industrious
community, while only seventy-ive thousand
Indians remain within the territory, to see
the advancement Of civilization over the
ruins of the aboriginal owners of the soil,
and then to fade from existence, as having
accomplished the purpose of Providence.
The growth of the country is a stupendous
evidence of the ability of the people to en-
ter upon untried fields and to reap benefits
for themselves, by adopting the institutions
under which we live. 1t seems only yester
day that friends and neighbors were starting
up with excitement, selling off their property,
and making ready for the great gold region
on the Pacific, and now we hear Of other
friends and neighbors about to pursue the
same course, not to seek for gold in the
earth, but to enter into those kinds of bus
iness which realize fruits for the industrious
and perseverng. The new cities of Cali
fornia, the pleasant villages, the general agri-
cultural value of the SOIL the enterprise of
the people, the excellence Of climate, and
other considerations, are keeping up steady
tide of emigration to that thriving State,
and in another decade what may we not ex-
pect from a State that stands between the
Atlantic States and the great Eastern en-
pres to warehouses, and dispatch millions
and millions of dollars in the productions OF
the East! California is but an infant, but OF
gigantic promise. Penn. Inquirer.
The farmers of Sonoma county have or
oanizad an Agricultural Society," and an