The Shasta courier., 1859-11-19
Letter from San Francisco.

& ED. COURIER There was time when poit-
fical news and political articles were the last
things in a newspaper which designed to read;
but Temporal mutantur," &C., or, in plain Eng
lish, times change, and so do men. Now -a-days,
political news is the first that attracts my atten-
ton There also was time in the political
history of this State, when ultraists governed
with an iron rod-when n national man. if he
aspired to an office, scarcely dared to say that
his soul was his own, but was compelled to al
low his opinions ard wishes to be controlled by
the then dominant faction of the party in pow
er. These times are also undergoing change.
The ultraists, in endeavoring to carry measures
coincidng with their own peculiar views, have
ranged themselves together upon one side of the
political battlefield, and they will now soon
become like Sampson when shorn of his locks.
They must soon go up in the political balances,
for they are actually and undoubtedly in a mi
nority in this State. While they occupied the
rear rank in the different parties they were all
powerful, for their weapons were then OCCASION
ally directed against their fellow soldiers but
thelr aoility 10 ACT IN lHlS manner is gradually
decreasing.
! do not regard the Republican party as any
thing but an ultra party. Any party which
would make war upon one section of the Union
. which would disregard the compromise of the
Constitution, or which would force freedom or
slavery upon a community where it is not de-
sired, is an ultra party. What wish is, to see
the Democratic party return to the ground it so
successfully occupied in former years-the par
TALLY rcceding from which has occasioned the
many disastrous defeats which have of late hap
pened to the Democracy in the Northern States.
Unless this is done, and that right quickly,
or else a national party is formed, which can
successfully combat with sectionalism, a Repub-
lican President will probably be elected in 1860.
Enough of parties for one letter The news
from Washoe is now attracting considerable at
tention in this city, and were it not so late in
the season, should look for considerable ex-
odus from these parts. 1t is not at all improba-
Bile that these silver mines will prove of consid-
erable Importance. AS near as | can remember
the mining history of the western continent, it
runs in this wise: When the continent was first
discovered, and for some thirty forty years
afterwards gold was found in great abundance,
and formed one of the principle articles of ex-
port. After that time, however, the export of
gold began to decrease and that of silver to in
crease The gold was probably scattered over
the country as it is in California, and as it
easily found, and eagerly sought for, the mines,
being rather of surface character, were soon
comparatively exhausted. Silver, however, oc-
cupying only isolated positions, was not so soon
discovered; but being once found, proved a
much more lasting source of wealth-and to this
| day it forms Of the principal articles of ex-
port from Mexico. The silver mines doubt
less much more extensive and valuable than
those of gold.
Should this Washoe mine prove rs valuable
as is at present expected, it will not be without
its influence in directing the course of the Pa
cifc Railroad, and may also tend somewhat to
accelerate its construction Being at or near
the eastern boundary of the State, and not far
from the route generally Travelled across the
Plains, it will probably not be long before tie
initiatory steps are taken towards constructinga
railroad to or near that point-partly account
of the way business, and partly as forming a
connecting link in the continental railway
The working men of San Francisco have COM
menced moving in regard to the Chinese ques-
ton, and petitions and meetings are the order of
the day. 1t will not do to open our doors too
widely to the three hundred millions of pig
tails now inhabiting Chinadom AMI Asia, or we
may need elbow room for ourselves
Yours, &C., LUCIEy EvERTs.