The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-05
From the San Francisco Times.
CA LIE MA ASST is.

In our remarks on Monday, commenting on
the inducements offered by California to emf
grants, we spoke only Of the physical advan-
tages which this State enjoyed over all others
in the Union. Having shown that in three i'm.
portant respects this State surpassed anv other
that it had the finest climate, the most prolific
soil, and the richest mines in the world. our
conclusion was that it was to be preferred above
any other country by him who was seeking a
comfortable home. These advantages are be-
ginning to be understood in the Eastern States.
and the reason why there is not a larger emf
grafton, and that our State is not filled mn
speedily, is because all over the world Cali
tornla has the name of being lawless country.
afordlng small protection to life and properly.
Our Legislative, judicial and other officers have
not In times past, commanded the highest
respect at home or abroad, and the catalogue
OF crimes that We have exhibited at the depar-
lure OF each steamer was enough to deter quiet
law-loylng people of the older States from ven.
turing into country where justice was so dear
and life so cheap.
Though California is now far from what If
should be in point of morality and respect for
law, yet 1t Is far better than it was few wears
ago. The men who were once so numerous
ana so dangerous and violent have many of
them been killed or driven off. Men of violence
are usually short-lived. They are reckless in
their habits, and are killed off in the broils
which they provoke. Many of them were drawn
away two or three years ago by Walker. to
clvlllze and christianize Nicaragua, and for
tunately they never came back. Others have
been driven away by the pressure of public
opinion, until now the proportion of law-abi-
ding citizens so preponderates that the thieves
blacklegs, and gamblers, are under foot. They
have not the power in the Legislative councils
which they once had, and better men have sue
ceeded to the influence they once possessed.
1t was only few years ago that the political
organization OF all parties was influenced, to a
great extent by men unfit for society The
working people would not or could not attend
to politics. The miner would not leave his
claim to go to caucus, but the idlers and
gamblers around the towns and camps were
always ready to attend and control every eau
Gus, no matter whether it was Wing, Democrat
&c, or Know Nothing. Hence, when election
day came, the candidates on all sides vvara
pretty sure TO be such as the gamblers and
loaters approved. Hence, too, it is no wonder
that there was great deal of bad legislation.
The working people who desired good laws
had neglected the caucus, and now there was
no help ior them but not to vote at all. or vote
ior pad men: They had, too, many of them
come 10 Calliornia intending to stay at most
| leave
| former homes, and hence they cared little what
the laws might be. Now, however. the neonIa
who live in California, for the most part ex.
pect to 1--we and die here. They are identified
with the country, and the interests of California
are their interests. DetalcationS and delinouen.
cles among city and county officials are not 50
frequent as IN times past The bowie-knife and
! the revolver are not so frequently resorted IN
and the spirit of the bully and the assassin Is
| cowed. What we now want is moro of that
class OF people who will come here TO spend
their lives, and who will take an interest in
| public affairs, SO that the idle and vapabond
shall be no longer able to WELD an influence
as politicians or officehOlders. The transition
from the rule of bummers to the rule of the
taxpayers Is even now going on, and we look
forward to the time when society shall be as
orderly, life and property as secure. as thew now
are In New England, Pennsylvania, or Ohio.
A BARREN VICToRY-A WASHINGTON cor.
respondent of the Philadelphia Press writes:
The Paraguay expedition turns out to have
been sort of Cleopatra regatta, after all. 1t
was pleasant excursion, full of excitement to
the marines and old sailors, and especially so
to Mr.. James Bowlin, the commissioner ap,
pointed to adjust that most formidable difficult
| " ~ mas DSSu LnOTe COSlly, TOO, than that OF
the Egyptian Queen, for, although there were
no pearls melted in the wine of the squadron,
yet the love passages between the Paraguay
Dictator, Lopez, the President of the Argentine
Confederation, General Urquiza, and Commits.
sioner Bowlin, will be found to have cost our
Treasury many more thousands than the amours
between Antony and Cleopatra extracted from
the Roman treasury. Lopez, the Dictator OF
Paraguay, has acted the part in all this farce
of theatrical warrior, who beckons his enc
mics from pasteboard hills and wooden bate.
ries, only to run away as they approach him
The correspondence between Urquiza and Bow
lin, amusing and high-fown as it is, is only ex
celled by the lame and impotent conclusion in
the shape of damages, and in the other details
of the settlement of this ridiculous affair. Bow
Inns letter to the President created quite 1ut
ter at the White House. 1t was the first vic
tory of the Administration, and it was welcome
though 1t cost great deal of money.
"The victory we fancy will turn out to be
one of the Pyrrhus kind. A few more of them
will be the ruin of US. One of the principal