The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1860-03-17
California Correspondence.
OUR SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.
SAN Francisco, Feb. 20, 1860.

Mr.. EDlroR:-Business has somewhat
revived since my last, with every indica-
ton of brisk time this spring. A great
trade is anticipated between this city and
the Washoe silver mines Hundreds are
waiting with anxiety for the opening of
spring weather to cross the Sierra Nevada
Mountains for Carson City. At that time,
it is expected, the exodus will be as great
from here as it was two years ago, during
the Frazer River excitement
The only recent incident worthy of par
ticular note, occurred at festival for the
benefit of Zion Church, on the 10th inst,
the circumstances of which are somewhat
novel, from the fact that there is not the
best of feeling existing here between the
Jamaicaians and our people. The festi-
val was held in Barton's hall, used in gen.
eral by white persons for balls, parties,
&c. By having it in this new place, it
attracted an extraordinary number of per-
sons to its patronage. A few Jamaicaians
were present, one of whom was urged by
his friends to tediously harangue the as
semblage upon some unknown subject.
Marks of disapprobation were manifested,
which were construed into great disrespect
by the few of his countrymen present; but
the true cause of the so-called disrespect
emanated more from the character of the
man than from any want of courtesy on the
part of those present.
While on this subject, it may not be out
of place to give you an outline of the ways
of society as existing here. The material
for its formation is unlike that of older set
tied cities, where persons are acquainted
for great number of years, and by con-
slant association are enabled to Judge of
each other, and where those whose merits
meet with the appreciation of the public
are generally looked up to as criterions.
Instead, therefore, of apeing, as many of
our people here do, what they suppose to
be the "aristocracy," they would be much
more respected were they to fall back upon
the original and only true method of judg-
ing man, and take responsibility for the
standard in the formation of social inter-
course. In the first place, we have good
and bad material from nearly all the States
in the Union, the larger portion of which
claims to be respectable and versed in the
teachings of Chesterfield. We also have
many intelligent colored persons from
nearly, ifnot quite, all of the West India
Islands, New Grenada, &c, who, in many
instances, claim social superiority over the
colored Americans. But as the ruling of
the white Americans is, "Social proscrip-
ton to all who are not white" our whole
colored population falls upon socially and
politically disfranchised equality. Hence
unpleasant jealousies sometimes arise as to
who shall be the acknowledged leaders of
society. Our Jamaica friends, in aspiring
to this honor, are given to much fault-fnd-
ing, and if all be true that they say of US,
we are certainly, as whole, versatile
people. Of the New Workers who are
here, they say they are too proud; of the
Philadelphians, they are too isolated and
Quaker-hke; of the Bostonians, they are
too ultra; of the Baltimoreans, they are
to 20 vain in the admiration of their females;
while the Washingtonians are too gay, the
Southern people in general too polite, the
Western people too independent, and SO
on with similar expressions for the people
from all the different parts of the States.
The above enumerated complaints are
urged by our Jamaica friends, and in some
cases entertained and acquiesced in by 9th
ers of the West Indians. The colored
Americans, however, from their unison in
custom generally, combine in all important
movements, social and political, and from
the satisfaction always given are entitled
to, and have, become the recognized lead
ers, much to the chagrin of our Jamaica
brethren. The most of those people had
been induced to go to Panama during the
building of the railroad, and on its compile
ton emigrated here.
TALL son OF PENN.