The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-01-05
EoEBs on CA1.TTonEzAcI
RuRLIc HRoxaa.

In InokiWkut tIae aessOuSl If c4ss vspuIapsa,
that inhabit California; Il would naturally b.
inferred that the pvplis he'd NO ri0hks that, nC
matter ~Aat fnditsad1ITmay "a Tor S,lir avn
benefit or aRgrAaaizsmept, no injury could b
inflicted on the public.
That the pWJtie, 90 veil a. individuals, have
rights, tu alt0rgAalssd sOcie1y, ID tO0 we'll ~
tied and established, TO need any defense 81
this day; yet this almost universal spirit d
aggraFianism has done incaIcnlable injury ia
the well being and happiness of the people. III
well as to the prOgress and permanent prOs.
Psriiy 1t thls State. The psahlIe have suffered
great Inconvenience and oflen serious injury
BY The obstruction VI highways and roads Of
travel. There is scarcely . wOOdnsn 10 Ihis
county, M matter Of what race. or from what
nation he may have Oome, win, Ia Alling q
tree. will not invariably fall il across public
road. II it, length Will reach, and II not be will
invariably scatter the brush 10 such manner al
TO Obstruct passage by the usual road. The
Pubfc, ~ the State h very materially. injured
by thiS class Of individuals 10 another way.
Il IL well kHOwn that 10 tho EDOthills there is a
scarcity II timber for ihe ordinary purposes Oi
the settler; VMs eOrstry il. erer to h p,rma.
"e"fIy 'eEsIed, but sithsFr the EGtposs u gain,
or spirit Al vandalism, all tho valuable or NC.
ccssible timber il ruthlsssly cut down aud the
limbs cut into cord wood for sale, while tho
trunks 1T the trees are left {, rot on the ground.
Again; the State. through thu enIpable neglect
Of the General Government, Ia yearly anG daily
deprived Of an immense amomnt ~ her natura,
resources BY very enseTrrizing. but certainly
a" perfect set" public deSp'ilers as ever in.
Tested either sea ar land. This class il To be
fund in "nr hIMIbeTnIen. els caiimaird that
in the central mining counIiea. fr"m three t.
t''nr nIiics. from west Ia cast, all the pine aud
"Ihsr timber llt for boards Or lumber, is cut
down and taken of from the hand yearly. The
ASSessOF'a returns for the year Ut 1855, gave
the amount 81 lumber sawed In this State in
that year ct three hundred and eight million
five hundred aud thirty .nns thousand Eve hun.
dred twenty feet (3Os. SCI ,5so) nineGenilIs "
this vast amount Was taken frum the public
lands. and the proceeds went iutO the pockets
Of individuals. So startling and enormous
were these figures that. since that year, the
total AMOUNT has not been published by the
State; nevertheless IL is bclievrd that this evil
iucreaHcs yearly.
There is another class If the population. q
very hard working, cntcrprizing. industrious
elias" t"", who, frnm the peculiar circumstances
in which they are PlAcrd, are "Gien eompelled,
and It !" sometimes believed that they act GfOm
reckless disregard Of public or private inter.
cs'. in their engerncss tn obtain the golden
prize. which appears to bc their sole end and
aim Io obtain, no matter ~ what sacrifice Of
health, or eOmG'Tt, W labor to- themselves, Ur
injury they may do u private ~ public property.
The miner " all others, il, perhaps, the most
reckless and regardless II the rights II the
public. In the prosecution Of his design. pub
lie highways are utterly destroyed; fields.
fences, gardens, orchards. vineyards and even
private dwel|iase have ~ HecaTify sEAiust his
FUthIsAs, vaOdaliC marcl, in search IL the hid.
den treasure: hills and mountains sink under
the coDiin''ous strokes of the pick. and valleys
and rivers are filled up and lcvelrd by tie E%ce
"f hydranIic power ~ obstacle eaa Impede
the ProRFeas " Fetard the destructive onward
march VI that great abnOsmslism, tho Amer.
lean Miner. This term is used to denote thr
unnatural condi,i"n Of the American citizen
Who il eumPelled ~ work 81 aiming Gar his
living. \" class II men work harder-live
VOnrer- see lcas ~ tue e3mfnrtS and n1ne "
the Injuries Of life. and yet NO class Of Iabdting
men nrc 81 P"oriy paid. or less respected BY
the Soeiciy in which they live.
BY u IAlpALle violation aud total disregard
II the rights Of California by the General CIV.
eminent. and through the ignorance. incnpnciiy
ar want "f S'aicsmanShip IT those who manage
the State sG.irs. very large nunber M those
who would otherwise be go"d citizens, are
compelled To b. public wrOngdOers.
JCNICS.
IIERHIrAGE, Jan. !, 1861.