, 1862-08-02
From our Special Correspondent.
LETTER FROM THE MINES.
Twelfth Letter.
FLORENCE, w. T., July 20, 1856.

letter from II. M. should appear under the "Spe-
ciai Correspondent caption or not under that
of Regular Correspondent" am sure it should
not. Perhaps the title of Letters from our
Irregular Correspondent is about the thing.
WHAT WE ARE DOING, AND HOW WE ARE DOING 1T.
The mining population of this district is about
reduced to those having claims, good prospects,
or employment for wages. The " drift" " of dis
appointed miners-fellows who were going to find
it sure-pick up their piles-couldn't stand the
press-wouldn't give three months of their price
less lives for fortune, is about all gone, and ioy
go with them.
Our population being reduced to numbers pro-
portonate to the amount of ground prospected !;
trade has also taken turn quite unexpectedly.
Large stocks, here and on the road. will find a
market at prices not much above cost and car
riage. Flour is down to $50 and S22 per hun
dred, and plenty of 1t here. Whiskey has be-
come SO cheap that it is no longer pleasure to
drink lt-so l am informed not being on the
drink myself
Mining is mostly carried on with rockers, wa
ter being scarce. To remedy this aqueous de-
hcit, ditch is in process of construction from the
north branch of Slate Creek, taking the waters of
Meadow Creek, and coming into Florence by the
heads OF Pioneer Rees, and Smiths gulches Its
length must be near ten miles, in all, and it is
within two weeks of completion to the first point
of distribution. 1t is about six feet wide at the
top, four on the bottem, and eighteen inches
perhaps more-deep. 1t has been prosecuted
with great energy, add its proprietors deserve
credit for their enterprise. | look upon it as an
undertaking likely to be of incalculabe benefit to
this mining section.
PUBLIC ADJUSTMENTS.
In addition to cutting and shooting, which are
practlced here to a considerable extent. the va
rious drinking saloons of Florence have musicians
engaged, who nightly hold forth for the delecta-
ton OF visitors. The incongruity of gaming while
the music OF the masters is being artstically per-
formed is striking illustrating the fact that the
noblest and basest passions exist in the same
men-heaven and hell conioined
We have had several concerts at the temple of
the muses. yclept Concert Hall. attended one
last evening IN which the vocalists were Miss Rand
and Mr.. Lindsay, assisted by an excellent orches-
ira, collected from among the professional musi-
clans ofthe place. Miss Rand has voice of ex-
traordDary compass, and great purity, and in a
building better adapted for musical purposes,
would have achieved a much higher success than
on the occasion to which l refer As it was. she
was applauded enthusiastically. learn that It is
her intention to visit Walla Wala during the
season, and if so, am sure she will answer the
Communications so freely bestowed on her by her
auditors of last night.
Mr.. Llndsay's voice is perfect baSSo, and very
agreeable to hear. His appearance here was
decided success
speak OF this matter more particularly to i'm
press on you the fact that we are not fallen into
barbarism here so far from it that I can assert
truthfully that more orderly and discriminating
audience could not be found IN Oregon or WASH
ington presenting an agreeable contrast to the
o-f1, 4
witnessed on last Christmas Eve in Walla Walla.
THE ELECTIoN-ITs REsULT-THE ISSUES.
You will doubtless be surprised at the defeat of
the Union ticket in this county and Council dis
tiict. The election in this precinct was very or
derly some timid souls staying away from the
polls on the ground that they were afraid 1t is
sure that violence was offered neither was there
any abusive language used l mention TO the
credit of Mr.. Stardefer, the then incumbent, and
now sheriff elect, that when an excited discussion
was going on at the polls, that he promptly re-
sponded to a message from the writer and was on
the spot to arrest anybody who dared TO infringe
on the perfect freedom Of the citizen in exercising
his rights. So that ifany man did not vote it was
his own fault.
Capt. R. Bedsoe's election to the Council is
beyond doubt and by it the vote of a man en-
'irely welded to the true commercial interests Of
this seet'.on may be relied on. He will oppose
80 of I'M, Terrtery will favor the reno
val of the Capto, to POM east OF the Cascades
and vote for measures to eicancipate ,..' n".isa
ton of the Columbia river from the tT2mmels =.
monopolists.
Mr.. T. NJ. Reed, elected to the lower House,
will be a cordial supporter of measures of this
description, aud feel will give weight to the
mountain delegation by his course of conduct.
r.. i. I
fortunate for the interests of this upper country,
and next to being captured by fat office myself,
l am rejoiced at Slaters success.
The true issues here in the mountains were the |
measures which are set forth above as those which
our delegation will favor. 1t is too late in the
day to call on men to vote a ticket labeled
Union,' when the public is convinced that the
men on that ticket will go below to tamper with |
their dearest rights, and that their interests be |
voted away for the favor of cliques and monop-
olists. We are determined that no man shall go
from here to our Territorial Legislature unless he
is our representative in fact; holding fast to the
opinion that, no man can be true to his country !
who is not true to his constituents although the
contrary has been held by some very patriotic in
dividuals, who have claims against certain men
for outside services rendered by them while
holding the dignifed positions of Representatives
or Councilmen.
fully believe that the time is past when any
purse-proud toad may boast of carving " the
Washington Legislature in his pocket" or his
whiskey-inhamed minions shall wet their whistles
or freshen their nips with the wages of dishonor.
Nor shall any person, however much he may have
excelled Mr.. Lincoln in talent, while young, have
the power to dictate measures to vast Territory
albeit he may be armed with Federal Office
Neither shall any gentleman connected with the
military service of the country, however rev his
uniform, or bright his brass buttons, or corpu-
lent or graceful his figure, or great his influence
with the Central Government, dip into and disor
ganize our local affairs. Inermeddlers without
brains or honesty, young or old, your day is over
in this Territory; and true men, whether Repub
lcans or Democrats, shall hold the reins of power.
wALLA wALLA FOR CAPITAL"
That is my ticket. l look forward to the time
when Walla Walla shall each winter contain the
" congregated wisdom of Washington Territory.
1t is the only place whose surroundings are suf-
fciently agreeable TO answer the requirements Of
the seat of government it has population which
will not be affected by the fluctuations of mining
towns, or those dependent on the mines the In
dian title to the lands is extinguished it IS the
only place. in my opinion, on which the entire
influence of the upper country can be brought to
bear fayoraby, and its central position shows for
ITSELF
Having started Walla Walla as a Capital can
didate am, &c. H. M.
Letter from Powder River
AUBURN, July 2S 1862.
MEssRs. EDIToRs-I arrived at this place yes
terday, and find prosperous town with large
mining district surrounding it. Many of the mi
ners hereabouts are doing well, and perfect salts