The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-11-05


Mr.. Bowles, who accompan ed Mr. Col
fax to the Pacifc coast, writes Of San Fran
cisco T. his paper, the Springfield, Mass.
Republican:
"SOciety in this representative town o
the Pacific coast is somewhat difficult o
I Characterization. II holds in chaos all sort
| Of elements the very best, the very wors
/ and all between. There is much Of New
/ York in IL, much Of St. Louis and Chicago
/ and = good deal that is original and local
/ born Of wide separation from the centres o
/ our best social civilization; Of the DONNA
/ ting materials and mascuiin sm Of all lif,
I here; Of comparative lack Of homes anC
I families and their influences. There sr'
/ probably more bachelors, great lusty Eel
| lows, who ought 10 be ashamed Of them
selves, living in hotels or in "lodgings," in
this town, than in any place Of ITS size IL
/ the wcrld- There Is o want Of femlninlty
| spirituality in the current tone of the place
lack Of reverence for wOmea fewer women
70 reverence. THAI our eastern towns are
accustomed 70. You hear more than is
pleasant Of private scandals; Of the vanity
and weakness Of women Of the inhdeligy
Of wivss. sit Is the cussedest place for
women," said an observant Yankee citizen,
some two OF three years from home, aud
not forgetful vet Of mother, sister aud
cousins town Of men and tsverns and
boarding houses and saloons
All which is not only natural but inevi-
table; IN all new countries, where the trst
tight is for life, and wealth, and rough na-
tnre, the masculine quality must ever be
dominant, and the feminIue element must
be Influenced by it, more than they indu-
ence Is in turn. The senses rule the spirit.
All civilization, sil progress tends 20 the
-. g 81 -4v.ev al fu.
nature and in life contrast the countries,
and We see it creeping in everywhere, in
men aud women alike, in RELIGION, in intel
lectual culture, in art, IN social intercourse.
softening, refining, hallowing the atmos-
phere Of sll modern life-p.ctures. Women,
who possess ana represent this blossom Of
our civilization, are BY no means wanting
here-no more perfect specimens have 1
ever met anywhere; tender, tasteful, true,
and gaining in sggI egate influence over
society day by day; but yet not to-day
representing or making what is called $50
cietv."
The ladies generally dress in good taste
Paris is really as near San Francisco as New
York, and there are many foreign families
here. But the styles are net 50 subdued az
in our eastern cities a higher or rather
louder tone prevails rich, full colors and
sual u fuulIa1l5 tue EAlElAluE eAtEA1 luAL
the Partisan demimonde seeks-these are
seen dominstiug here. In costliness Of cos
tune, too, there is apparent rivalry among
the San Francisco ladies.
In affars Of public moral', and education
and religion, there IS much sctivity in San
Francis o, AID healthy progress in the
right direction is constantly visible. The
New England elements are clearly domi
usnt here aud through the whole Pacific
coast region sOitened from their old Puri
tanic habits. marrying themseives to tbs
ireer aud more sensuOus life new country
with a cosmopolitan population, but still
preserving their bess qualities Of decency,
of order, Of Justice, Of constant progress up
ward in morality snd virtue. The "Pikes"
we're the first people all over this country
emigrants from Mi souri,, to which agqin
they had been emigrants from the Southern
States-and, joined to some direct importa-
tons from the home Of the ehiyalry, they
gave tone 10 the society, and Law, or rather
want Of law. 70 the government Of city and
State. And the Vigilance COMMITTEES revo-
luton Of ten years agO--a mob in the inter
est Of justice, and order and mOranty-in-
augursted a new era. That was the North
against the South the clash Of their civil
Izations-and the North, seizing the instru-
Of violence, Sc and destroyed
violence itself. Since then, there has been
a stesdy, though struggling, aud sometimes
hesitatiug, improvement iu the character
Of all the lie Of city and COST.
Ambition aud pride in the things that
are respectable and proper are singularly
prominent; and men contribute lavishly 70
build fine school houses and support church
es, whose lives are not especi ny controlled
by the influences that school houses aud
churches create. The gamblers give way
graciously 70 the progress toward deceRcy
and respectabilIty, and join in outward OBJ
seryauce of the Sabbath, help 10 build
churches, and maze orderly the street
life Of the town. Il is very interest
ing to watch the various stages Of this pro-
gress upward, from the new mining town
Of one or two years life, up to San T anciscO
and Portland, which are the fullest flower
Of Pscihc civilization. The order and de-
corum of the streets Of these two cities are
as perfect as those Of Boston; the San Fran
cisco police system Is admirable. and q Wo-
man may walk the streets Of this city in
the evening, with less danger Of insult and
annoyance than in those Of Springfield,
even.
Money is lnvished even on the school
houses, which are the most stately and ele-
CANT buildings IL town, and the schools
themselves have all the "mOiern improve
ments,' good ant bad. There is special
life in the churches; the Sabbath is certain
ly as well observed as in New York; the
are lsrge day and evening;
the Sunday schools even beast Of a larger at
tendance, in proportion TO population, thsn
those Of any other city in the country; new
church edifices are constantly going up; and
o. your eastern parishes have reason 10
know, there IS an eager seeking Of the
broadest and best pulpit talent to On them.
The demand seems TO be for smart. effect
i've orators, as well as holy men; AID the
churches are not easily pleased.