The Placer herald., 1868-08-29
INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.
FREEPoRT, Aug %, 1868.

FREEpoRr, Aug 23, 1868.
Editor Herald After the adjournment Of
the Congressional Convention which nomi
mated the next Congressman for the ID Dis
trict, | wandered to this lost city of the
plains. The town Of Freeport seems to have
died at the top, its early ambition to become
the rival Of the Capitol City was summariy
nipped in the bud by Crocker & Co. becom'
ing the owners Of the Freeport Railroad,
which institution was to have been the 10,
strument Of building up large and flourish
ing trade at this point. Freeport is naturally
a good location for a town, the banks OF the
river being much higher than at Sacramento,
and " ith a country around il emineDi.Y fer
tile and teeming with every imaginable
vegetable and horticultural product. Free.
port, not without cause, had ambitious views
and longing to become known to the out
side world as a CONNIE. cial point of impor.
tance. But alas
"The best laid schemes of mice and men oft gang
| aglee,'
and in an evil hour the Central Pacific Cos
wound its coils about the Freeport Road and
swallowed it, and with it the hopes of the
embryo city, and to-day the town, like Gold
smiths deserted village. boast only of store
and blacksmith shop-whils numerous dogs
aud children disport themselves in the Agu-
ish atmosphere, prey to melancholy and
mosquitoes.
RIVER RANCHES.
There are a large number of very valuable
ranches on both sides of the Sacramento,
which at this season of the year turns off i'm
mense quantities Of all kinds of fruits and
vegetables. This portion Of tho country can
be styled the garden portion; in very wet
seasons the land overflows and is unfit for
gra n, and in such seasons is planted in sweet
and Irish potatoes, corn, beans, onions, to,
matoes, and fruits Of all kinds which find
ready market at the Bay and in the noun.
tains. Among the prominent farmers of
this section l might mention Mr. John
julien, who owns valuable farm Of several
hundred acres near this place. which he 10
Gated 10 1850 and has seen the wilderness
gradually grow into wealthy and populous
settlement, and Sacramento from few can.
VAS tents to city of fifteen thousand inbabi.
tants. Mr.. Julien is not only good farmer,
but what in the present political state of the
country-or as equally importaut-a good
Democrat and has an abiding faith in the
wisdom and ability of Seymour and Blair
to bring order out Of Chaos and re- establish
the Government upon its constitutional basis.
There are great many very fine farms,
bordering on the river; for thirty miles on
either side of the Sacramento the eye is
feasted upon one grand panorama of trees
and vines, groaning under their crops of
ripeniug fruit, and choaking with all manner
of vegetable life This ia truly like Palestine
Of old, land "howlng with milk and
knr
tenn Of drainage, with secure and trusty
levees to make it one of the wealthiest and
most productive portions Of the State. The
state should vigorously prosecute complete
system Of drainage, and reclaim these valu
able lands and have them turned to some
practical account to itself as well as to the
settler; as it is now, these marshes are only
psstience breeding cess pools. The great
chain Of lakes, or dismal swamps OF the Sac
ranento, which rises near the American and
empties into the Mokelumne floods thou
sands of acres Of the most valuable farming
lands Of the Sacramento valley, or Of the
State, and makes residence anywhere near
il. confines, are fraught with many chances
of premature death. Holland at one time =
vast morass, by judicious system OF dykes.
and the aid Of a perseveriug, industrious
population, has become one of the heathiest
and most prosperous countries in Europe.
The same system might be successfully car.
| ried out hero, and in place Of our pestilence
| breeding marshes, we could have healthy
and beautiful fields yielding their fruits for
the use Of man.
On every side we hear anxious prayers
| f.. ~. e nd (lair Tho
people seem to feel as if the destinies Of the
Republic hung suspended by a single hair,
with the sword of Damoces ready 10 sever
the frail tenure.
Wherever have been, the people are fully
aroused to the great importance of the ap-
preaching contest. They seem to have an
utuitive PERCEPTION that their liberties lay
trembling in the balance, and the sacred du'
ties they owe to their country and posterity
demands Of them, that every effort should be
made to preserve the glorious institutions
handed down by our fathers, and that we
should transmit the blessings Of free gov
ernment to posterity, AS unsullied as when 1t
fell reekpg with human gore from the bands
Of our revolutionary sires.
This is DO personal contest between Sey-
mour and Grant, no tournament to reward
the successful knight for gallantry, but a
Nations fate, and peoples liberties, are
staked upon the issue! 1t is to decide
whether white men must rule America, or
whether its ancient traditions and the policy
of the Government must be handed over TO
negro dictation and control! If the doctrine
of the political and social equality OF all men
is to be incorporated into our political sys-
tenn and become fixed fact of government,
then ours will be the fate of poor unhappy
Mexico and like all those governments which
history has set up as lighthouses upon the
dangerous shores Of MongrsIlsm to warn