The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1868-10-28

The public mind and heart are profoundly
agitaied. II this city :s lost to the republic
ans, God only knows the afilctlous In Store
for our people. While there are many good
men in the democratic party, there can be no
denying that at least one.thlri lts strength
are fellows Of the baser sort--fbrmer rebel
soldiers, copperheads, secessionists, and raf
fans. They are already making threats, and
when they have the power they win not be
slow to carry them into execution. II the
party does win, II viii be owing to the apathy
and aid of wealthy men of Influence; they
have the largest interest at stake. Good gov
ernment is greater desideratum to them
than TO the poorer classes, and II they suffer,
may the punishment prove so terrible as to
cure them forever hereafter Of voting with
those who have no higher ambition than 70
possess the offices and plunge the country
second time into a state Of revolution. ! do
not say this as a partiEan, but as one who has
paid close attention to the signs Of the times,
who knows something of the malignity OF
the eopperhead clement and who cannot for
get Governor Seymour's son speech to the
mob, Blair's reasonable letter which pro-
cured him the democratic nomination, nor
the terrible "vigilante" times of 1856.
The smoke Eclipse.
My last letter gave you an account OF the
smoke or mist eclipse with which for several
days nearly the entire Pacific coast was en-
veloped. No satisfactory reason has yet been
furnished for the existence Of the phenome-
non, but from the accounts received from
Oregon and Washington Territory, IL Is be-
lieved that excessive fires in the forests Of
those regions were the producing cause. The
Olympia TnaHscyips OF Sept 18th, says:
"on Tuesday last, fire arose apparently
two or three miles northeast from town.
which spread with unparalleled rapidlty for
aumoer ire For about an hour people were
led TO believe that a rain storm was approach
ing, but the idea was soon dispelled BIZ an
immense volume Of smoke settling on the
bay and along its shores, finally enveloping
everything, so that by five o'clock in the az
ternoon We were compelled TO light candles
TO see to set type BY. The fire was between
this place and South Bay We do not know
the extent of the damage, but Ii must have
been immense in the destruction OF timber.
The entire county about Claquato Is almost
hidden from view by smoke, and In manv
places the ground is covered with cinders.
till It looks like light fall Of snow. On the
Chehalis il is equally disagreeahle with smoke.
and the fires are causing the farmers much
trouble and anxiety by driving immense num-
bers of wild animals out of the forest into
the open lands along the river, causing great
havoc among their sheep and hogs. As many
as half dozen bears have been seen at one
time in that section. A good soaking rain at
oFx1
of this smoke-enyeloped region
About the same time, timber tract Of
more than fity miles was burning on Van
couver's Island In Victoria, the stores and
other buildings had to be swept i've or six
times day to clear them of ashes.
Our Labor Exchange.
The last report of the Secretary Of this In
stitution furnishes following exhibit Of the
vast benefits it has conferred upon the immi-
grant and floating population, not only of
San Francisco, but Of the entire State. Dur
ing five months commencing with May and
and ending with September, 1t has provided
for seven thousand, one hun
dred and sixty-three persons, classified ss
Americans, ,6O1, Australians, /; Belgians,
Z; Bengalese, 4; Corsicans, /; Danes, "a; Eng
llsh, 60 French, l62, Germans, 746, Irish, &
SOS; Italians, 81; Mexicans, 3; Netherlands.
s.; Norwegians, 81; Poles, "a; Portuguese. 16:
Prussians, II; Russians, 8; Sandwich Island
ers, 2; Scotch, 2l0. Spaniards, 13: Swedes. T3:
Swiss, Il. Total, 7.16S."
No commissions are charged to the appli-
cants for work, which has caused II to bea
great interference with the 'Intelligencen Of
ices, and of course they are bitterly hostile
20 it. Recently the Secretary determined
lpon enlarging the boundaries of its useful
hess, so as to include seafaring men. He
proposed to furnish vessels with picked
'rews- This raised a terrible hubbub among
he runners" sailor clearinghouse keep
re, and "crimps," who have set their heads
ogether and threaten TO resist interference
With their fleeing operations at all hazards.
Nothing intimidAted, the Secretary proceeds
With his labors, and has received assurances
rom the Chief of Police that he will be pro-
ected to every necessary extent in the dis
barge Of his duties Poor "Jack'' will es-
ape the clutches Of most arraut gang of
coundrels If the Secretary (Mr Benuetf3 sue
eeds in his reformatory efforts