The Placer herald., 1870-05-14
SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent

DAN FhANClSCo, May otu.
A CHARITABLE CONVENTION.
The excursion season has opened with the advent
of some fifty eastern clergymen, who forgett ng
the spiritual needs of their own focks, kindly en-
dure the dangers and iatigues of long journey
in Pullman Palace cars in order to emil ghten our
souls and and Tighten our poo ckets. The ~imme-
date object OF their visit is TO express sympathy
for the Feje Islanders, malalar negroes and the
Celestial abiders in our midst the idea of taking
nice Spring holiday. seeing the golden land
and visiting the many natural wonders of the
State was merely an aiterthought perhaps, to he
carried out when business asdisposed Of But
having come such long way it would be a pity
to go back without making short excursion to
the various points of Interest," so our friends will
get through their onerous duties this week and
devote the remainder of the month to -recupera-
ting their exhausted energes:-
The meetings opened on Sunday and were in
tensely interesting. California. it appears, abb
sor,s the whole time Of three-Si590 missionaries
! and is still in such desperate depravity that it
will require at least two more to do us justice.
AS TO the small practical results hitherto achev-
ed it is not for US to fnd fault; duty consists
in providing the monetary wherewithal and
Fastening our own conversion by liberal dona-
tions Of filthy ucre. Perhaps the most affecting
appeal was that made by the Rev. I. I. Irving.
We ought, he said, "to feel real love for the
Chinaman and negro, and considerft d privile ;e
to have them with us. He had raised his own
church from an original somniferoas- condition
by infusng this idea of brotherhood with the
congregation. During the last sixteen years his
So iely had expended over S66, 900 on California
alone and he hoped we would return the liberal
ity by making him q present of some OF the gold
and silver bricks he had heard so much Of
What he and his associates had done was
worth repayng hundred fold, and the sooner
we commenced squaring accounts The better it
would be for our bodies in this world and souls
| in the next" This nonsense, interspersed with
anecdotes of pious babies who sold their candy
| TO contribute to Chinese missions has been going
| on all the week, and is not-yct over Two
| blocks from where these gentlemen meet is a
somew hat notorious locality, known now all over
| the United States as the Barbary Coast. Within
its precincts may be found men and women of
our own nationality language and kindred, poor
creatures stepped in misfortune, misery, disease
and vice. our brothers and our sisters who W ith
stood not the temptation but entered into evil.
| Have these reverend gentlemen one word of
encouragement, one sentence of sympathy, one
dollar of practical assistance to offer them!
| Neither The one nor the other. Vice present is
hideous, vice afar off and clothed in a colored
skin is to be wcpt over and deplored 1t would
| o,l, li.apc
of Pacific street it would sally carefully
| guarded respectabiliy to be seen talking com
| Portable, cheering words TO an open sinner
denun" ation for them, dollars for the heathcn,
rebuke for the present, tracts, bibles and coin
for those afar off, and--I wonder if such is the
kingdom OF Heaven? But to return to pleas
apter subject: On Saturday last San Francisco
had one OF the prettiest gatherings seen for a
| long time. About seven thousand school girls,
assembled at Woodward S Gardens to celebrate
ia traditional manner. The little did not ap.
pear to enjoy themselves over much. The day
was cold, windy and dsagrceable, the grounds
too crowded for walking or dancing. Many a
pretty face was vexed at crushed dresses and
spoiled fnery. Little sisters would wander
away from big ones and get lost; boys could not
forcgo their ancient perogativc OF misbehaving
and the forced exclusion of grown up brothers
caused great scarcity of the male element. 1t
was very interesting assembly OF femininity
but il the experiment should ever be-rcpeated it
should be amongst green fields, trees and Aow-
ers, and not in a small sand surrounded inclos
nj. lii ornx 4
extend to six weeks IN order TO allow IN excur-
sion party Of teachers time to visit their Eastern
homes One hundred and fifty leave bere, and
one hundred more will join at Sacramento, and
if any lady or gentleman in the country (con
nected with the school dcpartmen!) would like
to affiliate, they will no doubt be received with
glad weIcoms. ''e"t 4+'''H
Amongst the bills passed BY the late Legisla
ture was one recognizing the San Francisco
as