The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1871-02-02
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
BY DR.. c. eightOu OF Sinking
Springs.
CONCLUDED I

acquainted with a Chinaman of rare
learning and intelligence. He was
the owner and manager of a large
laundry establishment. He could
converse in, and read English per-
fectly-had an extensive knowledge
of histOry-knew all about the Bible
and could quote it readily-was ac-
quainted with the writings Of Emer.
soR and Carlyle, and great in meta
physics and philosophy in general
1t seemed to please him very much
for me to visit him and talk, and my
little. smattering of oriental history
and philosophy delighted him ex.
ceedingly.
Either my limited knowledge of
such things is rare, or he was an
adebt in fattery-for he paid me many
fine compliments on my vast acquire
ments in that line. 1t was a rich treat
to hear him expatiate on the maxims
of confucius and the doctrines of
Buddha and Brahmin. Years ago
had formed the opinion that Brah-
minism embodied within itself more
granduer and sublimity than any
other philosophy could lay claim to,
and the exposition of i by this swar-
thy oriental lent to it a new charm
and beauty that confirmed my opin-
ion.
Any suggestion to this Chinaman
as to the probability of his conversion
to Christianity was treated with con-
tempt-and with every evidence of pro
found disgust. On occasions like
this l always think it fitting, as one
of the representatives of Christian
Civilization, that 1 should take up
the cudgels in its behalf. Now 1 sup
pose l would hardly be considered a
very proper champion of Christianity
neither could it reasonably be ex-
pected that the Lord would lend
much aid or greatly prosper any
efforts I might make in that line
though if he did, it was a signal fail
ure, for this "benighted heather"
demolished all my logic in short order.
There is one argument that would
seem to be conclusive, and which Mr..
! ChiDaman is not slow to use-that is,
"you Christians claim that the su-
/ perior excellence of your religion is
exhibited in the moral status of the
nations protesting it. Now it is ad-
mitted that the emigration from my
country is from the lowest social
order there, yet in respect to morals
we challenge comparison" AT this
stage of the argument, if we Chris
tians are sharp, (and "wo think we
is'D we will find other business to
attend TO and close the discussion.
California has some serious draw
backs. Among the worst of them
might be cassed Mexican land grants
and whisky-or rather whisky and
Mexican land grants, for as an evil
whisky no doubt should have the
precedence here as well as in any
other part of the world. An Ohioar
especially one from Sinking Springs
could have no conception of the enor
nous amount of whisky consumed
here. 1t seems to be their only bev
erage. I am told and have no doubt
of its truth, that there are men here
that never take drink of water fol
months. I am inclined to think thai
the story of the old Californian-wher
on a visit to New England, Will,
eulogizing his State Gts fine climate
&e.) being asked what kind of water
they had there, expressed regret tha
be was unable to inform them that ht
had forgot to try twas no joke
ANY town the size of Sinking Spring
has at least five or six drinking sa
looms in it, and it is the best business
for making money in the State. Cal
ifornia will never have any perma
nent prosperity until there is som,
reformation in this respect.
Mexican Gland grants" are a terri
BILE bane to the State. There is no
an acre of good land in the State tha
is not covered by a real or pretended
land grant. Even if they are fraudu
lent, a man that purchases them buy
with it a lawsuit. No man feel
secure in possession of his poperty
on account of defective titles. Their
are instances of men who have bOugh
their lands over five or six times, ant
it is still in litigation.
You probably remember that it wa
always favorite doctrine of mine
) that labor, rightly estimated, shoul'
be considered a curse, and that tn
! lazy man was the only one that had
right to expect the smiles and favor
of Providence. That doctrine
= strikingIY verified in the history Q
f California. In the early emigration
t here, any man of the least energy an
=, ambition went to the mines, wher
there was every prospect of making
! fortune. They underwent. great pi
i vations and performed immense labor
r and to-day they are the poorest me
~ in the State. At the same time FEY
: thriftless "cusses"-men too lazy t
: work-"squatted" around the valley
and among the sand-hills - doin
8 what was called branching whic
business consists in raising scragg