The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-04-25
The Last Man of Mexican Camp.

of the Sierras. II you had stood near the
flag pole in the centre of the camp, on
which the stars and stripes were raised or
lowered on the arrival or departure of the
mustang express, the only regular thread
connecting the camp with the outer world,
and looked intentlv west. YOU might have
seen. on A dav of singular clearness. be-
VOnd some newborn cities. the flash OF
the Pacific in the sun. At Your back
mountains black with pine and cedar,
then bold and gray with granite, hasalt
and cinder then white with everlasting
snow, had made YOU feel strong and Sc
cure of intrusion in the rear. Close about
YOU. on the hillsidps and in the gulch.
YOU would have seen trees lifting their
limbs above the heads Of thousands Of
men who knew for The time no other shell
tering; while at Your feet in the gulch,
and as far down AS the eve conld follow
it, the little muddy stream struggled on
through little fleets OF tin and iron pans,
great Mexican wooden bowls and through
cradles. tarnS and Sluices You had seen
long GRAY lines of Mexican mules string
ing around the mountain. winding into
the camps with their heavy burdens. and
heard the shouts, Spiced thick with olth~
OF the tawny packers. lOu had heard
the sound Of the hammer ana aX on every
hand for new city had been born, a> ii
We're the night before. and this was it~
first struggle, cry, and reaching OF unccr-
tain hand. All day, on either side the
stream sat wall Of mon washing tor
gold. The Mexican and the American
were side by side that had been breast 10
breast at Monleray the lawyer wrought
beside his client the porter found h~
strong arms made him the superior here
to the dainty gentleman to whose wants
he had once ministered
Ihtt WAS democracy pare and simple.
Life, energy, earneslnesS That was the
beginning OF ii race IN life il which All
had An even start What an impulse il
was Il inspired the most sluggish. 1t
thrilled the most it, different dignitird and
ennohled the ha~est soul that was there
Mexican Camp has persisted. but It mas
lett lis lesson, a verdict clear and nnqu4i-
flied in favor of the absolute equality of
men, without any recommendation ot
mercy To masters.
Each man, peer or peon. had Ms six
feet of ground. That was made the law
n miners meeting held aruund the
flag staff The day il was raised; at which
kangaroo Brown presided with uncom-
mon dignity, considering his long term Of
service At sydney, not To mention the
many Indiscretions laid 10 hi, charge hr-
fore leaving hj- native country. al h~
country's expense for his country GOOD.
II WAS at first passed that a miner should
hold i've feet only. but Yankee. who
had an uncommonly rich claim. moved =
reconsideration, and without waiting To
get second, made speech and pnt his
motion. Boys 90 YOU Il foot better
Blast Y, lets give fellow enough to
bury in. anyhow All those thar -4v siy
teet make ii manifest by saving H.
There was chorus The Is have ii.
and six feet is The law and now tip
clare this meeting adjourned sid, dle:"
and the conyic' chairman descended from
the pine stump. where he stood in his
shirt sleeves, took up his pick and pan.
and divested Of his authority OF an nour.
entered hi. claim and bent his back 10 hi>
toll, as did the thousands Of men around
him.
As a truthful chronicler. am bound TO
say that sunday never did n4ucl for the
miner on the Pacific The fault. Of course.
was the mode Of it, Observance But
,here is a promise. The old order OF
tHIH-N - passing away inONl Ol iDt OIt
miners, too,-let this be said with rrvel.
ence-haye passed away with their camps
On thtt daI ~ it was. a. a rule all went
10 town, and the streets became \ sea of
bearded men. Not 4 boy. NOT a womon
in sight On that fay was pern.trafAJ
nine-tcnth- Of the crimes. Provision. III
the week were bouohf oold dust soId -.
sent away bv express to the denandent
ones AT home. ana then fine miner gavr
himself up TO the only diversions tbn
country appeared to him TO atford-cards
and intoxication. The men Of the Pacific
were ORIGINALLY a necpliarlv grand hoI,,
of heroes The weak ot n4rva na,-n,.
started, and the weak Of hodv 3ind Il,
the Journey there. and the resnIt was
selection of men miohtv for oood or OWL
They were unlike ali other men For
annie the noisy bordar rnt4i,ns f ia
NissisSpp bsr-room or western trontin,.
has no counterpart in California Tba
desperate of the Pacific disdainc ,vords
A half dozen Germans ar Irish win ,,,.l-,
more commotion over th. nrica nj ], ,,la.s
than will a Damn ot TaI;c,,,;ars Z?
misunderstanding that ends in ,c n,.p1
deaths
.Are Won bpa1ed . tbar drou- .on,o.
Ouick az thouoht ana nnlaoS q sha,.,, I'D,
alive j. thrown in ar.inst +ba nna.+;
shot after shot follows till some ono falls
Shootists of the Pacific alec h.ro th,;r
rules of etiouette In the face of a tbn,,
sand pictures and notifications to the can
trarv. | protest that they raralv c,r,.p ~
shooters except when travelling and that
il is considered in as had tasta - 1,ai,t.
A Distol as TO enter . ladv,s ns,lo,. ,,r,a,
mo spurs. A man who wars :, siy.shont
or and bowie knife nuhIisbes h;msalfa
verdant IMMIGRANT and i das,,;sad tos
his display. Nor is The desnerado If tba
Pacific the bearded uncontb rntfsan ha !
represented. He is in fact neitber lord |
in dress or manner hut is n.rt;.i 70
French boots. patronizes the .hsrhar hos @
even been known to wear Iid gInras
and is in outward annaarsnc.. 1antIo
man.
Mexican Camp flourisbed like na,n