Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1880-02-13
CALIFORNIA LETTER.

passed an exciting State election, with
three GubernatOrial candidates in the field.
Farmer Glenn, Irishman White, and
Merchant Perkins, contested for the prize.
While I cast my vote for the farmer, the
merchant won the race, and honestly be
lieve the choice was good one-that the
best man Won. The Republicans have
control of the State, and we look to them
for a iudieious send off, of the new cOnsti-
tuition ship. They are reitting her with
new crew and candidates are plenty and
clamOrous. She was started amidst hllari-
". The inaugural ball eclipsed all pre-
viOus efforts in grandeur. Amusements
and politics do not go well together, as the
lines of "high toned" society are not de-
fined within the limits of particular po-
litieal creed, yet this State Ball. was
voted decided success. The cOstuming
of the ladies was particularly brilliant
Simplicity was, however, seen in the sur
rOundings and said to be one of the strik-
ing features Of the occasion. Tickets were
ten dollars each; which moderate simple
ity had the desired effect Of keeping out
the Republican rabble who had aided with
their ballots. The common horde are al
ways appreciated until their votes are de-
posted, then they are forgotten
luAE ID du dEC VI 410D4Ao We AdfO
passed several, and others come stalking
before us. The Kearney boom deserves
onlv a passing notice. That imposition
has had his day-we have sat down on
him. He is now in the east attempting to
resurrect a buried reputation of the past.
From out the dark waters into the
Golden Gate, came the Grant boom.
And Oh how we toadied, could you have
but seen with what meekness Californians
were led to the object of worship. The
smoke of the incoming steamer scarcely
heralded his approach, before the bay was
alive with every conceivable kind of
craft, loaded with humanity, plunging
along to meet the incoming Wanderer.
The roar of cannon, the ringing of bells,
brought the people to the house tops, and
SUBMITS of the surrounding hills. Care
fully the steamer felt her way to the wharf,
then came the crash. Foolish humanity
jostled and crowded, just for one glance,
and tTice happy was he, who could but
press the palm of the silent statue passing
before them. Never did the affected Lep-
er desire with greater eagerness to but
touch the hem Of the garments of Jesus
and be made whole. Never did the sub
iects of an absolute monarch, fawn and
wheedle, and cTinge in a more servile
manner, than Americans do before this
man. We sent him to Oregon and the
"Web Feet" fell on their knees in adora-
ton We drove him to Yosemite, and the
gaping crowds fell PROSTATE before him.
For month all else was swallowed up
in Grant
Grant should hold a warm place in
every American heart, for services render
ed; but 1 believe it is unbecoming an
American citizen, to adore him as a God.
We dead-headed him east, also, where you
can take the second slice and reverently
bow the head.
Stagnation times have passed, and Cali
forDia seems to awaken from its dull sleep
and start forth with renewed prosperity.
Business ventures still lie apparently dor
mant, but the summing up of last years
agricultural productions, favor heavy
crop, and prices ruling high, placing a
balance in our favor of grain exported, at
twenty millions of dollars, far exceeding
any other year, and a vast surplus yet on
hand. Wool, hides and leather are by no
means small item in our exports, while
the production Of wine is an industry
largely on the increase. Two million gal
Ions Of domestic wine, were sent by sea
and rail out of the State The soil and
NlAAlAdbO VI tAiC SAOdbCI part VI OdlllOIlfd Is
adopted to the raising of the grape, and
with due care the crop never fails. The
Pacific slope supplies largely the treasure
of the world. To her mines may be attri-
buted the advancement we have made
and the rank we have taken in the galaxy
of States. From the discovery of gold
our progress began. 1t was this that in
duced emigration. It was this that peo-
pied our State with muscle Gold brought
US a surplus of population and forced the
adventures to populate the hills and val
leys, and bring forth her agricultural
treasures Men turned their thoughts to-
ward the legitimate channels of trade
Commerce was established. Internal i'm
proyements multiplied until now we are
more than self sustaining, and can show
large balance on the export side of the
sheet. What hurried US to this result
Nothing else, but the cravings of man.
kind seeking the Golden Fleece" This
abundant harvest, and the foreign demand
has come in good season. For the past
two years our prosperity has been some
what checked. We have struggled against
an ebb tide which seemed to threaten
every industry, and many have been fnan-
cialIy wrecked. Idle men, big chested,
muscular fellows have been tramping up
and down, vacillating from town to town
and state to state. We have some queer
specimens of the Genus Homo" on this
coast Darwin's theory seems to be veri-
fed, only the man don't commence with
the monkey, but seems to end there. At
Ashtabula we used to think the woods of
of Denmark turned out man in his primi-
tive state, and they did look rather origi-
nal, but on these hills of California he
roams in all his first innocence, shut out
from society and the world, he knows no
law, fears no God, loves no country, or
humanity, desires no fellowship with
mankind. Ignorance to him is bliss; the
very pog, his only companion, rivals him
in intelligence. We draw little nearer
the border of civilization, and some pre-
tentions are made to initiate deeeneY, but
the broth is spoiled, by the seasoning
thrown in. AT town a short distance
from here, a Sunday school is established.
But it is ''Satan rebuking SIM The
Superintendent needs the attention of
Murphy, and would like to see the blue
ribbon dangling from his buttonhole be-
fore l shall have faith. His male CO
workers need being "born again" The
children are innocent, and the female ell
ement may yet bring some good out of
the undertaking. Masonry has there es-
tablished a lodge, differed by intemper
perate, profane, gambling men, with mem
bers low in the scale of morality. AsI
have passed through several degrees in
this sublime order, know its teachings
countenancen no immortality, and it grieves
me TO see this loved Institution in the
hands of such citizens. No one here
knows me as a mason, as l would be
ashamed to sit in open lodge with such
men, much less would l extend the hand
and call them brothers. OddfelloWship
out ranks the Masons in numbers in this |
State, and it is numbers, not principles,
they seem to care for. There is also a |
lodge Of this order not far from here. I |
am acquainted with the social status of |
most of its members, and were they turn |
ed loose in your town firearms and locks |
would be inspected, saloons would flour |
ish. California Masonry needs purifying, |
but California Odd Fellows is past re- |
demption.
The winter we are now passing through |
is a mystery, even to the oldest inhabitant. |
We have had rain in abundance and it has
been distributed at intervals when needed. |
Farmers have taken advantage, and the
ground is being prepared for an extended
of grain, but the frost has been a
check to all vegetation, and will no doubt
do much harm to fruit trees, especially