The San Francisco call., 1896-09-10

well that we should pause for few moments
to consider the meaning of all this rejoicing
and reflect upon the events that have made
this grand celebration possible. Less than
half century ago this great State of ours,
empire in itself, was a veritable terra incog-
nita.
But hidden within our silent mountain
Businesses was the yellow metal for which men
even endanger their SOULS and It's discovery
acted as the magieian's wand to transpose this
scene of pastoral beauty to one teeming with
the fevered life of the miner. The news of the
discovery of gold, like electric shock, set the
world afire. Throughout the East the me-
chanic at his bench, the blacksmith at his
anvil, the farmer at his plow, the clerk behind
his desk. the professional man in his Office,
the merchant in his counting-room, all caught
the ''gold fever' and began preparations to
journey to the "New El Dorado"
The men who sat out on that journey either
by the weary way across the trackless prairies
and deserts or by the longer oceanic route
"around the Horn" were no ordinary men. 1t
took more than ordinary courage, pluck and
endurance to enter upon journey to an uu-
known land requiring months for its compile
ton and the facing of untold danger ere it's
consummation. These men were the pick of
the flower and chivalry of the East; men will
ing to endure any hardship and cope with any
difficulties to better their condi tion-not from
sordid desire to accumulate wealth, nor from
love of gain, but from a laudable ambition to
acquire q competency for themselves and
families. There were few impeeunious adven-
turers within their ranks. Each had to be
possessed of sufficient means wherewith to
equip himself for the journey, and for such
equipment no small amount was required.
True it is, as must necessarily have been the
case there was a sprinkliug of adventurers,
gamblers and the outcasts of society among
them-men who lived by preying on their
fellows, and who journeyed to the new gold
fields to ply their unholy calling, but these
were few in number The great mass of the
pioneers as their lives and conduct afterward
demonstrated, were men OF the strictest honor
and integrity.
Never had any State such founders as ours.
As the Pilgrim Fathers, who landed on Plym-
outh Rock, left their impress on the civiliza-
ton of New England-an impress felt until
this day, and probably apparent for all time
so the pioneers founded here a distinctive
Western civilization, which we, their sons and
daughters are determined to perpetuate.
If too much cannot be said in eulogy of our
pioneer fathers, what shall we say of those few
brave women who rather than separate from
husband or family, sharing in the desire to
better their condition, journeyed with them
through barren wilds and trackless deserts to
this fair land? 1.-THE tongue halts for language
in praise of the hardihood and intrepidity OF
our pioneer fathers, it fails entirely in com
mendation of the brave spirit of our pioneer
mothers.
Let us now glance for q moment at the
events that led up to the admission OF the
State of California into the Union. Previous
to the discovery of gold at Coloma in 1S4S,
only a very few Americans had settled in Cal
ifornia These were generally hunters and
| trappers, discharged or deserting sailors, OF
other adventurous spirits who had dr1fted
into this new country simply because it was
new. The semicentennial celebration held re-
Gently of the raising of the Bear flag a Sonoms
| on June ID, 1876, and the raising of the Ameri.
can flag at Monterey on July 2 of the same
year. are fresh in our memory and have done
much to attract attention to the American
spirit of patriotism that prevailed among the
| earliest of California's pioneers. The revolt
of which the raising of the Bear flag was the
| eonsummation was caused by the decree oi
| CAmmander-General Castro that stop must
he put to the immigration of American fami.
| lies and that those already here should be
driven out.
| After gaining considerable strength the
| Bear-fiag movement was dissolved through the
| influence of General Fremont and some of the
naval officers stationed at San Francisco, just
! two DAYS before the raising Of the American
flag at Monterey by Commodore Sloat on July
| z, IS46 Indicating the acclaim with which
that event was hailed by the pioneers Com
modore Montgomery of the sloop- of wal
| Portsmouth. then in San Francisco Bay, wrote
| to Commodore sloat on July IL, four days