The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1851-06-10 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CALIFORNIA.  A correspondent of the Morning Chronicle, writing from San Francisco, gives the following description of the social state of California This country has been the scene of great excitement during the last month, originating in the number of murders, assaults, and robberies that have recently been committed. Highway robbery and " cattle lifting are carried on as " wholesale" and as common as they were in Scotland in the days of Rob Rov. Ranches or farms everywhere are attacked, rifled of all available means, and deprived of their horses and cattle by gangs of robbers. Cut-throats parade the frequented passes watching for their prey ; and our very cities and towns are plundered right and left. The most cold-blooded murders are of frequent occurrence ; but the day of revenge has arrived. In this and many other parts of the country, immense mob meetings Lave been held to consider the propriety of bringing the accused in all cases to immediate trial, instead of abiding the delay of the law courts, and allowing criminals to go at large on giving bail. The cry is, away with statute and common law—away with corrupt courts and packed juries—down with our filching ' city fathers' and bribed officials, and three cheers for Judge Lynch. In San Jose the capital, and in Sacramento and other places mob law was carried into execu' ion before our houses of legislature and the city officials. The mob compelled the authorities to hand over the accused to be tried by them—juries were chosen, counsel were appointed and the cases tried. If found guilty, sentence is executed within half-an-hour of conviction. If to be hung, the criminal is strung up in the most conspicuous part, where the body is ordered to remain for twenty-four hours, a fearful warning to the assassin and the robber. Here, as iniother places, the mob was led by the leading merchants and most influential citizens, but the city authorities refused to yield to the populace. There was, however, no rash act in consequence. They merely took firm stand to see justice done and speedily exocated, and to watch over the law courts and city authorities with a jealous eye. The demonstrations will do good, though they were only to teach the courts and authorities that life and property must be protected, in order that Lynch-law may be avoided."  With regard to the mines the same writer says :—" The news from the mines has recently been of a very encouraging nature. New mines continue to be discovered, and larger lumps found. One of the last discovered mines was lately sold for 130,000 dollars. On the beds of the rivers and streams the miners are particularly successful. Should the season continue dry, they will be able to work the beds of the river without damming, (which will be a great saving,) to great advantage. A new feature in the business of gold mining has lately been introduced in the shape of dredging machines, which are used on the rivers where the water is too deep to procure the earth from the bottom by other means. Two small steamers have been engaged for a short time past in dredgirg the bed of the Yaba river. The results of the first efforts which were made are reported as quite satisfactory, and have induced others to enter into similar speculations. I understand it is proposed to get up mining companies in England to work the quartz mines of California, and that several large lumps of gold bearing the quartz have been sent home as specimens."  Mr. Halliday, builder, Kirkcudbright, had a swarm of bees from one of his hives, on Monday, the 26th ult. It is said there are 400,000 feathers upon the wing of a silkworm moth. It is said that the London and North-Western Railway have already issued 36,000 tickets for Exhibition visitors for this week. " As