Recollections and Opinions of an Old Pioneer
By: By Peter H. Burnett ...
Publisher: D. Appleton & Company
Published: 1880
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 448
Subjects: Law and politics -- California; Mines and mineral resources -- California; Business -- California; California -- History; Pacific States -- History
Description: Peter Hardeman Burnett (1807-1895) spent his early years in Tennessee and Missouri, serving as a district attorney in the latter state. In 1843 he joined an emigrant party bound for Oregon, where he became a prominent and controversial lawyer, judge, and politician in the new territory. In 1848, he went to California in search of gold and soon became a business and political leader of that territory. Recollections and opinions of an old pioneer (1880) contains Burnett's recollections of his early life in Missouri, his career in Oregon, and his decision to join a wagon train to California in the summer of 1848. There he seeks gold for six months before resuming the practice of law and the pursuit of politics. Elected a judge in August and governor in December 1849, Burnett turned to the practice of law in the 1850s and the business of banking in the 1860s. He touches on his various professional pursuits and his home life in Sacramento.
Notes: Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site.
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Table of contents: label: CHAPTER I
title: Ancestry : The Burnets — The Hardemans Removals : To the Farm — To Missouri Mode of Living — Manners and Customs Bee-Hunt — Fisticuff Fights — Lazy Bill Prairies — Their Origin, Return to Tennessee — Employed as Cleric in an Hotel Samuel Houston — Newton Cannon — Andrew Martin — David Crockett — Adam Huntsman W B Peck — John Y Cockram — Peter Minner Courtship and Marriage.  Purchase of the Store — Death of a Burglar Return to Missouri — Crockett and Huntsman
pagenum: 1; label: CHAPTER II
title: Act as Clerk for a Time — Then go into the Mercantile Business with Others Return to the Law — Employed by the Mormon Elders — Proceedings on Habeas Corpus Oration by Sidney Rigdon — Sermon by Joseph Smith, Jr — Battle between the Danites and Captain Bogard. Militia ordered out — Surrender of the Mormons Prisoners brought before Judge King — Joseph Smith, Jr — Lyman Wight — Sidney Rigdon Appointed District Attorney — Qualifications of a Good Lawyer — Laborious Practice Difficulty of administering Criminal Justice — A Noted Criminal — An Able and Upright Judge Case of Whittle — Judge Austin A King Characteristics of Lawyers — Nature of Legal Investigations — Difficulty of Simplifying the Law — Causes of Infidelity among Lawyers Political Views Remarks on Dueling Join the Disciples — Art of Governing Children
pagenum: 43; label: CHAPTER III
title: Determine to go to Oregon — Arrive at the Rendezvous — Remarks on the Nature of the Trip Start from the Rendezvous — Kill our First Buffalo — Kill our First Antelope — Description of the Antelope Cross to the Great Valley of the Platte — Buffalo Hunt — Description of that Animal Cross the South Fork — Arrive at Fort Laramie — Cheyenne Chief — Cross the North Fork — Deaths of Paine and Stevenson — Cross Green River — Arrive at Fort Hall Leave Fort Hall — Sage-Brush Lands — Salmon Falls — The Spear of the Indian Fisherman — Cross Snake River — Kill a Large Salmon Boiling Spring — Fort Boise — Burnt River — The Lone Pine — The Grande Ronde — The Blue Mountains — Arrive at Dr Whitman's Mission — Arrive at Walla Walla Descend the River to the Dalles — Leave my Family there — Go to Vancouver and Return — Governor Fremont Go with my Family to Vancouver — Indian Tradition — The Town of Linnton Purchase a Claim — Climate and Scenery of Oregon — Number of our Immigrants — Assistance rendered our Immigration, Dr John McLoughlin — James Douglas — Policy of the Hudson's Bay Company in its Inter- course with the Indians
pagenum: 97; label: CHAPTER IV
title: Rocky Mountain Trappers — Their Peculiar Character — Black Harris — Joseph L Meek — O. Russell — Robert Newell. The Provisional Government. Condition of the People — Hardships endured by the Early Settlers. Become a Catholic — My General Rule as to Charges against Me. Misstatements of W H Gray The Question whether there were any Constitutional Provisions in the Laws of 1843 considered. The Legislative Committee of 1844— Mistakes of W. H. Gray
pagenum: 154; label: CHAPTER V
title: The Act in regard to Slavery and Free Negroes and Mulattoes — Misrepresentations of W. H. Gray.  W. H. Gray — Criticism upon the History of Oregon.  Elected Judge of the Supreme Court — Strange Resolution — Jesse Applegate.  The Act to Prohibit the Introduction, Manufacture, Sale and Barter of Ardent Spirit.s Treaty of June 15, 1846— Policy of the Hudson's Bay Company — H. A. G. Lee — Indian Character. Massacre of Dr. Whitman and Others — Indian War — Its Result
pagenum: 212; label: CHAPTER VI
title: Discovery of Gold in California — Determine to go to the Mines — Organize a Wagon-Party Off for California — Incidents of the Trip. Overtake Peter Lassen and his Party — Arrival in the Sacramento Valley Arrive at the House of Peter Lassen — Origin of the Term "Prospecting" — Arrival in the Mines — Mining. The Donner Party. A Lonely Grave — Death of David Ray— John C McPherson
pagenum: 252; label: CHAPTER VII
title: Leave the Mines — Arrive at Sutter's Fort — Become the Agent of John A. Sutter, Jr — Captain John A Sutter — Discovery of Gold. Selling Lots in Sacramento — Necessity of some Governmental Organization — Public Meeting at Sacramento City. Rivalry between Sacramento and Sutterville — Journey to San Francisco — Wonderful Coincidences — State of Society. Sailing Ships arrive with Gold-Seekers — Their Speculative Character — Gold-Washing Machines — Climate of San Francisco. Unsatisfactory Condition of the Government of the District of San Francisco. Communication to the "Alta California" — Failure of the Attempt to hold a Convention to frame a Provisional Government
pagenum: 286; label: CHAPTER VIII
title: Return to Sacramento — Some a Second Time to San Francisco — Become a Member of the Legislative Assembly — Extracts from the Address of that Body to the People of California — Extracts from General Riley's Proclamation — Address of the Committee of Five.  Extracts from my Second Communication to the "Alta California" — Grounds of General Riley's Views as to the Right of the People of California to organize a Provisional Government — Grounds of those who claimed that Right — The Controversy most fortunate for California — All Thnings happily tended to produce the Main Result desired by all — Return to Sacramento City — Its Rapid Improvement — James S Thomas Appointed to a Seat in the Superior Tribunal — Sickness of one of my Daughters — Remove to San Jose — Administration of Justice in California during 1849 — State of Society — The Quack. Visit Monterey — Announce Myself a Candidate for Governor — Elected — Inaugural Address. The Chinese — Reasons for their Exclusion — The Burlingame Treaty
pagenum: 319; label: CHAPTER IX
title: General Riley — Judge Thomas — Variable Prices — Monopolies. Agricultural Character of the State — Native Grasses Annual, not Perennial — Native Clover. The Squirrels of California — Their Peculiar Characteristics — Speculative Character of our Farmers — Uncertainty of Wealth in this State — Incidents. Incredulity of the People East as to the True Facts in regard to California — Scurvy — Admission of California into the Union — Stage-Race — Cholera. Extracts from my Second Annual Message — Resignation of the Office of Governor. Resume the Practice of the Law — Death of Judge Jones — Passengers of the Margaret — A Faithful Son. Defective Administration of Criminal Law in California — Illustrations — Pay the last of my Old Debts. Great Fire in Sacramento City — Assist in re- building the City — Rancho of Samuel Norris — Coursing the Jack-Rabbit. The Vigilance Committee of 1856— My First Voyage at Sea — Incidents
pagenum: 359; label: CHAPTER X
title: Appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court — Painful Incident — Anticipated our Civil War — My Views upon that Subject. Determine to engage in Banking — Elected President of the Pacific Accumulation Loan Company — The Institution put in Practical Operation — Difficulties in our Way — Change the Name to "Pacific Bank." Wild Banks — Speculative Character of our People — Incident. Merchants and other Business Men often secretly engage in Stock-Speculations — Illustrative Cases of Speculation — Failures sometimes falsely attributed to Speculation in Mining Stocks. True Rule as to Bank Contributions — Banking a Trying Business — The Infallible Banker — Five Main Points to consider in making Loans — Devices to obtain Credit. A Good Banker may often save his Customers from Losses against their Will — Incidents of the Suspension of certain Banks in 1875 — Difficulty of obtaining Faithful Employees. Extreme Wealth not the Happiest Condition in Life — Reasons for this Conclusion. Wives should be consulted about all Important Affairs — Daughters should be taught a Knowledge of Business — Conclusion
pagenum: 404