Year: 1860




An article appears in the last number Of
the " Hssperian," of which Mrs Day is the
editress, on The necessity Of selling the
Mineral Lands Of California;


The arguments usually assumed 10 advo-
eating such policy. are set forth by the au-
thor-John s. Hittell-and some criticisms
are also INDUCED in. which are derogatory
to the society and mode Of life IN the mines
and calculated to repel any disposition, on
the part Of families especially, to settle in
the mining region. aud thus, as this is the
cardinal interest OF the state. TO iujnre the
credit and prosperity of California.
The author OF the article may mean we'll
enough but it is just such a class of friends
as be belongs to, that once caused an indi'
vidoal to exclaim save me from my
friends"


Here is an extract from Mr.. Hittell's ar
ticle: = There are few women in the mines
and. of these few, a considerable share are
neither maids wives nor widows.n


This statement does not mean enough to
make anybody the wiser for having read il I;
and at the same time its tendency is to i'm.
press strangers with a feeling OF antipsthy
to a residence in the mines, for which there
is no foundation. Whatever. in fact. Mr.. II.
is no doubt M honest, well meaning man.
and has done the very best be can TO adj
vnce correct ideas and add to the literature
Of the state by writing a creditable essay.


But how many people, who have more zeal
than knowledge, are getting their neighbors
into hot water, every day of their lives!-
How mauy people in California. and else
where, are bestirred with a sort Of vague
disposition TO do something great, and in
their humane but abortive attempts TO do it,
annoy people OF sense and mislead the un
informed


The press is free in this country, thank
God but in the absence OF political or lit
erary censorship. editors. addresses and pub.
fishers of newspapers. as they regard the
well being of humanity and the prosperity of
their country. should be careful to bar out
from their prints anything either OF fact or
principle of a doubtfh character.


These silly slurs upon society in the mines
are the common cant, of people who don't
know what they are talking about, and lack
the knowledge of good society sufficiently to
recognize the same. when, perchance, they
are so fortunate as 10 meet with it.


DR.. Cole got out Of his attack on the fe-
male society of California, on a medical
technicality. But IIiitell is plebian
scribe-talks like common folks, and there
is no chance Of mistaking his language.


We have right to speak of 'society in
the mines. We have lived in the mining
region for the last ten years, and have made
those sojourns in other parts of the country
and also in the Atlantic states, that enable
US TO judge, by comparison, and we are COM
PEELED to say, in all sincerity, that society
in the mines, both male and female II intel
ligence. virtue and good breeding, are the
elements OF good society, is as good as it is
any where eise.


We will take one hundred average women
Of the mines, and for beauty. intelligence or
virtue-as chaste maidens, loving wives or
devoted mothers-we will stake them against
any other hundred that can be selected from
any other society in the world.
| And as for the raising of children in the
mines, they can he raised here as we'll as
anywhere else, II the children have parents.
and II they have not---poor creatures, their
lot is sad enough in any country.