Year: 1859

This production, delivered at the Pioneer
Celebration, in San Francisco, is one of tn,
finest efforts ever delivered on an occasion o
the character which called it forth. We
make room for the snbjoined extracts:


The operation of a free government such
as this presents another phase, which is the
opposite of all conceded theories. 1t has
been held as a sound axiom in political phi
iosOphy, that no country can be prosperous
which has for one ofits main resources mines
of precious metal that the very existence o
such mines has demoraliz ng influence upon
the people Even Edward Everett, man
whose name we all delight to honor, once
said: Describe to me country rich In veins
of the precious metals that is traversed by
good roads Inform me of the convenience
of bridres where the Tvers roll over golden
sands. Tell me OF thrifty. prosperous viii
lape of freemen in the miserable districts
where every clod Of earth is kneaded up for
diamonds"


But what is this which we see before us.
seemingly as ii in fulflment of the wrapt
words Of the prophet, who, far through the
distant realms of the future, looked forward
to a millenial age: The valleys have been
exalted, and the mountains have been brought
Tow" in cleaning precious gold from the
bosom of the earth. Yet with each success
sive year we have knitted more strongly the
Elnews of our moral, social, political and re-
iigious strength, and established the great
truth that it must be something more than
this that can retard or impair the growth of
this young son Of the giant American liberty.
whose home is built in the heart of this great
continent. Those grand old forest monarchs.
that on our mountain tops have for thirty
centuries Laughed at the storm :" these that
were strong and thrifty saplings when Solo
mon builded the temple at Jerusalem; when
The ships Of Tarshsh, the fleet which Jehosa-
phat had fitted out to bring golden stores
from the land Of Ophir were wrecked at
Ezion Geber; these, through whose lofty
branches the breezes of Heaven had for a
whole chiliad of years harped old majestic
anthems to the Most High; when, in the
hanger at Bethlehem, the new born Saviour
lay and the wise men bowed in alteration
before him; these are typical of the endurir o
stability and glory which awaits this Young
State, with her free system of government. if
her people are true to themselves.





Gentlemen of the Society of California Pio-
neers, you, and they who came with YOU.
have been the founders Of this great empire
of civilization and refinement upon this re-
mote Pacific coast-you have been the custo.
dians of its welfare; you are the authorized
custodians OF its future history. | entreat of
you to devote your best eXertions to the fra.
ternization and perpetuation Of the existence
of this noble organization. Make it your
pride to preserve it and to give il strength
and vitality while it is made up of Pioneers
and after it shall have passed into the control
of your children, who are to become your sue.
cessors. 1t is a monument that adds lustre TO
the name of Pioneer, it should become valu-
able beyond price to those who are to follow
in your footsteps. IL is yours by right. to
maintain this distinctive social organization
1t is an honor which you have proudly earn.
ed; it is duty that you owe to yourselves
to cherish and preserve that honor which is
conferred in the distinctive appellation of
California Pioneer.


Estimated by the fruits which have sprung
from the seed thus sown, and which are TO
grow up in the future, it is a higher nobler
prouder title than can be claimed by either
of the despots who have recently been in
strumental in wetting the fair fields ofSouth
ern Europe with rivers Of human blood
Your triumphs far outshine the terrible vic
tories of Montebelo, Magenta or Solferino
Look around you, and tell me what glory
Napoleon has gained with his nvincble hosts
upon the plains of LOmbardy, that can COM
pare with that glory which has fallen upon
your brows as the founders of this great re-
publican State You have built up, whilst
he has destroyed. You have caused the
wilderness to bud and blossom like the rose,
he has turned garden of civilization into a
wide and weary waste. resting under the de-
vastating ban which follows in the train of
Fearful war; The fruits of his victories are
seen in the moudering heaps of dead, hos
pitfalls filled with the manned and wounded.
and the thousands Of Weeping widowed wives
and mothers who mourn and will not be com
forted, because of the afflicton which has
been visited upon them. The fruits of your
peaceful victory are fertile fields, smiling
homes, happy households, prosperous towns
and cities, and the endowment of more than
halt million Of free people with prosperity
and happiness Which 6f y0u would ex-
change your glory for hisS Well may you
eXclaim, as you point to these triumphs,
"Peace hath her victories NO less renowned
than those of war"


Pioneers, your work is not yet done There
lies spread out before you the pleasing task
of aiding in the elevation and advancement
ofsociety, of fixing a pure and lofty code of
morals which should tend to make us honor
ed and respected throughout the world for
all time to come. Go on in the performance
of this portion of the task which you assumed
when you first tufhed your steps hitherward,
displaying the same energy and fixedness of
purpose which has thus far characterz ed
your endeavors, and you may fall asleep
when the angel of death whispers the dread
summons, in the sweet Consciousness that
generations yet to come will rise up and call
you blessed"