The Wabash Courier, Volume 17, Number 24, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 10 February 1849 — Page 1

xvu.

yoL.

TCBLtSHED EVERY SATURDAY WOR!HJ*G

t, 'U*®opaoacs a

Two Pbr.uns per annum, rf p«W *\,^n J***® months after the receipt of tHefimn«nib«r: T*o S£L«S AVD FIFTY CtNTlif pud wuhvn the ve«r: and TttRf.r. Douuss it payment be delayed until the year ©xpifcw-

No pnp*r diacontirinfld until all arrearages. arc paid, unless at the option of the publisher A failure to notify a discontinuance at the encL u( the year, will foe considered a rt«w engagement.

AnvERTin?*firrs inserted three timeiJt a a re 1 1 in a a re a ^jatinasl.at ..0? rate of 25 cents per M««re. n» IOIB the number of insertions is marked on the minuscripL, when handed in, it will be continued till ordered out, and charged accordingly.

Liberal ileduc'ions will be made for advertising bv the column, half column, or quarter column also, for yearly, half yearly, or quarterly ad^ertaaIns*

KrPostt2« muat be paid to insure attention.

O E

Frnm the Trihnne,

THE HAUNTED HEART. Beside the lulling fountains. Of the olden, better ellme. Reclaimed from it* brief wandering*

Along the shores of Time— Unseen of wirtV, thy spirit dwells, A mystery sublime.

Ott in the pok'en starlight When soft (tews come showering down. And shadows creep, fcith phantom-steps,

Through forests old and brown— I »ee thee rw« beneath the skies With spotless robe and crown.

I know my M»1 is haunted By thlaptttworrrttlre to thine— Iveomes wli«n ail the midnight stars

With plowing splendor shine It coiries, Willi rooming's wavering linht, And lays i» face to mine.

Mine eyelids cannot slumber, In the chilling depth* of night, For near my restless, dreamless couch, \Vitlieye?trunacen!ing light, The lost one steals in iioisclcssly

Ucloreuiy^intins sight!

A heart wtthslghs in wnsted, For the deal may not return The ashes of past hopes are ull

That on Lib's altar burn— ]\ly soul, likea lono mourner, sits Beside its scattered urn. Tlie Spring lus brought its longings

To each liv.ng thing beside, It only urges en my bark Where sluggish waters glide— A fearful stream of mnny wrecks—

A dark and nameless tide."

I seem to hear the sounding Of this dim yet mighty stream, While bright imperishable shapes

At moments round me gleam--I tread the narrow winding shores, Like one wlnm in a dream.

I know these are but shadows Of that Iiife which is to be, When struggling from its bonds of clay

The Spirit rises free. To bathe its plumage in the light Of hiMORI'\UTY. OBIOU:.

nrx vi si i»i»i THIRTY-FIVE. 'Tis wondrous strange how grejt tho change, Since I was in my teens, Than I had beaux and billet do»x,

And joined the gayest tccncaj,. it lover* now have censed toTtw, No way tlicv now contrive To poison, hang or drown thdnselves— ileouus? I'm twenty-tive.

Once, if the night was e'er Sebright, 1 ne'er abroad could roam. Without—"The bliss, the li«nor, Miss,

Of seeing you safe home." But now I go through rain and snow, Pursued and scarce aliveThrough all tho dark, without a spark,

Because I'm twenty-five.

Thvui*d to call, and ask me all About my health so frail. And thought a ride would hep my side

And turn my cheeks less j*lv. Put now, al«s! if I am ill, is one care that I revive. And my pnlqt'heek, in vail may speak,

Because l$i twenty-five

Now, if ride imprswrny aide. I Hi torced to take UieaUigo, Fof that is deemed quitcproper for

A person of my age. And tlien no hand is of«r*d me, To help me out ahvo— Tlwy think Hwont liu# m« now to fa'l,

Because I'm \wentj-five.

Oh d-mr—'tia queer, hat every year, I'm slighted nioremd more For not a beau preteids to show

His head within «r door Nor ride, nor card,,»or soft address. My spirits now rtvive—And one might n«r as well be dead.

As say I'm twetty-tive.

tho boy. his tmwwr «pu»tiyma the «ou«try

it api

Cintmnatt Gtc

^foiirex a ptrson who out tufFering or itsignificai

The lrop t»nme. ^L:.L L*. Lu»M AvtefiaiMlv

heatd much of

vwtrday atatw a car. in relaung which pivai on account oi the

ill be

"IfcT/V4^ !*:i',",tflM JV .« *ii Hi

l_h]9

A eountryniw a that office to ad verise p»» be

game. Uym (L^pl»«d

wket4wol, oi whow? contents be apimorant or «ippos«i them to consist but ooexamwauon

I^ali* atSmnt ofmotK-y but on e*aminatwn were found

wTthle«,

«l pick«l tho %h

ttenuon

con«wui£ of ^an dtf

iMtwr torn in deccs. Hisposswwion ot t!»e ^^n^nd Skiing to h.s atory. as folTpn Waffing up Walnut between liKh an^ stmi he w* accosted by a geoteet look.Jon who aaieti him the direction to the "fear Hotel- While directing him. a boy ip something -war

iad to

of th» countryman wa® directed

^X^H.v^ww'toSd"'it"teipnged r. He claimed $10 rewnrd for it^whid. uv to be a good.

^n was_advtsaa

eo*trtd by h» to

tearing to be a

civQ

pocket-book and at last to

'ddi tho ccXntryman. by wl"*08 J1* him his pocket-^kj»n»mmg

Thebfl^r *30,npon w» fricnl, hand* J1!"''^rf^anted bira to 4i*»de". tbntnmount. J™, shsre the tamlt. »nd so b*t ie was "^''Xni^it- that beai«»t get mad aWUcat on toajj^^

perienee goes 10 show that can live a this world withslander, mtaubetoo siipid to claim attention.

Mr. Benton on California Gold. The following is an extract from tne speech of Mr. Benton, delivered in the Senate on Monday the 15th inst. on the Bill to settle Land Titles in California and New Mexico: ,{fi rp

What I have said Mr. President, applies to the first part of the bii'—the part which relates to the ascertainment of land titles: there is a second part of the bill relnting to a new subject, and which now speak. This new part relates to the gold mines, as they are called though nothing but gold washings and is not copied from any code in the world. It is anew thing, and not the creation of the Land Committee, or of any Committee. It comes down from the Treasury Department, and the Land Committee is not responsible for it. I will read the sections which introduce these Yiew provisions, that I may do entire justice tcr them: "That the said Surveyor General shall be, and he is hereby authorized, to subdivide the section containing mineral lands into lots of suitable and convenient size for sale,not less than two acres t-ach, by lines drawn north and south, or east and west as may be required, from points at equal distances between the section and halt section corners to opposite corresponding points, and to designate those lots by numbers, giving the length of the lines bounding the same."

And again: "The Register, moreover, shall be. and ho is hereby authorized,immediately after the survey of the mineral lands to proclaim the same for sale or such portion thereof as he may deern^ most conducive to the interests of the United Slates at once to dispose of, giving at least thirty days' notice of the lime offered. He shall then offer the lands for sale at public auction, subject to such minimum as may be fixed by the Commissioners, not less, however, than$l 26 cents per acre."

This is the principle—a sale, in parcels of two acres, after a valuation fixed of these gold-washings for gold, 1 presume is only intended, although the comprehensive word mineral is use a word which comprehends all the cotrv mon and useful ores and metals, coal,mcdicinal water, iron, copper, lead, tin. Under this bill not merely the goldwashings, but all the common and useful metals, may be locked up from public use until valued by a mineralogist, and then sold in two acre lots. The provision is evidently intended for gold but the word mineral includes all ores, all metals, all natural substances capable of chemical attraction. It is a looseness and comprehensiveness of language not to be tof(j|ated in a law. But consider it as intended—as confined to these g0'^* washings—and how unwise the idea cn selling them, and in two acres, and upon valuation! As washings, they are brief and transient, exhausted in a few months or years. The gold in these washings is a temporary crop as temporary as a crop of grass, or a h*}rv6st of acorns and who would think of selling the fee-simple where only one crop was to be gathered! A mine is one thing—a washing is another. Mining requires great capital—a fee simple estate—ami a large tract of land and is worked for an age, or centuries. After these washings are exhausted, mining may follow and that is the time to sell the" fee simple but not in patches of two acres. To the washer, two acres is an hundred times too much to the miner, it is a thousand times too little. It suits nobody and goes upon a wrong principle. It goes upon the principle that every two acres is alike, and that the value can bo told by looking at it. No such thiog. The value can only be told by digging, and many two acres will contain no gold, and many patches of twenty or thirty teet square will contain a rich deposit. The object is to find ir, and that is to be done by hunting —by going from one place to another by trying many places. For this purpose it is not fee simples in two acres that*are wanted, but permits to hunt, and protection in the discovery when a deposit is found. This is the only rational mode of working these gold washes. It is the mode followed in all countries where they exist.

These washings are called in Spanish placer, from the Latin placere, to please because it is a pleasing thing to find the shining gold under one's feet. But it is transicut pleasure. There is no feesimple in it there is not even a itfe estate in it not even a lease for a year, a month, a week, or aday. The p.easure is soon gone. Exhaustedjwm now exist in New Mexico, formerly yielding much, now some twenty-five or fifty cents a day, and only pursued by the poorest Mexicans. Regular mining h&s toll owed there, and is now yielding considerable quantities. These washings of California are marvellously rich for we have to believe what is certified to us by so many witnesses but they are not the richest thai ever were seen. Those of Brazil, ill the mountains back of Rio Janerio, in the time of Lord Anson's voyage, say 100 years ago, were far richer and yet they have been exhausted so long that all memory of them is lost, and their history only lives in old books. Two millions sterling—$10,000,000—were annually sent to Europe, for years, from these washings. They were worked by slaves, who, to secure their fidelity and industry, were usually allowed by their masters all the proceeds of the day above a given amount and in that way many slates became rich, purchased their freedom, and then bougb*

eir

foundation of families. Yet these washings are

rich

Jemez,

place

crystaline or

own*

splendor and opulence, and

lhe

and

time out of mind

and so will be those of .California the sooner the better1 am a friend to a gold currency, but not to gold mining* .That is a pursuit which the experience of nations shows to be both impoverishing and demoralizing to a nation. I regret that we have these mines in California but they are there, and I am for getting rid of them as soon as possible. Mako the wot king as free as possible.* Instead of hoarding, and holding them up, and selling in driblets, lay them open to industry and enterprise. Lay them open tonatural capital to labor—to the man that has stout arms and a willing heart. Give him a fair chance. Give all a fair chanc. It is no matter who digs up the gold, or where it goes. The digger will not eat it and it will go where Commerce will carry it. The nations which have Industry—which have Agriculture, Commerce and Manufactures—they will get the gold, provided always that they keep out small paper money. Not

sa^1)111

permits, is the proper mode to ioilow, and the only practical mode. People are going to California to dig and dig they will. A wise legislation would regulate, not frustrate their enterprise. Permits would put them on the side of the law for it would give them protection and security sales and hoarding would put them in opposition to the l&w. and they would disregard it. Sir, this is a case in which the law-giver must go with the current, and then he may regulate it if he goes against the current, his law will be nugatory, and his authority will be despised. The current is for hunting and finding, and digging permits follow this current, and by granting them the legislator may control and regulate them.

If you want revenue, raise it from the permits—a small sum for each and upon the coinage. In that way it would be practicable to raise as much as ought to be raised. But revenue is no object compared to the object of putting the gold into circulation. I care not who dig^ it up. I want it dug up. I want the fever to be ovsr. 1 want the mining finished. Let all work that will. Let them ravage the earth—extirpate and exterminate the mines. Then the sober industry will begin which ennobles and enrichcs a nation. Work as hard as we may, we cannot finish soon. These gold indications cover more than 2,000 miles. They are in New Mexico on the waters oi the Middle Colomdo: on the mountains both beyond and on this side of the Sierra Nevada.^ Prof. Dana, who was Geologist to Captain Wilkes' exploring expedition, and who examined the country between the coast range and the cascade range of mountains, found the gold-bearing rocks, as geologists call them, on the Umpqua, the Shasti, and the Tlamath Rivers, and at the head of the Sacramento Valley. He did not visit the Sierra Nevada, but said there was gold vet to be discovered in the Sacramento Valley. It has been discovered, and no one can tell where it is to end. The Sierra Nevada is 600 miles long, 10.000 or 12,000 feet high, and has a slope of from 40 to 70 miles and all this seems to be an auriferous region.— South of the Sierra Nevada are prolongations of the same chain, and of the same character, and known to possess gold. In New-Mexico the gold and mineral region is described as large and various by the learned and enterprising Dr. Wislezenus, who was making an cxoloration when the War with Mexico broke out, and whose work has been printed by order of the Senate. I read an cxtract from him: "The mountainous parts of New Mexico arc verv rich in gold, copper, iron, and some silver. Gold seems to be found to a large extent in all the mountains near Santa Fe, south of it in a distance of 100 miles, as far as grand Quivira, and north for about 120 miles up to the river Sangre de Christo Throughout tho whole region gold dust has been abundantly found by the poorer classes of Mexicans, who occupy themselves ih the washing of this metal out of the mountain streams. At Pre£em

lhe old

and new placer, near Santa Fe, haxe attracted most attention, and not only gold washes but some gold mines, too, are worked there.

so far as my

They are,

knowledge extends, the

only

sout-west of Sama Fe.jn

south

of the placers, etc Gypwim,

common and selenite, are found large quantities in Mexico most extensne Savers otit, I understood, extsin the mountains near Algodones, on ^e io del Norte, and in the neighborhood of the celebrated "Salinas.'1 1 i« used «5 common lime for whuewashmgandthe salenite instead of window class. About four days, traveling ablv 100 miles) soutli-south-east

for one of Indian cora^ or sell it for one and even two dollars a bushel. "The annual production of gold in the two placers seems to vary considerably. In some years it was estimated from f30,000 to $40,000. in others from 860 000 to $80,000, and in latter years even as high as 8250,000 per annum."

The Ural Mountains, now vieldingso much gold to Russia, are but 1,200 miles long and 5,000 or 6,000 feet high the mountain-chains in New-Mexico and California which produce gold are near twice as long and twice as high as the Ural Mountains. Is all this to be hoarded by the Government—to be sold in two acre patches—to be guarded as a thing too precious for the people Is it to be the Hesperian fruits guarded by dragons? and if so, where are the dragons to come from 1

I am against the whole scheme of hoarding these mines, or endeavoring to confine their product to their own country. I am not for serving a ns exeat upon it. 1 am not for trying to stop it from going elsewhere. Let it go where it will like water, it will find its level. Let it gb where it will: it will find its way to industrious nations who banish small paper money. If we want to stop the emigration oi gold we may begin nearer home—begin with the ten or twelve millions ot coin exported this year from New \ork. But all that is absurd. Let it go—it will come back when we deserve it.

These gold provisions of the bill are not the work of the committee, and the authors of them seem to be fully aware of the difficulty of hoarding their treasure and keeping it from the reach of the people. They have had recourse to extraordinary enactments to restrain their own officers—surveyors, chain-carriers, markers, camp-followers, and so on. They are all to take oaths, and give bond and security to serve out their time, and to incur the forfeiture of their bonds ami the penalties of perjury if they fail in their engagements. They are actually enlisted, like soldiers, and put under awful penalties not to desert until their time is out. Here are some of the penalties: hear them "That the President shall be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint as Geologist an individual well versed in that science, who also thoroughly undertands mineralogy whose duty it shall be, with such assistants as he may deem necessary, to make a thorough exploration of all the mineral lands in the territory, to determine the value of the several metals and minerals that may be discovered, and make report of the same to the Register, who shall transmit a copy thereof to the Commissioner of the General Land Office. He shall also aid the Commissioners in determining the value of the lands, and the minimum price which shall be fixed upon them, whenever required to do so by the Commissioners, or either of them. "SF.C. 1. Thoj the Surveyor General of said Territory enter into bond, with approved security, for the faithful discharge of his duties. He shall also be authorized to require a bond, with security, from the surveyors, chain-carriers, markers, and all other persons employed in, or connected with, the Surveying Department, and from the clerks and other employees, that they will faithfully serve out the periods for which they may engage, in such sum as he may fix as a penalty of failure and require of them an affidavit or affirmation to the same effect and on failure or refusal to comply with tho terms of their engagement, tho party offending shall be subject to all the pains and penalties of perjury and suit shall be immediately commenced for the recovery of the entire penalty of the bond, which,on such failure or refusal, shall be forfeited to the United States and the institution of such suit shall attach as a lien upon the property of the delinquent party, and on that of his sureties. "SEC. 17. That, before entering on their duties, the mineralogist and his assistants shall execute bonds, with approved security, in such sums as may be fixed by the Secretary of the Treasury, for tho faithful performance of the duties of their respective offipes, for the time for which they may be engaged and also take an oath or affirmation to the same effect and. in case of failure,shall be subject

gold mines

worked now in New Mexico. Several

silver mines were in Spanish time, worked at Avo, at Cerrillos. and in the Numbe mountains, but none at present. Copper is found in abundance throughout the country, but principally at Us Tiieras, Jemas. Abiquin.Guadelupuade Mora, etc. I heard of but one copper mine worked at present south of the pacers. Iron, though also found, is entirely overlooked. Coal has been discovered in different localities, as in the Raton mountains, near the village of

Ji-soulh-easrof Sno-

K„ on the high table land between a, Rio del Norte and Pecos, .re some extensive tall lake, or which .11 the salt (nu.rate off«la)^| in New Mexico is procured. lUrgenar avails go there every

J«r

Fe in the dry season and return ]as much as they J™?.

exchange, generally, one-lwshel tf »U

the same penalties, forfeitures

and obligations, as are provided for the Surveyors and their assistants, &c. in the fifteenth section of this act. "SEC. 18. And be ti farther enacted, That, in addition to the usual form of bonds and oath of the Surveyor-General, Register and receiver, the bonds and oaths of office of those officers appointed under this act shall contain a provision that they shall faithfully serve out the time for which they may be appointed and on failure to comply with that provision, they shall be subject to the same penalties, forfeitures, and obligations as are provided for the Surveyors and their aariitams, &c. in the ISth section of this act. And, until otherwise directed, and the officers and agenur, and their assistant, who may be appointed under this act, shall receive from the stores of the United Slates, at San ranciaco or Monterey, such rations of boef, bread and pork, &c. as may be necessary for their actual support."

This is going further than we go with soldiers. We do not make them g^ve bond and seenrity we do not make desertion alien upon their property for the amount of a penalty. \et we to do this with our surveyors and land officers. Vain and impotent precaution, only showing the folly of the whole scheme for who

would

and sign

such

take such oaths

bonds but those who meant

to violate them? Who supposes these

pains and penalties would be of any avail, or in the least prevent all these persons, with theif friends and followers, from taking what gold they could find, and going off with it when they pleased. Formerly there was a fine| of forty pounds of tobacco in Virginia, on the constable that would not pyrve out his time and that might have been omnipotent with the constable but these bonds, oaths, penalties and forfeitures will be unavailing if the gold found is worth more than the salary.

Not content with these bonds and oaths, the bill even tries the mileage system upon these slippery officers.— Having seen the good effectt)f mileage in bringing in members of Congress, and binding the Union together, it tries the .same system upon these officers, and offers them an average of $10 a mile. Here is the temptation. "And for surveying the public lands and private claims above mentioned, the Deputy Surveyor shall be allowed not exceeding the average of $10 per mile."

Ten dollars a mile! This is better rhan Congress mileage?

The speakers of the evening were Hon. Kichd. VV. Thompson, of la., the Secretary ot the 1 reasury.Mr. Walker, Hons. J. R.Inaersoll and McLane. of Maryland, and Hugh Maxwell, Esq., of this city The speeches were all eloquent and powerful, and the interest of the meetiug continued unabated until itaclose.

Horse Skates.

There Is now in the Patent Office at Washington a set of Horse Skates, bcdecked in the Norwegian stylo, by which (a writer says) such wonderful volocity is given to a common horse, that one has been known to travel in the frozen re gions as much as one hundred miles i^ three hours, without apparent fatiguK The Emperor of Russia, it is stated, has tried these skates and was so pleased that he conferred the order of knighthood upon the inventor. \jr'-*-'j8-"*

Every person is familiar with the name of Kate Kearny, "who lived on the banks of Killarneythe power of whose eyes was so tremendous that it was considered an act of temerity to encounter their glance. We see^by a late Irish paper, she is now a widow with six children, and has lately been ejected from her "shebeen" on the Carrighmore estate, by Us heartless Istid lord. No punishment would be too setere for such hard hearted rascals. ,V£'«

QUEER HIDING PLACE.—The large

!But

will it do,

even if averaged? Will it stop the crow if they find the gold under their feet?— Will they go onto the end of the miles in order to get the average, instead of stopping and helping themselves, with a wooden shovel, to some cart-loads ot the shining stuff? Will any maximum minimum, giving an average of ten to the mile, be sufficient—any three dollars where the gold is thin, only an inch thick, say ankle-deep, or so? Will the mileage tempt them to go on, as this sage legislation intends to make them do, or will they all stop at the first placer, as a turkey-hen and her young ones would all stop at the first ant-hill, and dig it up. and pocket thegold as greedily as the old hen and her brood would scratch up, the whole hill of ants? Undoubtedly they would and the provision only shows the impotence of legislation, U) sustain an unwise system.

"There were Giants in those Days.* Professor Silliman, in one of his lectures, mentions the discovery of an enormous^ animal ot the lizard tribe measuring eighty feet in length, from which he infers that all animals have degenerated in size, and this supposition is fortified by a reference to this history of giants in the olden time.— It appears from the list turnished by the Prolessor, that we of the present day are mere "Tom Thumbs," when compared with the hugeindividualitiesof antiquity. Here is the list—

The giant exhibited in Rouen in 1735, measures over eighty feet. Gorapius saw a girl who was ten Feet nigh.

The body of Grestus was eleven feet and a halt

The giant Galbara, brought from Arabia to Rome, under Claudius CiEsar, was near ten fi'ct. funnman, who lived in the time of Eugene II, measured eleven feet and a half.

The Chevalier Scorg, in his voyage to the peaks of Tenerifle. found in one of the caverns oi that mountain, the head of Gunnce, which hnd eighty teeth, und it was supposed that-his body wne not less than fifteen feet lone!

The Giant Ferragus, slain by Arlando, nephew to Uharlemagwe, was eighteen 'feet high! In 1614. near St. Germain, was found the tomb of the Giant Isoret. who was twenty feet high!

In lfV.10, near Rouen, they found a skeleton whose skull held a bushel of corn, and whose body must have been eighteen feet long.

Platerussaw at Lucerne, the human bones of a subject nineteen feet long! The Giant Buart was twenty-two and a halt feet high his bones were found in 1703, near the banks of the river Modcri.

In 1613, near a castle in Dauphine, a tomb was found thirtv/ert lonff! twelve wide and eight high, on which was cut on a grey stone the words "Keutoloclius Rex.\ The skeleton was found enure twenty-five and a half feet long, ten teet across the shoulders, and five feet deep from the breast-bone to the back.

Near Alazerine inSicily,in 1516, was found the skeleton of a giant thirty feel high! His head _was the size of a hogshead, and each of his teeth weighed five ounces.

Near Falermo, in Sicily, in 1543, was found the skeleton of a giant tliirtv feci long, and another thirty-three feet high, in 1550.

American Coloniiation Society. The Anniversary Meeting of the Colonisation Society was held on Tuesday evening, the Hall of the House of Representatives at Washington. It was very tully attended, and is characterized as, one of the largest for many years, except the last when Mr. Clav presided.

Hon. Elisha Whittlesey called the meeting to order, and Mr. McLain, the Secretary ot the Society, then rend the annual report—from which*it uppearcd that -W3 emigrants have been sent to Liberia the past year, of whom 324 were slaves liberated for the purpose of colonization. 01 the lull number 113 were free colored, and 2 recaptured Africans. These were sent from 13 States, and the greatest number went from Virginia. Ot the whole number only 12 have died. The applications for emigration already number 657, anu there is a probability ot 500 more.

The receipts of the Colonization Society during tb© vear are stated at $50,114 while the expenditures have been $51,953. A number of auxiliary societies have been formed the past year.

amount of money recently stolen from the bank of Augusta, Me., was found hidden under the desk of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Legislative Hall!

SAMSAAAMA NO.«.

Ths following account of San Francisco and other portions of California is from New York paper:

A^ RANCISCO.—This town is not, as generally supposed, favorably situated, either for commerce or for the comfortable residence of man. It is situated upon a narrow tongue of abruptly sloping mountain land, so exposed to the broadside of the ocean that the wind sweeps in a gale over it at all times, ma king an effort necessary to keep your footing. The air is on this account fill ed with fine sand. The situation is an alogous to Fort Hamilton at the entrance of the narrow opening into the harbor of New York. The best position for the commercial emporium of California, judging from the maps, would be at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joachim, if there is water enough to float a ship. But we understand the ground to be swampy and the water insufficient. A gentleman has laid out a town at the northeasternmost corner of the bay of San Francisco, at the entrance to the inner bay of Sulson, which lies between it and the mouths of the rivers just mentioned, that is supposed to be the best position, all things considered.«

All accounts agree as to the climate. It is mild and free from the vicissitudes that make ours so pregnant with disease. The thermometer holds a higher range in winter than in summer. In the rainy season (November to March) heavy rain falls about every fifth day on the average on the intermediate days the sky is bright and the'air balmy. Along the shore heavy fogs render the mornings damp and unpleasant, but these do not reach the inner shores of the bay. Innumerable valleys open into the bay, which cannot be surpassed in fertility and loveliness. The road to Monterey lies through a nearly level valley of rich land, little cultivated and covered, shoulder high, \Vith luxuriant wild oats, the distance being over one hundred miles. Captain Stockton's purchase (said to be over 10,000 acres) lies in the valley of San Jose, where that river empties'intothe bay. If there is a spot on this continent that may be called a paradise, this valley of San Jose is the place. The climate pf,.Monterey is superior to San Francisco. The most delicate constitutions will find here a safe and genial atmosphere, and an even temperature, that must be felt to be appreciated.

A letter writer in California thus describes the mode of catching wild horses and cattle:

Imagine a drove of fifteen hundred or two thousand cattle roving the plain.— The boccaria or lasso thrower, on a horse trained for the purpose, rides into the midst of'them, selects a fine fat bullock, steprs for him through the crowd, driving the cattle right and left before him the doomed animal may turn and turn as he may, but the boccari, when within twenty yards of him, commences to swing his "lasso (a long strip of hide with a noose at the end) around his head, and presently it whizzes through the air, and the animal selected is noosed as certainly as the lasso is thrown. The moment the well trained horse of the boccari, hears the lasso whiz, he stops perpectly still, and bracing himself sideways waits for the shock. I he other end of the lasso being fastened to the front peak of the saddle, the bullock is brought up suddenly and tumbles to the ground. The horse being perfectly prepared, his equilibrium is not disturbed. The animal is either killed on the spot, (after two more lassos are attached to his feet to prevent his rising,) or led to the coral, (enclosure for cattle surrounded by a high adobe wall.) Wild horses are caught in the same way. The horses that are caught and. broken are kept for riding, being staked out in the plain and brought in when wanted. "-H

The recent Postal Treaty negotiated with the British Government by Mr. BANCROFT, and which was promptly ratified by our Senate, is a great achievement, and a prodigious foward stride in the couse of civilization. The provisions are as simple as the nature of the case would permit, and the terms as liberal as possible. The treaty virtually obliterates all nationality.' So far as tho post is concerned, Great Britain and the United States constitute but one nation. From any part of the United States— from Oregon or San Francisco, from Minesota or Nebra?ka-»-a letter nfay be sent to any part of England with as much certainty of its delivery as if it were directed to a town in an adjoining State and this too at a rate one cent less than that which was once charged fot carrying a letter from Washington to New Orleans. The ritcr, moreover, may, if he please, pny the postage, so that the letter shall reach his correspondent free of all charge.

Such facilities given to correspondence will impart a tremendous impulse to the business between the two countries, and lead to an intimacy of commercial connexion such as never existed before between any two nations, lw effect was seen immediately, in the immense let-' fer and newspaper mail which wa® taken out by the steamer Europa on the 10th instant.—Lynchburgh Virginian.

They tfell a story of a man out West who had a hare-lip upon which he performed an operation on himself by insertinginto the opening a piece of chicken fle#h-*-it adhered and filled »p the space admirablyn This was all well enough until in compliance with the prevailing fashion he attempted to raise moustaches, when one_^d_e grow hair and the other fcathersu^j a*

(«old«*Its Influence on Prices. 3* MM* r-jjrim. The population of the WorTdlses-' timated nt $00.000,000—the Quantity of gold and silver coin at 1.600,000*000— or $2 to each person. The quantity of coin in the United State's previous to 1847 Was about 86,000,000. In exchange for breadstuff that year 25.000,000 were imported to the United States*, #fkut 20,000,000 of which have since turned—leaving the coin now in this Country about 890,000,000. The gold mines of Russia are latterly yielding 20,000,000 all other gold mines except California at least 10,000,000 California 100,000,000—an aggregate of 130,000,000 to be annually added to the coin of the world, which would be doubled or amount to 3,200,000,000 in a little less than, 13 years. So large an influx of gold" will first displace much of the bank note paper which now represents it,and-, supposing this to go out of circulation as fast as gold comes in to take its place, it will require abouttcn years to supply in gold and silver the circulation which we,now have in- gold, silver, and bank paper, so that in 23 years the circulation in coin wouldbe double what the present mixed circulation is,and,asthe U.States will get from California greatly over her ratio— which would be as 22 is to 800—the circulation in this country would probably bedouble in a much shortefr period. But allowance is to be made for inflated price^here, which will drive the coin to other countries where prices are less inflated, also for its use for personal ornament and utensils for the lable, both of which will extract largely from the coin as the metal shall become abundant. Before the prices of the world can be materially changed it must overcome the constant increase of population, as this increase will annually require a itrge amount of circulation to siip|1ly its wants. On the other hand, the mere opinion that gold was increasing touch more rapidly than property for it to represent, would enhance the value of the one and sink that of the other public opinion has often produced monetary panic when there was little other cause for it. From the foregoing items, it seems to me altogether likely that prices in the Uniled States will be doubled in 25 years, or will rise at the rate of 4 p'er cent, per annum.—^Louisville Journal

It is only as a part of this great Re public that CALIFORNIA can enjoy thet brilliant possibilities of her future destiny. If tho commerce of Asia is to cross the Pacific and enter the Caribbean or Mexican seas, it is the United States which must command and protect tho Isthmian gates or if, as may be the caie, that commerce should seek a still mors advantageous highway by railroad across the Rocky Mountains, it is clear that such a highway never could, or would, be built except by the United States.— It is, in fact, the United States which must do all political theorists suppose that California is to do. It is the power, the wealth, and the energies of the American people only which can develop the natural resources and turn to profitable use the geographical advantages of the golden territory. It 5s only by and through them that California can revolutionize the Asiatic trade which, with-' out them, will continue to flow 19 its accustomcd channels across the Indian Ocean and round the Cape of Good Hope. All the intelligent people who go to California know this—or they will there soon learn it and there will be no thoughts or desire stronger in their hearts than that of the republic. South Carolina is the only part of the United States which has enjoyed the privileges of the American Union ihat has ever had any desire to get out of it. Instead of nullification and secession, we shall hear, in California, of nothing but the one mighty cry of "the Union forever.'* The Union—yes, the Union! What to her were all the gold of the new mines, werethe whole Snowy Sierra onesolid ridge of the pure metal, compared with the blessings which the Union secures?—North American.

The Vote of, Virginia, for President, as summed up by the Secretary of that Commonwealth, is asfollows:

For General Cass, 46,736 For Gene ralTay lor, 45,263

Majority. 1,473 This includes (as stated by the Richmond Whig) the returns from the counties of Barbour, Ritchie, and Wetzel, against which the Council advised, as being wholly irregular and inadmissable, and some of those from Wetzel entirely unintelligible. Gen. Cass' majority in these three counties is 641, which, being deducted from 1,473, leaves the Cass majority in the State 832.—-Lou, Cour. :t t. -,-'H -..!i

A NE^V AME TO LAY

T/—On Fri

day of last week, a couple of Rowdies, one of them named Pow«ll and the other Bonaparte Boyce, got into a frolic near Dixville, in Me reef bounty, and agreed to cm throats for a quart of whiskey After a few slashes, Powell severed Bovce's jugular, and the latter died immediately. Boyce was formerly well known by many in this city. He was of a highly respectable family, and a man of fine talents and educatioji.— Louisville Journals

VATrA8i.E~wTsaw a lumpof goiFon Thnrs' daTwWchcouki not bebo«httor hfteen thownd dollars. It fe said to have- lcen found bo^e^vhere in Lewfe county, Kentuck

He is a

great

that the"chief

simpleton who imagines

power

of wealth is tosup-

olv wonts. In ninety nine cases out of a hundred, it creaws than supplies. ***'L