USA > California > The California pilgrim: a series of lectures > Part 17
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usual in any Between the sets, all adjourned to the bar, towns and villa-
ges. steaming, and sweating, and dusty, to refresh themselves with horrid liquors, and get into the spirit of a new movement. In the sitting room were the postmaster and deputy sheriff playing cards with their favorite courte- zans. On the piazza was the principal doctor, with a senorita on his lap, and he had a young wife at home. The law partner of the justice of the peace was gallanting another Spanish woman about the streets.
Mr. Evenmind, their host, said he knew several of those who were in the house. They were victims of their passions Remarks of Mr. entirely. For two years, and more, they had Evenmind. been there, and every dollar obtained was spent in such places. They were commonly in debt, and could not have, without running away. Most of them were of good families. Some had been well educated ; and not a few had families of their own, for whose support they were doing nothing at all.
They turned away from the scene, filled with sadness by
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what they saw. It appeared to them like the hole of the pit ; like a cave of witches and hags in an orgie ; like the old fable of pans and satyrs, bacchanals and bacchantes, more than made real.
They retired to rest, praying against temptation ; Mr. Antiquary remarking, that California seemed, in some respects, to open a new chapter in civilization, and to show, in new light, the power of corruption over men. No one could ever have dreamed the half they had witnessed.
MORAL.
Had it been said, at the time of the Presidential election in 1848, that at the end of four years a large and powerful state on the Pacific coast would participate in the election then to be made, to most the thing would have seemed visionary and chimerical. But our eyes have seen it all. The thing has come to pass. We are here, a state, two hundred and fifty thousand strong. We are growing in importance. We are rising in majesty. We have accomplished what the world never saw before. It has been shown what wonders a people can perform. A new experi- ment has been tried. A new problem solved. We are the marvel of civilization. Enterprise, wealth, greatness, are ours. But, amid all that is bright, encouraging, and full of promise among us in this land, California is reading us a lesson in civilization of another sort. It is, for substance, this, that whatever else civilization, with all its energy and progress, may do for mankind, it is not sufficient, of itself, to renovate humanity, to cultivate, refine, purify, and ennoble man's moral nature. It is equal to no such task. It fails to work any moral wonders, at all comparable
.
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to its achievements in science, literature, art, and govern- ment. And the failure is such as to indicate not simply imperfection, but lamentable weakness, almost utter impotency.
There have been civilizations in the world before ours. Each one of them has finally proved, either too much, or too little for itself, and has sunk down and been lost amid the corruptions it had engendered Our civilization is showing the same weakness. It can not sustain itself at this high pitch very long. Its own vices will destroy it. Something must hold in check, or eradicate the vices of our civilization, or itself will be engulphed. What thing shall it be ? What remedy is sufficient for the evil ?
In christianity it must be found, or nowhere. It is christianity that has preserved modern civilization so long ; that has kept it, cumbered, as it has been, with its own vices, from being utterly overborne by them. Christianity has done so much. It can do more. We are foredoomed without it. We must be saved from our corruptions. We must be redeemed from the thraldom of lust. The religion of Christ alone can savo us from them. He alone can redeem us. And every one who fails to support christian institutions here, and ministers and churches ; who does not try to promote the spread of the gospel in its power among us, lacks patriotism, lacks wisdom, lacks love. He is doing naught to root out the viees gendered by civiliza- tion in man's inherent depravity; and, therefore, is writing a sentence of reprobation on himself, and sealing his country's doom.
LECTURE XII.
The light of day was creeping down stealthily into the depths of the chasm, and relieving the sombre shade of the evergreen trees, beneath whose branches the sunbeams rarely strayed, when Mr. Evenmind, the lone miner, arose, as I saw in my dream, and lighted his candle, and began to Morning medi- prepare the morning's repast; reading his tations.
Bible at intervals. The guests also were soon astir ; and together they breakfasted cheerfully. Then they sang : " Once more my soul the rising day," and joined in devout thanksgivings and prayer.
Pilgrim and his companions left the excellent man, who was there digging gold, reluctantly, yet with blessings. They knew they should meet again, though not in the gold fields of the Occident, nor by the flow of these mountain They should all streams ; but, rather in the golden streets of ineet again. the city, whose entrance is by the gates of twelve pearls, and by the flowery banks, and dropping fruits of the " river of water of life ;" and so there was a gladness mingled with their regrets. -
They now descended again to the village on the bar, which they had gone through the previous evening, to see
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its appearance by night. The sun was scarcely risen enough
The village by to shine into the vale, yet there was bustling in daylight. the street, and around the door of one of the houses, a large crowd was gathered. On inquiry, they learned that a man was dying there of a wound received in a gambling saloon, a few hours before, at the hands of a monte dealer, whom he had accused of cheating. Volun- teers had gone in pursuit of the fugitive murderer ; and the crowd were in constant expectation of seeing him brought back, or of hearing that he had been caught, lynched, and hung.
Having gone forward a few rods, they saw, at the pest house of iniquity, creatures faded, disheveled, pale, and Seeking fresh haggard, in feminine garh, with a cold, miser- air and warinth. able, shivering aspect, creeping out to find a breath of untainted air, and catch a ray of warmth from the sun's early beams. How changed they were from the beings that wore the paint. frippery, glitter, gaiety, and mirth, apparent during the first hours of the preceding night !
Now I saw, that they made their way from this mining village, and out of the bed of Bruin Creek, by a steep and rugged path, that went, winding up the bold ascent, among rocks, and trees, across small ravines, and through narrow They leave the passes, till it reached a commanding height. valley, & climb. Here they had a large traet of country in full view, on every side. And here they found a man, with his equipments, and a mule, who had been camping out, and was getting ready for a start.
They inquired of him about the best road. He said he was going the same way, on a prospecting tour, and would bear them company, if they wished. They readily assented , for they wished to go by the best and nearest path, and were
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rather glad to have a guide. As they proceeded onward together, the mule traveling in advance of them, the prospector was somewhat rallied from the gloom that had evidently been oppressing him. And, when he learned the character and aims of his fellow travelers, he became con- fidential and communicative. He told them how tenderly and carefully he had been reared, and what hopes his The story of his parents had indulged concerning him, and how early years. he had disregarded their wishes and plans, and betaken himself to a roving life.
He was early attracted to Bustledom, and came hither along with a host of adventurers. He did not succeed weil in mining. The work was too laborious for him, considering his feeble frame and his former habits of life, and was, also, Mining and tra- too confining and tedions. Trading was not ding. much better; and he had gone from one business to the other, several times; but fortune never smiled on him. He then became a clerk, in a larg> town, A clerk, he and, at times, had much leisure. He played drops into the saloons. games for amusement with friends, as others did. He acquired skill. He dropped, now and then, into the gaming saloons, of an evening, and watched the on- goings there. He was on good terms with every body, and learned numerous secrets of the art. He began playing in earnest, and for a wager. His successes, in a small way, fascinated him. He overcame all his misgivings and scruples, as well as he could, and took up the business for Progress in evil. himself, and kept a table. By the utmost diligence and economy, for he was not vicious in his habits, and cared only to get money, and by the plying of his Gels gains, but utmost skill, through long nights of excite- they do hint no good. ment, weariness, vexation, and toil, for months,
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he accumulated several thousand dollars. Then he was seized with a brain fever, and a hundred ills and ailments followed in its train. His last dollar was gone for expenses, before he was well enough to go about any business.
So the curse had followed him. He knew he did wrong. The curse. It was the Almighty's curse. God would not let men make money by gambling. It would not stay with gamblers. They either became corrupt and wicked, and spent their gains in debauch, or else divine Providence took it from them in some severe way. He knew this was the history of all the ill gotten gains of gamesters, so far as he knew anything about them. It was time for him to Reform. abandon that course of life, and he had abandoned it. For, if he made gains by it, yet once more, he knew the Almighty would never let him keep them. He was going north to seek some better employment.
Pilgrim inquired if such feelings and views were common among the saloons and gamesters. Seely Jarre, for that was his name, said, that many of those men had been reared as he had been, and were educated, refined, polite, and kindly in their feelings. They loved good things, they What sort of men respected virtuous people, they reverenced are found in the saloons. religion, and were glad to know there were christian influences at work in the community. They were generous and benevolent. They were exact and honest with those they employed. They were glad to give, and would give liberally to objects of charity, and to christian enterprises.
But the ruling spirits of those circles were not often of this sort. Sometimes they were the very reverse ; so that the others could not act out the good they felt. And then there were temptations about the business, and it involved
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a wrong, and the whole tendency of it was downward ; and Bad tendencies. so, in course of time, those who followed it against their convictions, lost the sense of wrong they once had, by destroying it, or stifling it with the rubbish and filth of evil doing.
Mr. Antiquary said, he knew, in '50, a young man who had his wife with him. He saw them on the way from a country town to Embankment. They had three thousand dollars in silver, and as much more in gold, in their buggy. The man had made this in a short time by gambling. He A sad history. was now going to play and operate on a larger scale in Embankment. The wife was an interesting lady. She was opposed to his pursuit, but could not persuade him from it. They were fond of, and faithful to, each other. In the course of the season, he heard that the young man had been broken. He had fallen "into the hands of the unscrupulous blacklegs and sharpers, and they had contrived to pluck him of every dime he had, to break down his reputation in their set, and so to turn him from their honor- able company, except as a tool and dependent. And thus they had left him to support his wife as he could. The result could not but be foreseen. The husband fell to drink- ing and desperation ; and what became of them, afterwards, he knew not.
Keep Faith said he used to judge all gaming men harshly, and call them all infamous ; but he had learned that they were not all of the same sort and degree, though all were guilty of a serious crime against society, and themselves. There were just such differences among them, as among other viciously inclined men. And there were those who could be reached, and be saved from the ruin that menaced
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A plea for len- them. Over certain minds, there was no iency of judg- fascination like that of games of chance and
ment, and com-
passion. skill. It would grow into au all absorbing passion. He had known men and women, in high cireles, who played only for pleasure, that neither read nor thought of aught else than their games for months and years. He thought our feelings toward many of our gamblers in Bus- tledom should be that of compassion, rather than hate. We were too much in the habit of lumping them together, and loading them with hard names and curses.
Mr. Scely Jarre said, it was, in truth, the vice of vices, to those who were under its spell. It drew men, so almost irresistibly, into the indulgence and practice of all other The saying of Viecs, from highest to lowest. The very fact one who knew that one was a gambler, to the smallest extent, what he had experienced. cansed him to be regarded by the panderers to all other viees as their legitimate victim ; and if one aspired to consideration, as a gamester, he must spend money freely, at stands, stables, bars, restaurants, brothels, and the like, or be thought elose, mean, and poor. He would lack> otherwise, the esprit du corps, and be looked on as one who degraded the dignity of his calling.
The conversation with this man had so absorbed the attention of Pilgrim and his friends, that they had gone over hills, and through vales, and by houses numerous, and had scarcely taken a passing notice of them ; and they were already in sight of the little mining town of On Hand and They come in Rugged, with its one story houses, huts, sight of Rough and Ready. cabins, and shanties, perched up there on the very rockiest, and most uncouth hill side in all the region. Ere they mounted up to this renowned village, the roads divided, and they took affectionate leave of Mr. Seely
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Jarre, wishing him honest prosperity for the future, and a persevering manliness.
As they were climbing the hill, a youth, mounted on a white mule, overtook them. He said he was agent and clerk for a company, that had water, claims, tools, cabins, They mighthear and so on, to let or sell, and that, by calling something to their advantage. on Messrs. Seezum & Pluck, they would hear of something to their advantage. Advice gratis. They could state to these gentlemen, that Mr. Vapid Thinn recommended them to call. He gave them a card, also, with directions, and then he spurred up, to overtake a traveler ahead.
Mr. Antiquary said, the young gentleman's face was too much like a hatchet. Pilgrim said, he was altogether too polite, because his was unnatural politeness. Keep Faith said, he used too much bear's oil in cultivating his face, and took too much pains to wear a sort of dandy miner's dress. Dandyism in the For, singular as it might seem, in either case,
country .
there were dandies among miners, as well as among ministers ; and he didn't know which took the palm, they were so evenly matched.
So they decided that Mr. Thinn's object was too trans- parent, and that Messrs. Seezum & Pluck could hardly be men whom it would profit themselves to call on. They only stopped in this finished town ; finished, it would seem, by having been partially abandoned when half built, to get a drink of pure water, and rest their limbs a moment. Nor A case of diffi- were they able at once to fix upon the struc- culty .; ture in the place, which, by common consent, might be regarded as the model edifice, the ornament of the village, and the pride of the inhabitants.
Leaping mud holes and climbing ledges, they got up, at 17
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length, to the brow of the hill ; but, when they looked back to survey the place again, and decide the question in doubt, the whole town was lost to their view. Escaping, by some dexterous passes and plunges, the mire of several ditches that ran mud, as thick as hasty pudding, made of water and red earth, or brick dust, they journeyed on, through a pleasant region, of slope, intervale, woodland, and mining scenes, for some miles, and were delighted on finding The hill that themselves so soon upon a height, overlooking Valley.
overlooks Grass Herb vale, with its green flat, forest border, swelling hills in the distance, its thriving village, and noisy bustle, and driving mills.
They were weary, and somewhat travel stained, as they passe l down through the main street. But Mr. Antiquary soon had them to the house of his old friend, one Mr. Staybill, a lawyer, of as much benevolence as ability, and a Mr. Staybill, his good deal of both. Here they dined and were talk. refreshed ; and they heard from the lips of their new friend the history of the vale, and of the enterprises which had made it famous across two oceans.
With him they visited quartz veins, crushing mills, saw mills, flat diggings, and all the spots of interest and note in the immediate vicinity, not omitting the little church, that might have been larger, and should never have been allowed to fall into its present anomalous condition.
The moral aspect of the town was good, as compared with
Further obser- some of the churchless villages of the state ; vations. but it did not so well correspond with the good taste, beauty, enterprise, and high qualities, exhibited in other forms. There was, however, something of a worldly look about nearly all they saw, and the enticements and concomitants of vice were neither blushing nor hidden ; and
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the saloons and hotels monopolized too much of the glory of Herb vale even.
Pilgrim and the rest were anxious to lodge at Nivalis, and were constrained, therefore, to depart, in spite of Mr. Staybill's entreaties that they would tarry with him. They were scarcely out of sight of the town, when they were met by a burly, portly man, whose face indicated that he was A man of port, troubled with no ail, unless it might be brown with documents
and papers. stout. The breast pockets of his coat were overstuffed with documents and papers, and liis hat was very broad brimmed. He rode a fine horse, and sat him with as much importance as if he owed nothing for him, or for his own keeping. This man would not allow the travelers to pass without looking at his specimens, which he had in the saddlebags under him. He dismounted and
displayed them ; spread out a chart of the district; and
Companies, showed the locations of the leads, and the shares, veins, mills, and so on. specimens marked accordingly ; stated the capital, and number of shares in the companies he belonged to, and the yield, per pound, of the veins he was interested in, and how much the mill would crush, when finished, and what dividends they might look for on each share, per month.
Pilgrim resigned himself to hear the story through, seeing there was no help for it. Mr. Antiquary explained to the man their condition, and said they were obliged to him for his information ; but added, that they could not comply with his wishes in buying stock, claims, and shares, for they could pay no money down, nor meet assessments ; and, so far as he knew, the principal business, heretofore, of stock holders in such concerns had been, as in some noted quartz companies, to pay assessments, rather than receive dividends.
Well, Mr. J. Q. Harpending said, here were splendid
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opportunities for getting an honest fortune. They could go Speech of Mr. into the employ of the company and work Jupiter Quartz
Harpending. out the investment and then secure the profits. They could not do better, and ought to confer such a large benefit on their friends, if not on themselves. Any man who had two hands, and kept a good heart, could make a fortune in this way.
Mr. Antiquary replied, that his observation showed him well, that there were men with two hands, the heart he couldn't describe readily, who could make a speedy fortune in quartz stock, and other joint stock companies ; but it was those who got up the concerns, and peddled out the shares, and not the buyers, who seemed to get the money. No doubt many of them regarded it as a marvellously fine business ; he, Mr. H., looked himself as though it had not worried him ; and so he wished him good evening. Thus they parted ; and the travelers moved on. It was a public Specimen of road they pursued ; but such an execrable one , public roads and for a great thoroughfare, they had rarely highways. trodden ; and all Bustledom might be safely challenged to furnish such another. As they were afoot, however, their necks were not in special danger; and they managed to pick their way along, where stage passengers had usually resorted to the same primitive method of locomotion, in order to avoid an upsetting.
They were obliged to hasten forward by the lateness of the hour, and were making their way between campus auri and rivulus auri, when another obstacle encountered them, in the shape of a piece of speculative humanity, somewhat dwarfed, and having a hump on his back, that seemed an Almountain cav- offset for the enormous ears of the scurvy alier. little mule, which was trudging along between
JONATHAN JOINTSTOCK.
" Ile was anxious to return to the Atlantic States."-Page 253.
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his legs, very lengthy, considering the rest of him. This man's nose was hooked, and not unlike a parrot's beak, but a good deal redder, and his eyes were silver grey, and small. His drab wool hat had long been serviceable both night and day, and was rapidly going to seed.
This person announced himself as on the look out for hands to work his claims, or customers to sell out to. His name was Jonathan Jointstock, from some place down cast. He would rather sell out clean, as he was anxious to return to the Atlantic States, on account of the death of some near relations.
Keep Faith said, somewhat aside, that he had seen those Anxious to re- who were in this fix before, and just as their turn to the east- ern states. stocks were sold, and their affairs settled, their anxiety seemed to be relieved, and better news would come, just in time to preserve them from any necessity of going. It was, perhaps, one of those proceedings called a ruse, so much in vogue among mechanics and merchants in Embank- ment, and other cities, who often sold off "at cost." Mr. Jointstock would pay three dollars a day, a hand, and the hands must go where he sent them, and be sub let, if he wished it.
lle would sell coyote claims for five hundred dollars each ; the pay to come out of the first proceeds. He would sell Terms of sale for the new canal stock, ditch not yet finished, for stocks, shares, and claims. a premium of two hundred per cent. Ilis shares in two quartz mills, and unworked leads, he would sell, seeing it was they, and they looked like shrewd, steady, industrious, and respectable men, such as he wished to encourage, for something like their par value, perhaps, at ten per cent. discount, if that would be any object to them.
Mr. Jointstock was very glad he had met them, for he
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would like to serve them, and he would specially warn them
Disinterested to be on their guard against heartless specula- man giving ad-
vice. tors, monopolists, and capitalists, and to look out for their own interests. There could be no conception of the number of those who had put money and labor into some great concerns, where they had to watch the managers all the while, to keep any title to it ; had to pay assessments, and then were never able to have any command of the capital. They could neither get it out, nor sell it out, and so were losing, both their time and their means, in looking after what they once had, but likely, never would have again. He, Mr. Jointstock, knew how the leading parties in these company affairs managed.
They located a claim ; they surveyed a ditch, or what not ; they sold out the shares here and there, keeping many Management of in their own hands, if the lead was a fine one, joint stock com-
panies. and the thing, in their view, would pay ; if not, they slipped out entirely, and in haste. When it promised well for them, they would set to work to get the whole into a few hands. They would call meetings of the company, often at inconvenient times, and many shareholders would hear nothing of them. Then they would vote heavy assessments ; all the shareholders would not be able to pay them, and the stock of such would therefore be forfeited. Forfeited shares. Others would never hear that installments were due, and their shares would become forfeit, and be bought in by the managers. They would expend the money received, so as to produce nothing, and weary and badger the most into refusal to pay more installments. So when by this process they had it all their own way, they would be found in possession of a fine lead, machinery, buildings, funds, and much else, and could go on swimmingly.
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