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My Trip over the Atlantic. By Henry Wikoff,

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100 004 200 175 569.

Westward, Ho! By Eugene Lies,

Wealth-Want-Labor. By the Editor of the "Herald of Truth,"

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THE lust of gold has been in all ages the chief incentive to daring enterprises, and the most magnificent of these was the attempt to discover a new world, supposed to abound in the desired object; yet the bold adventurers who undertook its exploration, were but partially rewarded for the perils and hardships they encountered. Nevertheless, but one opinion seems to have been entertained in relation to the existence of the metals upon this continent, and this opinion has been supported by the inadequate quantities that from time to time continued but parsimoniously to reward the toil and privation of its seekers. That Cortez, Pizarro, and De Soto were foiled in the object they so eagerly sought; and that the rich prize should at last have fallen to the lot of those who did not neglect industry in its search, is apparently one of those retributive dispensations which sometimes present themselves in the history of mankind. While the Spaniards, after a lingering and barren settlement upon this continent, are being driven back from the rich inheritance of which they have proved themselves unworthy, the Americo-Saxon race, having opened every resource of wealth, made active every means of production, overcome the wilderness and peopled the plains, have now opened, as it were, the national strong-box, and are prepared to fill every channel of trade with the "constitutional currency" in such quantities, as probably may elicit surprise from those who have held the opinion that there is "not coin enough in the world to transact its business." Gold will now come to the American people, not as it presented itself to the indolent Spaniards, viz.: as a means of indulging an inglorious ease, or pampering a voluptuous pride, but as the great instrument of that national progress so compatible with the genius of the people. It is the motive power which will put in operation the already-prepared vast machinery of American enterprise, and be but a means of accelerating the march to national supremacy.

*Official Reports to Congress-Memorial of the citizens of California to Congress.

The Mexican war, which was supposed to be the knell of the Union, has been scarcely concluded before the object of three centuries' search has been brought to light, and the conquered territory is found to be literally "made of gold." The richest mineral country in the world is that of which Daniel Webster spoke as follows, in his speech on the loan bill, March 23d, 1848:

"There are other things that seem to affect one's consciousness of being a reasonable man, and evince a disposition to impose on his common sense. And of this class of topics or pretensions I have never heard of anything, and cannot conceive of anything more ridiculous in itself, more absurd, and more affrontive to all sober judgment, than the cry that we are getting indemnity. Indemnity by the acquisition of New Mexico and California! I hold them not to be worth a dollar, and we pay for them a vast sum of money. We have expended, as every body knows, large treasures in the prosecution of the war, and now what is there to constitute indemnity?"

This was certainly said in that spirit of federal prophecy which uniformly is stultified in the event. While the honorable gentleman was yet denouncing the territory as "not worth a dollar," immense sums were being daily extracted from its bosom by American pioneers, and that "manifest destiny" being fulfilled of which the federal party have ever been skeptive.

The fact appears to be well-established, that gold of great purity, and in considerable abundance, exists in the newly acquired territory. Large sums have been already received on the Atlantic border, and being analysed, are found to be nearly of the purity of the United States gold coin; that is to say, the coin is 900-1000ths fine; and of three different lots received from different persons and assayed at the mint, the 1st was 897-1000th, the 2d 894-1000th, and the 3d 894-1000th. This gold is produced in a quantity averaging $12 per day to the seekers, who have hitherto been destitute of all proper facilities for extracting the metal from the stones and earth in which it is found. The supply is supposed by all parties who have had an opportunity of inspecting the localities, to be almost inexhaustible; and the accounts have stimulated the greatest enterprise in all sections of the United States-so much so that probably 100,000 persons, with every proper instrument for thorough work, will be on the spot in the course of next summer; and from the accounts of the richness of the mines or deposits, very considerable sums, possibly not under $30,000,000 per month, may be expected to arrive in the United States.

The course taken by the excitement is singularly illustrative of the American character, and of that great skill and promptness in applying the principles of" association" to all the concerns of life, which attracts the attention, and awakens the admiration of foreign observers. When the news reached the Atlantic States of the vast mineral wealth of the countries of the Pacific, the first impulse caused a general movement of individuals, all desirous of reaching the spot as soon as possible, and very many vessels were put up to take passengers, as well to Chagres, to cross the peninsula, as to double the cape and reach the desired region, by the most tedious, but probably more sure method of a long sea voyage. The lapse of a few weeks brought reflection. The difficulties to be encountered and the dangers to be incurred, began to be considered, and the means of overcoming them to be devised. The gold regions, situated in a wilderness several hundred miles remote from the small settlements of San Francisco and Monterey, were not only without the protection of any government, but absolutely incapable of sustaining even the population already there. The neighboring countries

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