Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/387



ical, plodding,  and  contented  ;  the  Anglo-American  is versatile,  venturesome,  cmming,  dissatisfied,  and  cap- tious.

California, naturally,  with  her  sudden  and  wonder- ful appearing, demanded  immediate  recognition  from the United  States  government  as  a  full-fledged state. Was it  not  right  and  proper  that  she  should be so  recognized,  and  that  the  mantle  of  protection and the  benefit  of  law  should  be  extended  over  her  ? And yet,  month  after  month  of  the  year  of  1849, she waited,  now  buoyant  with  hope,  now  sunk in despair,  wondering  if  ever  the  time  would  come when party  bickerings  on  the  eastern  side  of  the Rocky Mountains  would  give  place  to  the  inter- ests of the  people,  A  most  anomalous  position  was that in  which  the  inhabitants  of  California  found themselves. They were  part  of  a  great  nation,  and yet were  without  government ;  a  country  rich  in  min- eral and agricultural  wealth  was  theirs,  but  they  had only a  limited  control  of  it. Regulations for  the  ex- traction of its  treasures  were  wanting. Titles to  ag- ricultural lands, which  must  be  improved  at  the  set- tlers' risk or  not  at  all,  were  also  wanting,  and  the national congress  had  failed  to  provide  them.

By transient  visitors,  and  writers  on  California, much more  was  said  than  was  ever  understood  of the  peculiarities  of  Californian  society. As a  rule  phil- osophers and wise  men  coming  hither  can  learn  fully as much  as  they  can  teach. Though they  can  tell  us many  things  we  do  not  know,  we  can  tell  them  many things we  know,  as  well  as  many  things  we  do  not know, things  they  never  met  or  are  likely  to  meet elsewhere. The appearance  which  California  pre- sented to them,  with  frequent  exaggerations  and epithets denouncing  all,  was  early  heralded  by  hare- brained writers in  the  various  languages,  and  Califor- nia made to  appear  in  the  most  diabolical  light,  giving this as  the  normal  state  of  American  society.

There were  always  present  alarmists  and