Bayard Taylor In His Interesting Work "El
Dorado," The First Edition Of Which Appeared In 1850, Thus States His
Opinion Of The Men Of '49:
"Abundance of gold does not always beget, as moralists tell us, a
grasping and avaricious spirit.
The principles of hospitality were as
faithfully observed in the rude tents of the diggers, as they could be
by the thrifty farmers of the North and West. The cosmopolitan cast of
character in California, resulting in the commingling of so many races,
and the primitive mode of life, gave a character of good-fellowship to
all its members; and in no part of the world have I ever seen help more
freely given to the needy, or more ready co-operation in any human
proposition. Personally, I can safely say that I never met with such
unvarying kindness from comparative strangers."
That last sentence also spelt the literal truth in my experience. Even
the dogs were kindly disposed and though I carried, a "big stick,"
except by way of companionship and as an aid in climbing, I might safely
have left it at home. And while at times I walked through a wild,
mountainous and almost deserted country, the idea of possible danger
never occurred to me. When finally one encountered a human being, he
invariably proved a courteous, obliging and companionable personage to
meet.
Bayard Taylor attended in September and the beginning of October, 1849,
the convention at Monterey, which gave to California its first, and in
the opinion of many, its best constitution. He closes his review of the
proceedings with these forceful and prophetic words:
"Thus we have another splendid example of the ease and security with
which people can be educated to govern themselves. From that chaos
whence under, a despotism like the Austrian, would spring the most
frightful excesses of anarchy and crime, a population of freemen
peacefully and quietly develops the highest form of civil order - the
broadest extent of liberty and security. Governments, bad and corrupt
as many of them are, and imperfect as they all must necessarily be,
nevertheless at times exhibit scenes of true moral sublimity. What I
have today witnessed has so, impressed me; and were I a believer in
omens, I would augur from the tranquil beauty of the evening - from the
clear sky and the lovely sunset hues on the waters of the bay - more
than all, from the joyous expression of every face I see, a glorious and
prosperous career for the State of California."
Southern California, by which is understood all of the State south of
the Tehachapi Mountains, was mostly settled by and is still to a great
extent the objective point of people from the East and Middle West. Most
of them came in search of health and brought a competency sufficient for
their needs. When President Wilson, then Governor of New Jersey, visited
California in 1911, he came over the southern route to Los Angeles.
Addressing a Pasadena audience he said: "I am much disappointed when I
see you. I expected to find a highly individualized people, characters
developed by struggle and mutual effort; but I find you the same people
we have at home," and more, to the same effect. Subsequently, Governor
Wilson delivered an address at the Greek Theater, Berkeley, before the
students of the University of California. At its close, Mr. Maslin
mounted the stage, a copy of the paper containing the account of the
Pasadena speech in his hands, and asked the Governor if he was correctly
reported; to which he replied in the affirmative. "Governor," said Mr.
Maslin, you came into the State at the wrong gate!" "Gate? gate? - what
gate?" inquired the Governor. "You should have come through Emigrant
Gap, through which most of the emigrants from '49 and on entered the
State. Now, Governor, the people you saw at Pasadena never suffered the
trials of a pioneer's lite, they are not knit together by the memory of
mutual struggles and privations. When you come to the State again, come
through Emigrant Gap. Let me know when you come, and I will introduce
you to a breed of men the world has never excelled." With the smile with
which millions have since become familiar, Governor Wilson grasped the
hand of the pioneer and said: "When I come again, as I feel sure I
shall, I shall let you know."
The following morning I took the train for my home in Alameda. As I sat
and meditated on the scenes I had witnessed and the character of the
people I had met, it was borne in upon me that this had been the most
interesting as well as enjoyable experience of my life. Already the
temporary discomforts produced by heat and soiled garments had faded
into insignificance, and assumed a most trivial aspect when I reviewed
the journey as a whole. They were part of the game. To again quote
"Trilby," tramping "is not all beer and skittles." Your true tramp
learns to take things as he finds them and never to expect or ask or the
impossible. He will drink the wine of the country, even when sour,
without a grimace; pass without grumbling a sleepless night; plod
through dust ankle deep, without a murmur; there is but one vulnerable
feature in his armor, and with Achilles, it is his heel! And it is
literally the heel that, is the sensitive spot. I will venture the
assertion that the long-distance tramper - not even excepting Brother
Weston - who has not at some time or another suffered from sore heels,
does not exist. The tramp's feet are his means of locomotion; on their
condition he bestows an anxiety and care which far surpass that of the
man in the automobile, with all his complicated machinery to inspect.
Remains then, the memory of the delicious, faint, cool, morning breeze,
gently stirring the pine needles; the aromatic odor of forest
undergrowth; the murmur of the stream hurrying down the mountain gorge
to mingle its pure waters with those of the muddy Sacramento, far away
in the great valley below; the deep awe-inspiring canons of the
American, Stanislaus and Mokelumne Rivers; and back of all, the azure
summits of the Sierra Nevada.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 20 of 21
Words from 19331 to 20374
of 20479
