Miscellaneous newspaper articles about Sutter County California
March 11 1880
The Quincy Daily Herald, Quincy Illinois
Knights, Sutter Co, Cal., March 1 – TO The Editor of the Whig: After nearly
three years, during which time we have had only occasional copies of THE WHIG,
and they sent to us by acquaintances out here, we once more greet and welcome
THE DAILY WHIG.
Though out here, nearly in sound of the Pacific roar, our hearts still turn with
a sort of home sickness to "Old Adams" county, and we are made happy by the
thorough knowledge of it, its people, etc., conveyed by THE WHIG. The changes
you have made in the past seven years are perhaps more plainly seen by us, who
have wandered from the old homes, then by you who have remained there. There are
many Quincy people in this state. They are scattered from Los Angeles to Modoc
county, and even Oregon and Washington Territory have a sprinkling of the same.
Some of the arrivals here date way back in the 40s; others are of later date.
Some have found fortunes here, others, like ourselves, are still having a hard
and bitter struggle to maintain themselves. I hope in letters hereafter to give
you correct accounts of matters and things out here. How I wish to , through
your columns, call the attention of all who do not understand the situation out
here, and who propose emigrating to this coast, to the fact that California is
no place for poor people. I will state a few of my reasons for so stating, and
in future letters be explicit enough for all to understand:
First-labor here is crowded. Fully 50,000 laborers here can not obtain more than
three months work in a year.
Second – Without powerful friends no poor man can get into a job above that of a
place on such work as a Chinese Coolie can perform, and it is difficult to even
obtain that. I work whenever I can get it do; but am idle fally one third of my
time.
In order to get any work at all, I came here in the tule? Lands of the
Sacramento river. It is the most unhealthy place I ever saw. I will not except
even the Louisiana swamps, or the river bottoms and coasts of Texas. I think I
can do as well as the average American laborer, and my situation is such that I
would not wish even my worst enemy to be as badly off.
Third-There is no land in the state open to pre emption or homestead, that a
poor man can live on. The good land had long been "gobbled up." What is left can
not be irrigated, and that, you know, costs as much money as would by a farm.
The colony schemes in vogue in this state are so nearly all barefaced swindles
that in denouncing them one need not particularize.
Fourth- The Chinese, low foreigners, big land-holders, and such curses of
civilization, according to good, sound republicanism, have brought on such a
state of affairs that no one can see the end thereof. What was the worst
yesterday, to-day is good compared to what we to-day have, and what to-morrow
may being forth.
California is a breathing volcano and liable at any moment to explode. The first
shots fired into the people will be the signal for such trouble as our people
dream not of. Too many judge all laborers by the pusillanimous, ignorant,
foreign blatherskite Dennis Kearney, and in speaking of us count us all in with
the low foreigners who form the sand lot audiences. This class belong to San
Francisco. In the interior, however, there are not less than ten thousand
families who are nearly as bad off as are the starving people in Ireland. All we
ask of the state or government of the United States is to furnish the means of
locating us on 160 acres of public land and furnishing us necessaries till we
can raise one or two crops, then have money so loaned the people returned to the
state or government.
Politics in this state are badly mixed, but you may rely on the republican party
coming through the next campaign victorious. It will be no easy job though, for
we have some men connected with the party who seem bent on driving out of it
every man whose hands are hardened by honest toil. They are fools enough to join
in with other enemies old Men of the Sen," worse on the republican party here
than the one who rode Sinbad so nigh to death.
Judging from the republicans here Blaine is California's choice. Sherman can not
carry the state. The big majority of workers have read and heard enough to
believe that he has long used the power of the United States treasury to advance
his interests. Sherman left out, any other candidate would carry the state.
The choice of all the old soldiers with whom I have conversed is Gen. John A.
Logan. I do stated some time ago in a letter to the YOLO MAIL.
We have two good, honest, straightforward republicans at the head of our state
affairs. I refer to our governor, George O. Perkins, and Dan M. Buras, secretary
of state. They are of the people, and for the interests of all. Our present
legislature has more of a class of men who get up and talk all day and night of
things they don't know anything about, than any men ever before placed in such
responsible positions.
Quarreling, cursing, fighting have taken up the time which should have devoted
to framing laws provided by the new constitution. The Kearney crowd have sent
some of the worst boobies you ever saw. About all they can do is to fight
against all bills put forward by any but themselves. The intelligent
workingmen's representatives are by the others hooted, cursed, and denounced.
Then there are some white-handed men who belong to "The Higher Aristocracy."
They think that they have a little bit better blood in their veins than any
"Sans Colottes," and are propagates by special command of Divine Providence to
rule the "lower classes," and they make more than asses of themselves by the way
they get up and denounce things. Between these elements of discord, the able and
honorable members who desire to save the state from anarchy, and who earnestly
strive to do what is for the good of all the people, now and hereafter, and who
will not descend to low demagoguery, and shape legislation to please either big
land grabbers, stock brokers, monopolists of any kind, or the Sidney convicts
who come here and, after a three days' residence, claim the right to run our
political machine; I say, situated as they are, the good men have a hard time of
it. Next week I will give you a better letter and more to the point on all
things I may refer to.
Tell Quincy boys to stay at home for a few years, till affairs loom up here, and
until the ranches, as big as all of Adams County, are divided up into as many
small farms as Adams county has, and instead of only supporting one man, and at
times perhaps 200 Chinese and Portuguese, Italians and Digger Indians, has a
population of 400,000 and schools, churches, children and such take the places
of the Chinese and other low foreigners and their hide-covered kennels.
About 6,000 men now hold over 100,000,000 acres of land here. Knowing this, you
can well understand how it is that all poor people have so hard a time of it,
and how in this sunny land, where is raised enough of beef, fruits and cereals
to feed the world, there are 50,000 people who are hungry and suffering.
Respectfully yours, Quincy [Submitted by Debbie Gibson]
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