Our American Letter.

Otago Witness, Issue 1476, 28 February 1880, Page 8

Ou r Ame rican Letter.

San Pbancisco, January 19fcb.

The holiday festivities having passed, we are again settling down to business. There has been a revival in mining stock, with every prospect of an active season in the near future As yet there has been no now mining developments, but the Comatock and outlying mining . districts never looked so promising as they 'do to-day. One remarkablo feature of the Comstock is that the hot belt has been passed in the south end mines, anil that with, a low temperature, at very groat dupth, oi c bodies are being developed. Tho connt'y was barren in the hot and waier bells, but as thase are passed through, a new formation is struck. This is very important, because the chief drawback in the heated levels was tho impossibility ot men working for any length of time continuously. The no'-tb. cod mines, where neb developments are li.oksd for almost daily, aro still troubled with heab a«d water ; but the immense pumping works on the Union Consolidated shaft, which will ba in operation early nfxt month, will bo sufficient to control the water, and enable the mines to be worked to advantage. I have already described this huga pumping outfit, # and therefore need only mention that it is by far the largeot in the world. Indeed, tbe machinery erected on the Oomstock lode at Virginia Oiiy, »a<i »lo»g V old t « lU » " one' of the wonders of engineering skill and speculative enterprise. The belief gains around that this year will be oae of enormous miuing development, aa well in Nevada, Utah, and Colorado, as m tali* fornia and Arizona. The Bodie mines, in Mono County, California, are fast coming into prominence, while many of tha old minim? camps of the State, abandoned for years, ate being profitably occupied. Tho «old produce of California amounts to 250 000,000 dollars. It might, however, have been far gwater, but speculation diverted coital from this State into Nevada, and a croat deal, also, has been well placed m Dafcota, whose mining ceatre is Deadwood City 1880 will witness a great revival, however, and this, taken in connection with the harvest promise, which is unusually favourable, will cause bnak times. In-Jeed, nothing could well be more favourable than tha agricultural outlook. The season haß b^en most propitious bo far, and California alone will add one-third to the aggregate products of 1879 by the increased area of new land under cultivation, and tbe nteneral distribution of moisture over the State this winter, ensuring a crop. Wo have had a vtry cold snap it is true, bus the effect has been beneficial only. Hi eheoked vegetation and destroyed the germ cf iuaeot life which otherwise might have been very troublesome. The gram will not have attained any great haaht betore the later raini set in, and this wilt prevent lo*s by laying, which so offcon reduces the average yield in this State. The business revival all over the United Spates has been so remarkable that commissioners from Earope hwe come over to study the oaubeo and report upon them. , Now the causes are not far to seek. Owing to- the lorg.continucd depression under the oontrao. tion policy inaugurated by Secretary M Cullouqb", and the demonetisation of eilver, Ss went down to the bedrock-m other words, values .Bhrank enormously, and the usurers raked in tho property of the debtor claaß remorselessly. Debts contracted in currency, at depreciated value, were made payable in gold coin, at a premium, by Congressionallegtslation. The ultimate consequence was a suspension of manufactures, o wing, it waa said, to ' over.produotion," but in reality omug to the poverty of the people, who could not purchase Trade failed, basiaess languished, private credit was impaired, wages were reduced almost to the starvation levd, and diacontont and diflSHtfsfaction reigned supreme. But the deroerate strait of the country attracted the Attention of thoughtful men, and silver was remonetwed, while the ourrenov was elevated in tho scale by its redemption at f «jb value. These measures r^storad confidence, aud business began revivin« Its was not;, however, until September 1879 that the' " business boom" took plaon. Tha harvest of 1878 had been a goad one, and the produce was sold at fair prices, enabling farmers to pay off some of their indebtedness ; the harvest of 1879 was better, andlefh a handsome surplus after paying off mortgages and advances. Money became plentiful, fw was natural under these conditions. Daring the year just closed the United States imported 83,000,000 dol«. colrT and exported 12,000,000 dois., the (h&ereno? being received in payment for our breadstuff ■», provisions, cotton, tobacco, &c. Such a bulance aloao would stimulate trade, but very J?r?o amount 8 ! were liki.wisa imported in <sic snipe of United States bono3, retorced in lieu of com. These of course Wft'o roalised upon, and the amounts distributed among the producing classes. The volume ot money in circulation was inadequate for t(\o requirements o£ trade, and accordingly stops wero taken to iusroase ifr. During tho year just closed wo coined some forty million dollars in gold and twenty four millions in silvor, principally from our own mi»ies ; we increased the volume of paper our rency by fifteen million dollars,b-Bideß bringing the' 650,000,000 doUars in circulation at the close of 1878 up to par by resumption. In other words, the money of tho country has been isoovensed befcweou 16 and 20 per cent, <uiving 1879 As a natural outcome, we have the mining dovtloptnenf; al'udod to above ; the rapid extension of agricultural settlement in new territory, a renewal of railroad construction, and the resumption of work by miUs, factories, foundries, and workphops, Ji-vervthing couepircs ti aid I,ht» dfivolrprnpnt of this country. Xt only needs Congfcas to let well aloxxe, which is hardly to b« exjjeoted from a body four-fiitho of which are praotißing attonteye. who unite politics with the profession of /aw. The movement of the produoo of tb.9 great western basin to the Atlantic seaboard ia a matter of difficulty aad expense which mayforcfi a solution unpleasant to tho railroads and Eastern warahousemen. The railroads have not inore&asd their equipments fco keep pace with the progress* of the country, and this, sdclod to delays at w-

loading points, and outrageous chargea o warehouse proprietors, compel the produce men of Chicago to look to the St. Lawrence as fche beat available outlet. In a former lefcierlhiutedaUhispaint, bub it is about taking some definite ehapa now. The Chicago Tribune of January Ist, in its annval review of thai city's transaction'^ (a remarkable exhibit;, by the way, showing au aggregate trade of 704,000,000 dollara), has the following allusion to the subjecb, which illustrates it better _ than I could otherwise do. It writes :— "Va is well known that a groat circle drawn on the globe from Chicago to the South of England would coincide, with, the Valley of the Sfc. Lawrence. The coo. sum or s of nearly all our export supplies, both of provisions and breadstuff?, live north of that line ; and all of those in Europe ate north of the latitude of Chicago and Boston, c-xeppt a few inhabitants of Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Hence it would appear, as has often been urged, that the St. Lawrence is the great uUural outlet fov the produce which the Old World buys from the New. But the Canadian route has not been a favourite one wilh ouv shippers during the past year. The lake business has been chiefly done by way of Buffalo, chiefly because of the greater certainty of being able to obtain ocean freight-room at American ports. Our shipments to all the lower lake ports were light during the last season of navigation, and. thoHe made were chiefly for distribution to New England points via Lake Ohtimplain and from Oswego. The grain trade of Montreal showa an Increase during the past year, by reason of more intimate business relations between that cifcy and Detroit and Toledo,— the direct consequenco of a big wheat crop fn the States of Michigan and Indiana," I have no doubt the sagacious business men of the Dominion will act upon this hint, and endeavour to secure a portion of this vast trade. And speaking of the Dominion reminds me of a significant politioal movement there, which is attracting much attention in this oountry, and will excite much more in England.

This movement ia one looking to the independence of Canada. New York papers are full of it, aud although the Conservative Press of Montreal and Ontario look upon it with disfavour, it ia growing in the Western eeotions, which feel themselves ignored or dwarfed under the present sjstem. Let me be more explicit. There is in Montreal a new club, oalled the Society of Political Economy, which holds monthly meetings and prepares for discussion by firßt dining together. The Montreal Star thus explains its purpose and policy :—

" The object of this aooiety ia the same in principle as that of La Soeiete d'Economie de Politlque, Paris, and it is intended to meet once a moath at the Windsor Hotel to discuss questions of political economy and goverament. Eighty gentlemen have already joined, comprising merchants, bankers, &c, and gentlemen of all shades of opinion and nationalities, to discuss whatever affects the politioa of the country. The order of the day will comprise the Colonial system, tho legislative union of Canada, commercial union with the United States, protection, free trade in prinoiple, independence, confederation of the Empire, annexation with the States, the balance of trade, banking, and other questions. The committee of the society will appoint gentlemen to discuss these questions, and every member will havo the right to take part in the debate or to simply listen. The society hopes by these dieenssiono to elevate the general knowledge of the public on these questions, which are of vital interest to Canada, and it is anticipated that th_er3 will be 4COO members." The first meeting attracted universal attention from the number and character of ihoHc present. It being understood that each member speaks according to his convictions, the remarkable concurrence of opinion looking to Cauadiau independence has startled the Conservatives. In an interview with tha New York Herald reporter, Sir Francis Hinckß ecouted the idea that any Canadian favoured annexation with the United States, or was dissati&fied with the Mother Country. He likewise ridiculed the meeting. Thia called for an explanation from one of the re. preservatives from Montreal who was at the meeting, and who is a member of the new political organisation. He established the importance of the movement, and demonstrated the underlying dissatisfaction with the existing order of things. Other gentlemen oame forward ako, and their testimony is identical. Their aspirationo are for independence and not for annexation. They contend that there ia no Imperial oaresr ©pea for Canadians, and point to the defeEcelofisness of the frontier in the event of war with the United States. "If every man, woman, and child in the Dominion were stood up in line on the frontier, they could not cover ii;, much loss withstand invasion by a nation numbering nearly 50,000,000, checked by no natural barriers, of our own raoe, and all trained to the use of arm^" Thia is what ono Canadian has got to say on the subject, but the statesmen of Lower Canada, or the province of Quebec, as ifc is now styled officially, have another objiction, which they urge with muck force. They say that Canada has no voice in controlling the tvoaty-mikiai? power, _ that Great Britain makes treaties to suit its own interests binding upon the Dominion, which is thus so! iously crippled in its commerce and industrial development. This is an evil not u« known to New Zealand and Australia, and, as I pointed out in a former letter, when alluding to tbo appoinfcmanb of a minister -resident from the Dominion in London. And just here ia the point ia which Australasia is intereatsd in tha Canadian question. Any concession in this respect to the Dominion should! be dftunndol for New Zealand at all crouis, which, by reason oi geographical position, resources, maritime advantages, snd funded dobfc, ia paced in the van of th« Aunti-aba'an commonwealtbs. I mention your funded debi advisedly, because, while ifc rnaken your re« sponaibilities conspicuous, conversely it mikes tho responsibilities of the parent State to foster and encourage your commerce all the greater, if you are to pay interest and ultimately redeem your bonds

Another point token up by tho Montreal Tories, as the Toronto Globe contemptuously etylc/j them, is tho Bubjeob of national de* foaco, The Home government oompelfl

the Dominion to maintain a large standing army for Imperial purposes, and contributes nothing towards the expense. It is urged that the fear of Fenian invasion is resultant from subjection to the Crown; that were Canada an independent power, it would have nothing to apprehend from the United States, and so forth. Now, there iB a whole volume of truth in this, and m*ugre the Bcntiment of loyalty, I don't think the game of Imperialism in Canada is worth the Cindle. While the new party duclaimi any Bympatby With the annexation policy, the Ontario Pnss declares that thia is their covert design. I don't believe it. Canada, as an independent Republic, would do vory much better than as an integral part of the United States. Its laws and institutions are distinctly better, and Archbishop Lynch, a Catholic prelate, has publicly implored his people not to entertain the idea of annexation. He declares thit Canadian institutions are more liberal, its laws more equitable and better administered than those of the United States, in which he says he spent many years as a missionary priest, and had ample opportunities of observation. " The love of country is second only to the love of God," exclaims the distinguished ecclesiastic, "and I implore you by all you hold sacred not to renounce your nationality and become Bubject to any foreign power." Thus the agitation for the independence of Canada grows apace, and the American Press' is fanning the flame. Americans want annexation, however, and don't scruple to manufacture public opinion to help their policy. I think annexation would be fatal t) the Dominion, just as their protective tariff is admitted to have killed their shipbuilding industry. It is now discovered that ships can be built on the Clyde oheaper than they can in Canada, and as the Dominion shipping laws do not prevent British or foreign built vessels being purchased and placed on the Canadian register, of course Dominion capitalists will buy in the oheapest market. The United States tariff and Shipping Registry law have jointly destroyed the meroautila marine of the United States. But this is merely incidental to the main argument, which Bhould interest your rising statesmen, who, I perceive, aspire to make New Zealand a nation. "To be or not to be" is the question in Canada just now. It Is remarkable, however, that not a word was spoken in this direction during the popular administration of Earl Dufferin, who, the London Spectator declared, might have been elected Constitutional King of Canada if the Dominion had beeu bent upon setting up national housekeeping. It is not the presence of Lome and Princess Louise that stimulates this sentiment, however, for the Marquis is unpopular, and the Court etiquette and ceremonial have become well nigh intolerable to the Kanuoks. The feeling is the natural growth of public sentiment, and is one of the latest c eidences of political evolution. The tendenoy is to republicanism, and notto monarchy. I should add that the French residents of Montreal have established a similar club.

The increase of population by immigration for the past year numbered 175,000, to whioh Germany contributed about 35,000; Ireland 22,000 ; England 21,000 ; and Sweden orer 11,000. The State of California, however, was not so fortunate. Its increase by immigration is set down by the Commercial Herald at 9349 ; but lam inclined to think that it suffered a decrease 'n 1879, tsking the arrivals and departures by sea and land. This is accounted for by the stagnation brought about by Chinese labour competition and the withdrawal of the wages fund from circulation ; and it is a fact that this commonwealth is steadily becoming poorer month by month, wbile the Chinese are as steadily accumulating wealth. Large landed estates likewise bar the way to settlement, and I think, from observation, no greater curse can befall any country than the monopoly of its lands in a few hands. Ireland is the frightful national example. Mexico is fast treading upon its heels ; while < 'alifornia has the thing brought home to it i' a way that paralyses industry and scares a. way population, I can conceive of no country possessing in greater degree than California all the elements of social progress and industrial prosperity ; and yet I know of no new country in which the reverse of these conditions is so exactly the case. Covered over with Mexican grants, which were confirmed by the Treaty of Queratero, all of which have been stolen irom the original owners and to four, fifths of which no title can be had, one can understand how this great country was checked when the momentum of gold-digging ceased to operate. While, therefore, other parts of the Union progress wonderfully, California retrogrades. That is the sober fact. The Legislature now in set sion may provide some remedy under the new Constitution, but I doubt it very much. I don't think the Legislature possesses talent enough to handle this question, but we shall sec. The Constitution itself prescribes principles of taxation which should operate in favour of settlement, and against large estates held for speculation. Reverting to the gsneial subject of immigration, it is worth noting that France sends fewest of its population to the United States of any European country. Indeed, Wales sends more, Switzerland twice as many, Norway thrice and Sweden six times bb many as France. Uia estimated that each immigant brings 75d015. (£ls), and this is a higher average thaa in former years. The Russian Mf nconitea are the riohest, and Italians and Irish thn poorest. During the last 30 years over eight million souls, of foreign birth, found homes in the United States, and yet its vast territory seems only to be opening up to industrial enterprise. Colorado is attracting great attention in England, but I attach more value to the Pacific yiope as a whole than to the central belt including Colorado and New Mexico, vast as their resources are.

Messrs Parnell and Dillon are in tie United States, engaged in a mission connected with the land agitation in Ireland. Their position is this : That alleviating Irish distress is simply a secondary consideration ; that contributions faV.onld bu in money, and not in food ; and that it should b<; primarily devoted to estauiuhing a peasant proprietary, by acquiring the fee-simple of the Boil. This programme baa naturally enough ex-

cited comment and opposition, and the New York Herald, backed by other newspapers and quite a hoßt of correspondents, takes Parnell severely to task. Parnell, in turn, denounces the Herald. Cardinal M'Closkey sides with the Herald, whose object is to raisa a large fund for the relief of Irish distress, and. entrust it to a representative nommittee on both Bides of the Atlantic. Parnell refused to serve on the committee, for the reason that it would be used for political purposes, and that there were men named upon it inimical to Ireland. And so the quarrel rages, but Parnell has captured the public, and the dollars contributed will chiefly pass through the Relief Commission of the Irish Land League. This will strengthen its hold upon the sympathies of the Irish people, and enable the League to carry the majority of Irish Beats next election. Everywhere the American people have taken up the question, and it is being discussed most thoroughly. Lists of Irish landlords, resident and absentee, with their rent-rolls, are published in the leading papers and commented upon, and it must be confessed that the landlords make a poor showing. The Herald has taken a characteristic way of doing this. It has sent commissioners to Ireland, who have procured written statements from the landlords, addressed to the editor, which have been telegraphed in extenso j also letters from and interviews with representatives of the tenant farmer, cottier, and labouring classes. This incurs great expense, but it really presents the case in its most comprehensive form — more bo, in fact, than has yet beeu done by any Home journal. Americans are thus well advised, and the Press of this country has brought, in this way, tremendous moral pressure upon England, The Irish question hfs been transferred to America, in fact, and the world no longer judges the condition of Ireland from the prejudiced statements in English newspapers. The era of "no Irish need apply " has passed ; the era of newspaper and official misrepresentation of Ireland is fast passing away as well. And here let me say that my suspicion, so far, regarding the disposition of the relief fund has not been verified. Apparently everything is square and aboveboard, but only a final audit can determine the point. Sheriff Desmond, of whom I wrote in former letters, refused to subscribe anything to sustain a nation of lazy, indolent paupers ; there was food enough in Ireland, he said, if the people only fought for it. This is only an exaggerated statement of Parnell's opinion as I understand it.

Congress is in session just now, and will probably continue the greater part of the summer and autumn. Thewoik before it in the shape of national legislation ia very important, but I doubt very much if it will be attended to. Everything will be made subservient lo national politics, and as the Presidential election comes off this year, these will have unusual interest. General Grant is now a recognised candidate for the Presidency, and his friends are parading him in the South, prior to a trip to Cuba, Mexico, and South America. He has been everywhere well received, and it must be confessed that if we are to have a Camr, no more fitting embodiment of Imperialism can be found upon this continent. But then I don't think we are going to have an empire, neither do I believe the country, in the end, will accept Grant for President with this possible contingency ahead. A.t the same time, the country has become accustomed to the idea, and there are men bold and bad enough to seize upon the executive power and bring it about. It could be done much more easily now than before the Civil War. Then men prided themselves in their Jstate ; they were citizens of Virginia or Massachusetts, or the Carolinas, or Maine, Ohio, and so on ; now they are citizens of the United States, their State citizenship b^iog the mere accident of residence and registration. There is no patriotism apart trom the nation, and the Executive in Washington is its official embodiment. Whether, therefore, the occupant of the White House be a constitutional President, a Dictator, or Emperor, he will be recognised and obeyed by the foreign aad the younger elements of society, who have grown up to regard the uuit, " nation," everything ; and the part, " State," nothing. This, of course, assumes that he will be firmly seated, and has the administration well in hand. Grant, should he be elected, will not resemble Lincoln, who told an office seeker that he *' had no influence with his administration." Ulysses S. Grant will be the Administration, and I venture to predict that his "reign," if it be inaugurated, will mark many innovations. Indeed, some of the ablest and most sagacious men admit that the Republic cannot exist much longer under the existing Constitution ; and Charles O'Connor, of New York, a leading Democrat, a father of the bar, and an emineafc man every way, has just published a cwo-columa letter declaring in his judgment, if public liberty is to be conserved, there must be a disruption aud reconstruction. I have not seen his letter yet, only telegraphic mention of .ife. But I need not pursue this topic, however suggestive. My purposo is to notice the current of public sentiment in thia country, not to predicate events. II 11I 1 have done so fairly, I think, and therefore leave my readers to form their owb opinion, They are building up a nation at the antipodes, however, aod do well to watch tbe course of events in the United States. Of ooe thing 1 would have them beware, and that ia of the American election methods. Bon't, upon any account, delegate to an/ "primary" or "convention" the duty of nominating candidates for the Lagislatmre. Lot the candidate go before the people and make his appeal direct to the votf.rs. Otherwise you have the right of suffrage reduced to a mere political expression, and pave tho way to some such outrageous act as that which threatens to deluge the State of Maine in blood, because of the deliberate counting out of the Republican majority, by the Governor and Council, sitting as a revisory electoral board. Governor Garcelon and his Council are Democrats, and having lost the election they coolly resjlved i to count out a, sufficient uumbtr of Republicans and i&Bue election certificates to as many Democrats, to give them the commaud of the Legislature, upon which devolved the election of GoviTf.or, tho people having failed to elect by the requisite plurality, Affairs

looked very threatening for a time, but thanks t* prudent counsel and to the firmneaa of General Chamberlain, commmdiug the Stato militia, peace was preserved. Both part-es organised their Legislatures, and both elected Governors, which throws the responsibility upon the President of saying which organisation and Governor he will re cognise. Being a Republican, of course he will recognise the Republican Executive in Maine, thereby securing the election of a United States senator of that politioal stripe. While outrages upon the voters of this character were confined to Florida, Louisiana, or Mississippi, one was not surprised very much ; but when the State of Maine, one of the New England group, becomes the theatre of one of these attempts to reverse a popular vote, men begin to think there is something radically wrong. Mammon, vilest of the crew that fell from Heaven, is the god all Americans adore. There is not a single exception. In the pulpit, and out of ib ; in the counting-house, and out of it ; upon the bench of justice, and off it; in the lawyer's chambers, upon the miritalbed, in the workshop, foundry, street; afloat or on dry land, in mine or upon tho mountain top, ara th^ shrines of Mammon. He is the deity all adore. " All for monoy, aad the world in hand !" This is their cree.i. But the wheels of hia imperial car cruah ruthlessly in th 3 dust and mire of despair his votaries, and only the favoured few have seats at his right hsnd. Of these is Vanderbilt; and the Graphic recently presented a humiliating picture, entitled "The Adoiatioa. of the Foot," in whioh a Christian minister, and a Protestant at that, is presented as he appeared in his pulpit, and before his congregation, adoring the im&ge of the foot of the late "Commodore Vanderbilt. " I have seen many ftet," said the Rev. Doctor, " but none so beautiful as the Commodore's." This was upon the occasion of the unveiling of a stitue of the late Longshore boatman in a^ memorial church in hia native parish. So low, so sodden, so depraved has Christian clerical manhood become in this Christian and enliahtened country! Those who read the New York Graphic will see this marvellous revelation for themselves. Suffice it, that the Church and the people bow down and adore the relics of a man the record of whose life was so loathsome aud vile, when dragged into court by his family while quarrelling over his stolen millions, that the public taste for sensations was nauseated, and the beßotted heirs of a besotted father compromised the suit in very shame to oover the skirt of the mother that bore them. " I have seen many feet, but none so beautiful as the Commodore's !" and the priest of the living God bowed his head in adoration of the image whioh the high priest of Mammon had set up. And so it goes from church to church, from market-place to market-place, by day and by night; Mammon and his favourites are adored, and honour, virtue, comeliness and cleanliness of life are trampled in the dust of contempt and obloquy. Here is what the New York Commercial Advertiser estimates the profits made by a few prominent New York speculators last year ;— profits not made in legitimate business, but by organised plunder in the stock market mainly, or by "pools" in grain, provisions, and the like. It says :— "The rumoured additions to the great fortunes identified with Wall street from the successful speculation of 1879 are enormous in amount. These are some of the estimates*. Added to the Vanderbilt estate, 30,000.000 dol.; to the wealth of Jay Gould, 15,000,000 dol ; to the wealth of Russell Sage, 10,000,000 dol.; Sidney DUlon, 10,000 000 dol.; James R. Keene, 8,000,000 do].; to the First National Bank, 2,000,000 dol; to Drexal, Morgan, and (Jo., 2,000,000 dol ; and to three or four other great operators, 3,000,000 dol.— giving a total of 80,000,000 dol. to about 10 or 12 estates in a single year."

Just 16 million pounds sterling abstracted from the producing classes by the most barefaced and impudent series of robberies which can be imagined. In San Francisco we have no means of ascertaining what some four or five men raked into their coffers by similar means. Suffice that it must have been proportionate. James O. Flood, of the Bonanza firm, presanted his daughter with a Christmas gift, 2,500,000 dol., in United States bonds, which are registered in her name and secure this young lady an annuity of £20,000. Certain proceedings have been taken against the "Bonanza kioga" looking to an accounting and distribution of their profits, from alhged (and truchfully so) violation of duty as trustees of mining companies. The suits involve some 10 millions sterling, and so far, despite their money, have gone against " the firm." An accounting has been called for in the estate of W. S. O'Brien, one of the Bonanza firm, in the Bame proceedings, and it transpires that fully one-third of his wealth was concealed, for what purpose does not appear. Now Flood and Fair are richer thin O'Brien was, and Mackay is richer still ; and they jointly possess four times as much bullion as ever was taken out of the Bonanza mines, and the question is : How did they get it ? The answer will be made one day, and it will baatremendons revelation Meanwhile Flood is providing for his children by a present distribution, and preparing for a change of residence.

Great is Mammon, "the Almighty Dollar," who never deceives those that trust in it ! A pool has been maiie in grain, in New York— that is, many pools have been made, but they have all been abaorbtd by one grsat pool, represented by James R Keeue. This English adventurer and successful California "oparator," is the representative and hoad of tho combination. Quite a national question here arises. They have locked up all the grain toward, and every warehouse in, Chioago, aud all along the line to the East and at the seaboard ia chockfull. No movement of grain can take place from points beyond Chicago without their leave, and if the Western farfarmerß sold their grain buyers could not transport it to the coast. Thus the selling price oi breadstuils is depreciated, and the price in Eurr-pe i 3 artificially raised. And the country appsara to be powerless. GriaS iti Mamnioo, which gilds tho luAibes of Congressmen and legislators, and pours a golden stream into the harlot lap of speculation, clogging the wheek of tbe locomotive and. manipulating the telegraph. This country

will one day get tired of the worship of Mammon, as he is partial in his gifts, but whether it will revert to the worship of the old- fashioned deity who perraita such things to happen, is q-aite another question. I fear there will be a period of national unbelief, m whioh the worst passions of humanity will have pUy. If I read the signs of the times aright, Moloch, not Jehovah, will be the nexb national deity of America The battle of the Canals still ragea, and Brother Jonathan is lashing himself into a passion at the presumption of France undertaking to construct a canal across the lathmus of Darien without asking the permission of the United States. The Herald thinks the time has come when national honour requires that Da Lssaeps, who is on the spot with a large Btaff of engineers and pioneers, should be sent home with a fba in his ear. But Da Lessepa keeps on never minding, and wines and dines Americans with princely liberality. He has a considerable following in New York, and can always count upon active support in the United States by chambers of commerce, newspapers, and Congressmen, while he distributes double-eagles. But they will never "letup" on him, unless he is generous in this respect. An effort has been made to establish a rival company to construct a canal across the Nicaragua Isthmus, and yet another project U afoot which would utilue Tehuaatepec Isthmus, in Mexiso. At present they are inchoate, and whether anything will ever come of either or both remains to be seen. Some 80 railroads were sold last year m this country under foreclosure, representing in the aggregate an enormous amount of money. They were built during a period of great inflation, at high figures, chiefly upon bonds. The interest upon theae and operating expenses, compelled the manipulators to raise money upon mortgage to supplement the income, but this only added to the difficulty, and precipitated the inevitable crash. Although a bad thiag for stockholders, it is a good thing for the country, inasmuch as freight charges may now be reduced materially, while paying a fair profit upon the iavestment. There are scores of railroads similariy circumstanced, which it would be well to see sold by order of the mortgagees.

We have had our iet»ular weekly instalment o£ frauds, bank steals, assassinations, an.-l so forth; but I shall not disgust my readers with details. A very respectable Calif or dian has "skipped the city" and gone to parts unknown a heavy defaulter. He was bookkeeper to the Sheriff, and embezzled some 25,000d01, which ex Sheriff Nunan will be required to make good ; and being also a light in the Odd- Fellows' Order, and a vtry capable man, he was the trusted secretary of tho Mutual Building and Loan Association. By the over-issue of stock of this company he has netted some 23,000d01, bat whether he took money with him or not is unknown. His house in this city is heavily mortgaged, and hia wife and children are unprovided for. This is a sample raßcal. His name Is Berry, and a3 he disappeared the day the last Australian steamer left, the supposition is that he went to Bee the Sydney Exhibition. But then he might as readily have gone to Shanghai, the China steamer sailing the same day. Heavy defalcations are noted in the East;. Of " blood-curdling " crimes I might fill a page of tbe Daily Times, but Iwon't. Twosoaiety incidents will suffice. A young lady East, fascinating and all that sort of thing, "just too good for anything," shot her mother in bed— that is, she is accused of shooting her with a pistol, and there can be no doubt of the fact ; but she has been discharged from custody. She had been reading sensational literature, and might have done it in her sleep or something ; but being so pretty, and good, and interesting, her old mother was shoved under the sod, and she returned to society. Her own story wa3 a palpable fabrication. She appears to have got out of bed from her mother's side, and taking a borrowed pistol, perforated her skull. A day or two afterwards in another part of the country (East, of course), a young lady, the most charming and affectionate that even was seen, walked up to her father's store, and after kissing and fondling him while tha clerks were about, drew her little pistol and lodged a bullet in hia brain. She proceeded upstairs, and holding a mirror befoie her, perforated her own skull at precisely the same distance abrve the eye that she tapped her father's cranium. She died, of course, and all the sympathy is for her. She committed this double murder because her affianced had shot himself a few mentbs before, having been refused the daughter's hand for good aod sufficient reason. She thought her father was responsible, but resolved not to survive him. She left a note explaining her motives. Now, when these things happen in the green tree of American society, what will be likely to take place in the dry? Ring down the curtain, and let imagination furnish the ghastly details. But do nob forget that robbing graveyards has become one of the nocturnal industries of the United States. What is done with the cadavers is a mystery. Science does not require all that is stolen after death or made to order.

Last Sunday we had an eclipse of the sun, the line of totality crossing this State about 150 miles north of San Francisco. The day was unubUilly fine, and very successful observations were made. An iuttr-Mercury planet was observed. New Zsaland insurance companies doing business ia California will be interested in a bill before the State Legislature providing that all foreign companies (which includes all except California companies) eh.aU deposit 200,000d015. in United States bonds, or cash with the State Treasurer, in addition to paying a heavy license tax, before they oan transact busi-nes-f. The bill is not law, and ifc may te modified ; but it is promoted by local companies and will pass in some shape. Ib is noteworthy that no foreign company throughout the United State 3 has failed, nor made a compromise with policy - holders, which cannot be said of those of purely American origin. Indeed, the Governor of New York draws pointed attention to tho fact that the lire losses in that State last ye«r exceeded the premiums, which is not a healthy condition of business.

Aud here, incden tally, in olr.Biug 1 nrvy remark upon the disparity of your pablic debt ami that of California. Thia State is burdened wifch something like £(300,000—

nnder that figure ; while New Zealand, ever 1 so much smaller, and more enthusiastic— shall I say, "" or enterprising— owes well nigh £30,000,000. We complain of our debt. If we were in your place, the debt would be scaled to a dead oertainty. Of course it would be very wrong, but then chivalrous Virginia, the mother of States, has just elected a debt- scaling Legislature^ Death has removed a local eccentricity, ia the person of Norton 1., Emperor of America and Protector of Mexico. Thia harmless lunatic Vas at one time a leading merchant and real estate operator here, but made an unfortunate speculation, and became prostrated with brain fever. On his recovery, he became possessed of the Imperial craze, and ever after went about dressed in fantastic uniform. He was a Cockney by birth, of Jewish parentage, bub was brought up at the Cape of Good Hope. There are some who claim that William the Fourth was his father, and the resemblance between tho late King of England and the late king of dreamland waa very strong. Apart from this delusion, he was a courteous, cultured gentleman, as far removed In conversation and tastes from the grovelling crowds by whom he was surrounded, as it is possible to imagine. Poor Norton! he is missed from the street. He died of apoplexy, on his way to a meeting at the hall of the Academy of Sciences. Edison's electric experiments are successful. His lamps burned continuously for a month j flaws in the glass have extinguished some by letting in air, but thia difficulty he anticipates overcoming. He intends making the electric light so cheap that only persons of extravagant habits will burn tallow dips. His lamp must be sold at 25.eent-8. -/acob Terry.

P.S — Bebtive to the Canadian question, whioh is mentioned prominently in my letter, I append an extract from the New York Herald, to hand by yesterday's mail, which will show you the growth of the " independence " sentiment in the Dominion. A few years ago, no one dared venture to speak of such a subject. The Fenians whipped the Kanuoks into loyal traces, and now tho "protection" policy of the Administration is whipping them again.

CANADIAN INDEPENDENCE.

Ottawa, Ont. f Jan. 9th, 1880. The Free Press, in referring to the Oana« dian Independence movement, this evening Ba y ß . — Mr Joseph Perrault, whatever else may be said of him, has at least the courage of iris conviction. He went to Washington lately to convince Mr Evarts that Canada was ripe for a new movement tending to annexation, and the next we hear is that Mr Perrault is about starting a newspaper in Montreal to be oalled L'Emanoipation Colo, niale, which, as its title indicates, is to ad< vooate the independence of Canada. Mr Perrault represented Richelieu for some years in the Provincial Parliament. Retiring from it, he became secretary to the Provincial Board of Agriculture, editor of the Revue Agricole, and subsequently secretary to the Canadian Commissioner at the Paris and Philadelphia Exhibitions. A REPLY TO MR PBRRATJLT'S ARGUMENTS. Toronto, Ont., Jan. 9th, 1881). Sir Francis Hincks, replying in to-day's Globe to Mr Perrault'a letter, ia which three instances are cited where panada has Buffered loss owing to her connection with Great Britain, aays that the Imperial Government oould have no object, ia interfering with Franco-Canadian commercial arrangements, and he thought Franoe had no ground for complaint against the duty on wines. Increased duties should be imposed on the exports of all countries refusing to Canada the most favourable privileges. Referring to the attempt in 1865 to establish reciprocity relations between Canada and the West Indies and Brazil, he denied that the objects of Great Britain were selfish in tendering assistance in negotiations, subject to the proviso that differential duties could not be permitted. The commercial treaties of Great Britain, as a rule, contain what is known as "the most favoured nation" clause, and Canada, if independent, would have to recognise this principle. He denied that satisfactory treaties had been concluded. The difficulty in the way of negotiating commercial treaties with the British West India colonies was that ambitious and influential planters produce an artiole ready for tho consumer, while the policy of Canada was to impurS sugar only as she required, to be manipulated by refiners previous to consumption. The failure cf the treaty with the United States, negotiated by Sir Edward Thornton aad the Hon. Gsjorge Brown, was owing to tl c Unitel States allowing the matter to drop oa its reaching the Senate. He thought that if Canada had to be coerced into independence for the reasons stated by Mr Parrault she might, on the same ground, be forced into annexation. Assuming that reciprocity with the United States will only be obtained by separation from the Mother Country, he trusted with confidence that the people of Canada would reject the proposal.