"The subsequent facts were related to the writer by his highly esteemed friend, Mr. Donald Grant, a native of bonnie Scotland, who was one of our party to the mines, and an eye witness to the scene; not having left on his return to San Francisco till the following day.
"Arriving in the Culloma valley with their prisoners, the mountaineers and miners had a grand revel and jollification to celebrate their achievement. During the day most of the prisoners were released, but a few squaws and seven warriors were retained. The latter were questioned and examined relative to their participation in the murder of the Oregonians. Nothing being elicited to prove their guilt, it was nevertheless determined that they should die; because being bad looking and strong warriors, it was believed they were participators in the murders. Accordingly the consumption of champaigne and brandy continued till sunset. At that hour the seven Indians were brought forth, and knowing well their fate, one of them put up his hand as a signal, and all leaped along the valley in rapid flight. Quick as thought the rifles began to crack in every direction, while old Greenwood raving around his cabin remonstrated at the deed, tossed his arms aloft with violent denunciation; and stooping down gathered the dust in his palms, and sprinkled it on his head, swearing he was innocent of their blood. Meantime, John Greenwood stood beside the old man in stoic silence, too brave to participate in the massacre, but too much of a crow to utter his disapproval. But frantic with excitement the others thought only of revenge, and the balls whistling in every direction laid five of the warriors dead in the valley and mortally wounding another, only one escaping unscathed. The dying rays of the sun deserting the bloody scene, yet lingered on the mountain top, and the smoke of the discharge rolled in thick volume, like a pall over the corpses of the slain, while that solitary warrior turned from his distant height, to gaze after his companions, a moment in vain. But his heart quivered with vengeance, and the thin white locks of the old man in the valley, still mingled with the gray twilight, like the sackcloth and ashes of despair.
"And this is what they call fighting the Indians! A few days before only, we saw a young mountaineer wild with rage, threaten the life of an American who had ventured to suggest, that the murders committed by these Indians were provoked by many previous murders by the whites, and that they should be avenged by the death of the guilty among the Indians, and not by an indiscriminate slaughter."
We cannot think highly of the civilization of the white men who take such unmerciful and indiscriminate revenge as this. Such are not the means to gain the Indians over to a peace. Revenge only breeds revenge; and those who commit such slaughter in retaliation for the murder of one or two men must look to the consequences.
The great body of the travel to California is at present by way of the Isthmus of Panama; but those who intend to settle permanently in the State, and who will increase the real population of it, take the overland route from Independence, Missouri. The shortest and best route for commercial purposes will soon be opened across Nicaragua. This will have many advantages over the old Isthmus route, but will not cause that one to be abandoned altogether. Chagres has become somewhat Americanized, and so have Gorgona, Cruces, and Panama. Travel has been somewhat facilitated by the addition of American boats on the Chagres River, and the provision of the mountain mules for the rough road to Panama, in sufficient number to lower the price of travel and decrease the delay.
The facilities of intercourse between California and the States east of the Rocky Mountains will tend to cement her to the Union by all the ties of trade and mutual interest. The people of that State, being at so great a distance from the rest of the States, would seem to be alien to them in interest, and, therefore, that an independent government would contribute most to their prosperity. But mechanical influences—the telegraph—the railroad and the steam vessel—annihilate distance, and will be the means of attaching the Californians to the confederacy. In her union with the other States, there is her strength. She will add much to their wealth and power, but her free institutions—entirely American, require the support of the confederacy which produced them—at least, until the State has reached her maturity.
What will be the future California is a question which admits of a ready answer. If she retains her present boundaries, with her extensive sea coast, and her progress bears any proportion to that since the conquest, in fifty years—it is a warranted conclusion—the State will surpass any of those upon the Atlantic coast. For, what State has such united commercial facilities and vast resources? Where are such internal wealth and such splendid harbors to be found united? It is probable, however, that the State may be divided, after the population has reached a sufficient number. It is the opinion of some of the members of the present Congress, that there is too much sea coast for one State to possess, and that has been made an objection to her admission into the Union, with her present boundaries. But it is of little weight at this time. After the State has existed a few years, the utility of such a division as is proposed will be manifest or disproved. In the mean time, let California be admitted into the Union as her people have created her, and then she will have every thing necessary for her to go on in the fulfilment of a glorious destiny.
The gold discoveries in New Mexico and Oregon will have but a slight influence on California affairs. Yet for that slight influence, they deserve to be mentioned. The recent discoveries in New Mexico, would seem to indicate that the El Dorado of the early Spanish voyagers has been found, and nearly in the place to which their attention was directed by the Indians. A late number of the Houston Telegraph, says:
"That preparations are in progress in all parts of the State, for a grand expedition to the gold region that has been discovered in New Mexico, not far from the ruins of the celebrated city of Grand Quivira. Gold mines have been found all along the great chain of mountains extending from the sources of the Arkansas and Platte Rivers, by Santa Fe, to the Puerto. Immense excavations are shown along the feet of these mountains, and the ruins of vast cities indicate that these mines were once worked by millions of people. The geographical formations of this region are so similar to those of the gold regions of California, that they appear to be identical, and contain similar deposits of the precious metals. These facts have been made known throughout Texas, and the Telegraph would not be surprised to find that the emigration to the gold region of Texas, in the ensuing autumn, should exceed the emigration to California."
The "consummation devoutly to be wished" has been attained. California has at length been admitted to take her place as a star of the confederated republic. The bill for that object passed the House of Representatives on the 7th of September, 1850, by a vote of yeas, one hundred and fifty, nays fifty-six. It had previously passed the Senate by a no less decisive majority. The announcement of the passage of the bill was received with the greatest enthusiasm by its friends, and considerable excitement upon the part of its opponents. The most constant exertions were made by members from the Southern States to defeat the bill by adjournment and by numerous amendments, but they were unavailing. California triumphed.