HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 259 



ready and proud to form one of the States of the 

 Union ; but it is asking too much that she should offer 

 herself a willing sacrifice on the altar of demagogues." 



This is strongly and firmly said ; and we hope that 

 it will exercise some influence on those to whose atten- 

 tion it is directed. Nothing can be more unjust in 

 politics than taxation without a due compensation of 

 protection and of law. There is scarcely any pros- 

 pect, however, that California will be required to go 

 back to a territorial organization. Such a request 

 would be absurd in the highest degree, and none but 

 ultras recommend it. 



Whether California be admitted into the Union at 

 the present session of Congress, or not, we may con- 

 sider her Constitution and many of her laws necessary 

 for carrying out the provisions of the Constitution, as 

 fixed and operative. We have then, in a knowledge 

 of their laws, a view of the character of society in 

 California, in many particulars, but there are others 

 which require further observation. One feature strikes 

 the observer at first glance. It is the variety of nation 

 which marks the population of the principal cities of 

 California. There may be seen the rapid, yet prudent 

 Yankee, with a sharp eye to the main chance, and a 

 ready comprehension of the consequences of a bargain 

 or a speculation; the cool, slow, and heavy-moving 

 Englishman, wishing to be sure of his game, and, 

 therefore, late in grasping for it ; the lively and sociable 

 Frenchman, contrasting appearances and manners 

 with things in Paris ; the coarse-looking German, with 

 a lively conception of the wealth of the country, and 

 a deep consideration of the means of grasping a goodly 

 share of it ; the half-Spanish native of California, with 

 his love of indolence, and easy of satisfaction ; the 



