THE MIXTURE OF RACES IN CALIFORMIA. [From the "Dally Herald," September 16.]

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 480, 20 November 1850, Page 3

THE MIXTURE OF RACES IN CALIFORMIA. [From the " Dally Herald," September 16.]

Probably no peculiarity in our city strikes the strain ger so forcibly as the great variety of dfferent nations here repreientcd, and the confusion of tongues which greet him at every step. From moit of national! iei ol Europe, and North and South America, from Australia and the Sandwich Islands, numbers have flocked to the new El Dorado ; even jealous China was represented in the funeral procession of the late President by over two hundred, men, and the other empires of the East have sent their quota to make up our miscellaneous population. The grave and dignified Spaniard is brought into immediate contact with the semi-barba-rous Kanaka, the peculiarities of dress, of food, and of habitation of each nation may be found among us, and almost every language of any importance is heard in our streets. We have here a practical " congress of nations," about which so much has been said so much lias been said and so many prize essays written, and the actual effects upon the peace and good wilt of the fa« mily of nations will be greater than would arise from the theories aud speculations of all ths philosophers in the world. One of the first thought! arising from this state of things, is, that out of this admixture will hereafter be formed an excellent popu ation for California. Under the influence of free institutions, good laws, and proper education, the good qualities of each nationality will be fused and spread among the mass, and the ag* gregate will form just the right compound for a new and growing state. As a general thing, each nation, can study with profit the manners and customs of others, and find something worthy of imitation ; there is no race or peoplet however unimportant, from whom the most intelligent may nut learn something, and no better opportunity was ever offered to make this knowledge universal. The continual communication kept up between our adopted citizens and their native land will not only benefit our trade, but will keep our State constantly in the electric chum of sympathy with all the new ideas which are floating through the world, and which cannot arise in any other nation without arousing the sensibilities of its representatives here. In the due course of time the people of most of these different nations will become connected by marriage, aud the good effects of such an admixture of blood will make itself apparent. We shall have also a law-abi-ding population. Men have been in all countries seeking after liberty and here they have its practical and ' real enjoyment. Uuder the surface of this admixture of different nationalities in California, another influence will also gradually make itself fdt oiateritlly upon mankind. One of the first things to be done, to allow the interchange of mutual benefits between nation and nation, and to afford free scope to the progress of civilization is to break down the sectional bairiers of piejudice or animosity which have grown up in the world, and to promote the mutual interchange of good feeling and fellowship. Nothing will so well effect tliis result as this promiscuous intercourse of men ; different countries of the peculiarities of tastes aud mauuers are gradually worn off and after mingling freely in socul and business relations, tbey find out that many of the ideas they have nourished with regard to each other are false, and many of the qualities they have learned to dislike are of minor importance. It is only necessary to bring about tnisacmal contact between men, and to get rid of the outer coat of section il or national prejudice, to prove to them that after all, the whole human family have the same common origin— tlut the heart is placed in about the same spot in all of us, and that nun are much more nearly alike than is sometimes supposed. The result, then, of the stale of things here will be to produce this commixiion, and to show how little in general is the actual difference between the men, inde- ' pendent of circumstances, of the several nations of the e.rth. But this influence and result will not end here, but will act with great power upon the older national : ties. The return to their former countries of many of our present population will do much to disseminate true ideas, and to destroy many of the false notions which exist in the world. They will carry home with them enlarged opinions as to this matter, and such opinions will make themselves felt upon their countrymen The overthrow of old dislikes, the rooting up of national prejudice! thus caused, will do more to bring about good harmony among men, than all the peace conventions ever held. Ambitious rulers will not be willing to commence wars in opposition to the wishes and feelings of the people, and more than half of the misery thus caused has owed its origin to the jealousies and prejudices felt by the individual members of different nations towards each other. The obstacle to such amiable diicussion has frequently been the national pride or jealousy growing more from ignorance and nonwntercourse than from any real cause, and the admixture here will do much to remove this obs'acle. On the whole, then, we think that much good to California aud to the norld will result from this great influx of foreign population. And we hope that ail proper means may be taken by our authorities to afford encouragement and protections U all who seek a home in our new State. If it be a part of the good which is to arise from the settlement of this country, that it shall occasion a better feeling among the nations, let us throw no impediment in the way of this result. National jealousies have thus far had little influence ; let us see to it that they be equally impotent in the future.

An Englishman's Profits — A gentleman connected with the Bank of England, thinking to make a speculation out of California, sent us an inroice of brandy, consisting of seven pipes, and he publishes a felatement of his investment and profits.— He has leceiceived in return an account of sales showing that he is entitled, of the grots proceeds, to one dollar and fifty cents. The brandy sold, according to this account for 530 dollars. The charges amounted to #523 f>o, including 8*329 5) for duty, *t the alleged rate of 100 per cent. This is hardly what Johnny Bull could hare anticipated, and will probably deter him from engaging iv any more Californian speculations. — Pacific Rews Sept 11.