CALIFORNIA [From the Southern Cross, November 16,1849.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 451, 28 November 1849, Page 3

CALIFORNIA [From the Southern Cross, November 16, 1849.]

The News from California, brought by the Lady Leigh is of a very mixed character, bat on the whole more ample and satisfactory thaa any hitherto received. The progress made in the direction of lair and order is very gratifying, and truly characteristic of the American people. At Monterey, a Convention composed of delegates from the various districts was held, in accordance with Governor Riley'sproclamamation, on the Ist of September, for the purpose of framing a Constitution for California, preparatory to its admission as a State into the .Union. The Convention again met on the I 4th September, and elected its President and officers, but the news of its further proceedings had not been received in San Francisco when the Lady Leigh left. The "Pacific News" of the 15th of September speaking evidently on authenticated reports, informs us that the Constitution which the Convention will adopt, " will lay the foundation, and prepare the way, for a speedy and permanent organization of a State Government in all its departments, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. Such a consummation (adds the article in question) is eagerly waited for by onr community, and will doubtless be warmly welcomed by the people." The administration of affairs in San Francisco was in the bands of the common Council, who seem actuated with laudable and patriotic motives for the preservation of peace and protection of property and morals. A most important document had been issued by them in the shape of an- Ordinance for raising a Town Revenue, — the following abstract of which we copy from the Alia California of September 7:— " A duty of one per cent, upon sales at auction, of goods, wares, and merchandize. " A duty of one half per cent, upon the sale of real estate. " Sales by auction of the effects of an Insolvent, or of wares or merchandise sold for the benefit of whom it may concern, or goods, chattels, &c, sold under any judgment, or decree of court, to be exempt from duty. " All sales to be made by an auctioneer duly licensed. y " Merchants and Traders conducting a wholesale business, to be licensed and pay quarterly in advauce the sum of 100 dollars; and for a retail business or trade, 75 dollars. But the wholesale and retail business may be combined according to the terms and rates of the wholesale dealers. " Hawkers and pedlars to beMcensed upon payment of 50 dollars monthly. " Hotels, taverns, boarding or victualling houses where liquors are sold, to be licensed upon payment of 50 dollars monthly. " Billiard tables, ten-pin alleys, &c, licensed at 30 dollars monthly. Monte, Faro, Roulette, and other gambling tables, licensed at 50 dollars monthly. " Drays or carts licensed at 20 dollar* quarterly — to be paid in advance.

"Boats, launches, ot scows, used in conveying passengers from or to strips, licensed at 20 dollars quarterly, in advance." The Council, toe 1 also learn, bad been assiduous io tbeir endeavours to maintain order, and preserve the peace, but notwithstanding all their precautions, the papers now before us attest how little avail they have been ; accountsof murders, executions, or suicides, being reported in every one of them. The number of arrivals of ships and passengers seemed still to increase. By the shipping reports from August 31 to September 31, not fewer than 41 vessels are reported, with 1761 passengers. The passages from New York, Boston, New Bedford, and other eastern ports of the Union, seem to have been all tedious and lengthy, the greater number of them over 200 days, one we observe -reported 220. The treatment experienced by the passsengers on these long voyages, we regret to find in many instances to have been most disgraceful. Among them the case of -the ship Brooklyn, Captain Richardson, from "New York, has gained an unenviable notoriety ; and proceedings had been instituted against the Captain by the passengers, who in their protest declared themselves prepared to show 'that death in its most horrid form, to some of the passengers, and the terrible andloathsome disease of scurvy, had been the result of his deception. Damages were laid at, 5000 dollars. The sum of 2,000- had been awarded. The desertion of vessels by their crews still continued — the high wages of from 130 to 150 dollars a month being too great inducements for seamen to -withstand. In the American navy the greatest difficulty was experienced in retaining their sailors ; a bold attempt of a most brutal character had been made by a boat's crew of the U. S. schooner Ewing, to escape to the diggings, by throwing their lieutenant overboard, and then making for the shore. The British Vice-Con-sul, Mr. James A. Forbes, bad very properly intimated, " in view of the unparalleled subversion of moral and social order amongst crews of British vessels," that he could not afford any assistance to those who had deserted their ships to serve under foreign flags. The overland emigrants from the States i had begun to arrive. News having been received in San Francisco of a great body of them having broken down through exhaustion and privations, within ten day's journey of the city, a great meeting was held in Portsmouth Square on the 4th August, for the purpose of ! forwarding them assistance. -Later advices intimate that the several parties had arrived in safety, and that their journey had not been so perilous as bad been anticipated. 30,000 emigrants, mostly young men, had left the United States in spring, by different overland routes for California. Th« newspapers teem with goods, land, and ships for sale — with merchants and traders' cards, and notices. In none of them do we find prices of any articles given; nor, indeed, can they be set down with any degree of accuracy. The value of an article one day, is different from that of the day preceding, and is changed again on the next. Manufactured goods of all descriptions are poured in far too indiscriminately, and with too much disregard to quantities to allow them to yield a profitable return. Of such articles as those now on board the vessels in our harbour, we see but few advertisements. Lumber and bucks were abundant. Timber was in demand, and likely to continue so as the season advanced, when the canvass houses and tents of San Francisco would afford but a poor shelter from the inclemency of the Californian winter. The crowds of adventurers who would also return to the city from the diggings, would make accommodation much required. "Timber, houses, and provisions would, therefore, be the staple-articles of commerce during the cold season, setting in about this time. Labour and land continued at exorbitant prices. San Francisco was by no mean's healthy, and fears of cholera breaking out were entertained. A Merchants' Exchange was to be established in San Francisco. Capt, Edward A. King had been appointed harbour-master for the port and bay. Mr. James A. Forbes had arrived to act as British Vice-Consul. Mr. J. de Puisaye Green, formerly of the firm of Macline, Watson, & Co., of Batavia, had been appointed agent for Lloyd's and the Liverpool Association of Underwriters. An address of thanks had been presented to Capt. Mailler, of the barque Louisa, of Sydney, by his passengers. The ground plans of New York of the Pacific and Sutter, had both been laid down, and allotments were advertised for sale. Among the advertisements we observe one house offering articles of jewellery of their own manufacture from Californian gold. Another supplies fresh water to ships, at 5 dollars per ton; At one dining saloon board is to be had for 10 dollars per week, at another 14 dollars is charged, invariably paid in advance. Soups are set down in the bill i