California Miners' Correspondence, 1850-1855.

Sonora July 7th, 1854 My Dear, Son

Your letter of June 2 1855 Came to hand by the last mail and I was glad to hear from you and learn that the power of attorney had been received by you and hope that you will be able to save something for the family. I hardly know what to write to you more than this that the times are awfull hard and the wheat crop is nearly a failure throughout the State. The rust has taken all of the club head wheat so that it is a total failure. I have lost all of my crop so I am nearly flat and last year my wheat was full of cheate so that I got but little for it and the land that I am on is confirmed to General Valejoh a mexican and all of the old forged and fraudulent claims are confirmed by Commissioners Farwell and Thompson two grand scamps as ever lived but the people here are going to hold them presumptions. They are forming a secret society called the Setlers Union to oppose the claimants from gaining possession of the land that is occupied by Sitlers or Squatters as you might term them they are organizing in every township throughout the entire State there is but about twelve on fifteen hundred voters in this Country and I think that there is about one thousand men enrolled in this secret order we have had two meetings in this township and forty five came forward and joined this order

and through them their wives and children penyless on the world what do you exspect of these hardy men but that they will be like the Bear when robed of her whelps if they are to be removed where are they to be removed to if you would pack them up and send them home there is not one in ten but that would jump at the chance but to reduce them to a State of ? or Slavish peonage is what they will never Submit to no it is not in the power of man to make the Squatter a Slave no he is freedoms bravest son he has even been the first to respond to the call of his country in the hour of danger who were the men that rallyed first under the Standard of the patriotic and brave Jackson in the defense of New Orleans it was the squatter of the western border and it is the same class of men that are now here and many of them the sons of the squatters that caused many of Englands bravest legions to squat their last squat before the cotton bales of New Orleans and this is the class of men that followed Taylor to the battle fields of [?] and Scott to the Halls of Montasuma and are they now to be left a [?] to landed [?] and Heartless Speculators no no the voice of justice forbids it no he that has been cradled in the lap of danger knows his rights and will defend them and God help him so to do my health is not verry good at present and I think of coming home and doing all

that I can for my family for it appears to me that I have toiled here as long as it is my duty to in this country I wrote the first of June to have two of the girls come out here and teach schools my Friends inform me that I can have no dependence on Mr [?] the man that came to me to get me to write for some of them to come and as I think of coming home I do not wish to have any of them come for I must come home and see them as soon as I can I have but little doubt but I could get this place if I would stay on it but it may be some years before the claimant gets his [pattent ?] from the United States government if ever and I am to old to fool away much more time as my course must be nearly run give my respects to all Friends Respectfully Mark ]Noostery ?] [ ?] Smith Esqu Humphreysville Ct

Sonoma July 27th 1855

Friend Bunton

I received no letters from you by the last mail so I just drop you this short note to let you know that I am kicking slowly my health has not been very good [illeg] time back and my wheat crop has entirely failed this year it was all spoilt with the rust and it gave me the blues badly and I received a letter from home by the mail of the 15th of July which caused me much trouble it stated that Eliza was worn out with Mother and was going to throw herself on the town and that John was running about the Rivers doing just as he pleased and that Martha had gone to the quakers and that every thing had gone to rack it took such deep hold of me that I slept but little for some time and you can judge something what my feelings must be when I had not the means to send to them to make them comfortable now I tell you Bunton it took me right down but my health is improving now quite fast I am so that I can work and be about so I must do the best that I can and hope for the best the situation that the land is in in the country nocks every thing flat just now