(1) Sacramento California January 26th 1852 My Dear Parents, The numerous letters which I have received from you, during the last few months, not only call for my thanks, but for my best efforts to reply to them in the manner they deserve. I sent to you in a letter to Homer a week or two since, a short and hurried note, but I did not expect you to consider that a reply, even in part, to any of your letters; and this evening, being more than usually free from interruption, I am preparing to pay off my indebtedness with the best "circulating medium" I am possessed of. If it fails in quality, however, and does not reach the "mint standard", so that you are in doubt as to its aggregate value, you will please estimate it as the Indians do their "wampum"; and --applying a yard stick -- fix its market price by ascertaining its length. For I believe I have more capacity for spinning colored "yarns" strung with commonplace "beads", than for issuing a commodity of such rare worth and beauty that it is by good authority compared to "apples of Gold, in pictures of Silver". As you have frequently, most kindly, intimated a wish that I would particularly dwell upon those matters which relate personally, to myself, it would certainly be my first effort to gratify that desire as far as possible; but since I wrote you last, nothing has materially changed my situation, either for good or for evil, and I cannot easily conceive of any incidents that you would be interested to read. As I mentioned some time since in a letter to Homer, I am once more doing business without an associate. There are advantages peculiar to either position -- to a partnership, and (2) also to a separation from it -- and they balance so equally that I am by no means anxious to change either one for the other. Almost the greatest advantage of a partnership lies in its division of one or two items of expense -- such as room rent, library, etc. If however a good connection offers, I think I shall accept it; but I am not partial to a poor one, -- half a dozen of which I could establish every day. I know of nothing now that offers a better, permanent income than the practice of Law. Business of all kinds is transacted in this Country in a very loose and hasty manner; contracts involving large sums are made with very little thought or attention; the most unexpected and singular "turns and overturns" in business are constantly going on; more than one half of the landed estate of California will be disputed inch by inch in Courts of Justice, while the examination of Criminal Cases occupies no small portion of the attention of our tribunals. Nor is there any apparent influence that will immediately destroy these fruitful sources of Litigation. True, they may be in some degree lessened after a year or two; but the elements of Society in California are so unique, so peculiar, so conflicting and so heterogeneous, and the influences incessantly and inevitably operating upon them, so powerful, that for a long time to come, --however much the fact may be regretted by lovers of peace, quietude and non-resistance, -- the "Scales of Justice" will hardly rust for want of employment. The advantage of members of the Legal profession, lies here, -- their "stock in trade" needs no insurance; it cannot be burnt, washed away or stolen; it is worth more tomorrow than today, even amongst the wildest revolutions and fluctuations in trade, and in the midst of the crash of commercial fortunes. (3) No. 2 Their principal disadvantage lies in the fact that the profession may be overstocked by Competitors for its rewards; but even then, he who is most worthy of them, generally gathers them. At present I have no idea of relinquishing my practice for any other business. Wednesday, Jany 28th I have spent an hour or two this afternoon in the Hall of the House of Representatives, where the members of both houses had convened to elect a U.S. Senator. Much interest is manifested by people from every part of the State, who have assembled to look on, and the lobby was crammed. The Democracy constitutes more than two thirds of the Legislature, and would have everything their own way, if they could agree among themselves; but as there are four or five Democrats in the field, they pull & haul beautifully. The Whigs having no hopes for themselves, amuse themselves by "poking fun" at the Democrats, and by now and then throwing in their votes for some prominent Whit. Their favorite is Thos. Butler King of San Francisco; but upon the third balloting, Stanton Buckner -- formerly of Palmyra -- was nominated and raised a highly respectable vote; -- though it was, as expected, a long ways short of the number necessary to a choice. The Election can hardly be made without three or four days of incessant voting. The most hopeful Candidate, John B. Weller of Ohio, has received but 23 votes, while 45 are necessary to a choice. They resume the task tomorrow. With their ordinary business, the Legislature has progressed very well for the past 8 or 10 days, and if they continue their praiseworthy efforts, we may hope for better laws than we have heretofore had. Among other things they have indicated their intention to make Sacramento the permanent, instead of the temporary Seat of Government. Whether it will [be] a great advantage to this Community, to have it permanently fixed here is I think, questionable. (4) Society is evidently steadily, though slowly, improving in this City. The change for the better which has taken place within a year is clearly perceptible to every observer. Although no new churches have lately been erected, yet there are four or five in which there is regular preaching by excellent men, two or three times every Sabbath. Mr. Benton's, (Congregational) which I usually attend is never thinly attended. The congregation is not only large, but includes many prominent and influential men. The female attendants are but few, comparatively, but they number five times as many as they did a year ago. Sabbath Schools are organized in most of the churches and to see the bright, happy faces that meet then, reminds me strongly of "other days". When the time arrives that shall see the elevating and purifying influences of virtuous female society extended through the communities of this State, much, very much that is now a reproach and disgrace to them, will vanish and disappear. But to paint the sunbeams, would not be a vainer task than to attempt to portray the evils that rise up hydra-headed where those influences are withdrawn. The Cause of Temperance is attracting some notice in this liquor swilling world, at last, and a Division of the Order of the "Sons" is now in prosperous circumstances in this City. San Francisco, has two or three, I think; and a short time since a Grand Division was organized. No land that the sun shines upon, needs such institutions more than California; for I will venture the assertion that no where else do men drink so deeply or so generally. There certainly is some conservative influence in the atmosphere, for it appears to me, that if men drank so very intemperately in other climes, they would drop dead by hundreds. I listened to an eloquent & powerful address before the Division a few evenings since, by Rev. O. C. Wheeler of San Francisco. There are good and substantial men earnestly at work, and they cannot fail to accomplish something. (5) The impression is, I believe, very general abroad, that the Agricultural resources of California are so limited as to be -- compared with those of other states, -- hardly worth estimating. Knowing that farmers are always somewhat inclined to turn an interested ear to the relation of such matters as these, and feeling myself a little anxious to defend the injured reputation of a State that is "pro tempore" my home, and having been silent on this topic heretofore, I am going to say a word or two about the soil & its products. It is true that the rock-built & snow-capped mountains, and sun-burnt, thirsty hills are, and will forever be useless to the husbandman; and also that they cover over half at least of our territory. But descending the slopes to their feet, here, are found bright riverlets trickling from the snows, gliding through rich flats, sometimes narrower, sometimes wider, composed of the deposits of centuries, washed from the mountain side. Following these riverlets, they deepen & widen, -- the hills recede, sink and disappear, and at length are immense plains opening to view, dotted with huge oaks, traversed by a noble river & a hundred tributaries, and occasionally spotted with sheets of water, which during the spring months cover the "Tules"[manuscript illegible] lowlands. This plain, styled the "Great plain of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin", is from three to five or six hundred miles in length and from twenty to fifty or seventy five miles in width. The quality of its soil is variable. Back from the river towards the hills it is thirsty & consequently comparatively barren. Water would render it very productive. Approaching the river, the quality improves generally till you reach its immediate vicinity[?] when it bears every sign of most luxuriant and inexhaustible richness. It is constantly moistened by the water which it absorbs from the river & never needs irrigation. Here vegetation flourishes in the wildest & most astonishing exuberance. No soil on earth can surpass it. To enumerate its feats, will I fear, excite incredulity, but I will mention a few. What think you of 220 stalks of barley produced from a single grain -- of Corn, 22 feet high, of Beets weighing 40 lbs, of a Turnip which had been dried up to a fibry skeleton, and was then as large as a half bushel measure; (6) and which, finding it under a tree in one of my rambles I took to be a white oak stump, and occupied comfortably as a seat for some minutes before discovering my mistake!! Now in a garden in this city, is a patch of cabbages, that have been steadily growing ever since last summer, and which as they stand are four feet high. The potatoes raised in this State are the finest I ever saw; and vegetables of every sort, flourish in the rich lands I have described, almost without limit. I always supposed the nettle to be a puny, slender weed; but from a thicket of nettle stalks on the bank of the Sacramento I extracted one, 16 feet high, & at the butt, an inch thick!! But I will say no more lest I hopelessly destroy my reputation for veracity. For the farmer, California presents the best inducement that the world affords. A word about my health. Do not think that my representations respecting it, though heretofore the same, are stereotyped phrases, to be used in all cases, whether justified by facts or not. I cannot say that I have had a sick day since I left St Joseph; while I can promptly and unequivocally say, that I have not had a day -- scarcely an hour -- even of slight indisposition for a year! I think this climate most salubrious. I must bid you "Good Night"; it is late. I hope to hear from both of my dear parents soon & often. Your affec. Son, Elisha. [P.S.] Friday 2 1/2 o'clock P.M. I have just come from the Hall of Assembly, where five minutes since the vote of the State Convention was counted & John B Weller of Ohio was announced elected U.S. Senator for 6 yrs. from March '51. The vote was 71 to [ms illegible] -- the Whigs voting for P.B. Reading. The mail [ms illegible] close shortly. Adieu. E.C.W. Jany. 30th 1852 [Addressed:] Col. Elias Winchell P.M. West Springfield Shelby County Missouri.