August of the same year, and settled in Auburn, (now the county town of Placer,) where he engaged in merchandizing, until 1851; at which time he sold out his store to reside on a ranch in the western portion of Placer county, where for the last six years he has followed the peaceful arts of agriculture, and the raising and dealing in stock. While in his native State he took an active interest in political life as a working democrat, and has continued so to do in the State of his adoption. In 1851 he was chosen president of the board of commissioners to organize the county of Placer. The same year he was sent as a delegate to the first Democratic State Convention. In 1852 he was elected State Senator from Placer county on the democratic ticket; and in 1856 was reelected to the same position. This he filled up to the time of his nomination for Lieut. Governor, in 1857, when he resigned his senatorial charge and was elected to his present honorable post; the difficult duties of which he seemed well qualified to discharge. [From a Photograph by W. Dickman.] Mr. W. is now thirty-five years of age, and single; but, in our opinion, if he and was successful in discharging the wishes to set a good example to the young duties of his office to the satisfaction of people of this juvenile giant of a State, the public. In January, 1858, he was he will not omit to appoint a committee appointed to the position he now occupies; of one, (and that one himself,) to inquire and in which he possesses the fullest coninto the policy and chances of his becom-fidence of those who know him best, that ing a Benedict at as early a day as may his duties will be performed with honesty be deemed convenient and expedient, and capability. when we hope his report (to himself) will be extremely favorable for so desirable a consummation. FERRIS FORMAN, SECRETARY OF STATE, Is a native of the State of New York, from which he emigrated in 1835 to Illinois, where he was appointed U. S. District Attorney. In 1845 he was elected to the Senate of his adopted State, where he served for one session; but, on being chosen Colonel of the 3d Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, he resigned his THOMAS FINDLEY, TREASURER. Mr. Findley is by birth a Pennsylvanian, and is now twenty-seven years old. His parents being Covenanters he was educated under the rigid teachings of their principles. He was somewhat unlike many other young men who unscrupulously tread the moral and religous teachings of their parents beneath their feet, with secret indifference if not with open contempt;-for, with him, it has been his highest aim and greatest pleas ure to follow the advice of his excellent next to perpetuating this, he should mother. "love, honor and cherish" some fair dame, with whom he may follow the worthy example. of his father and his mother; and, while enjoying the pleasures of domestic life, prove that the future of our young State is neither forgotten nor overlooked. In 1852 he came to California and went to Rough and Ready, where he submitted to the by no means agreeable introduction of a three months sickness. Upon his recovery he was nearly one thousand dollars in debt, and, like others, he saw the necessity of taking off his coat to commence work in earnest; and, although unaccustomed to labor, he began it with a will. His first employment was teaming; at this he continued, without losing a working day, until he had saved sufficient to open a store on his own account, which he did, at Grass Valley, Nevada county. Having succeeded well, and taken good care of his own business, in September last he was elected, on the Democratic ticket, to take care of the money of the State. The men who became his bondsmen for Treasurer never knew him before coming to California; but as he never gambled one cent, was never intoxicated, and never loafed around saloons or other place, (very different is he to many prominent California politicians of the past,) there was some guarantee that neither themselves nor the State run much risk in having such a man in such an important and responsible position. It is a sign, expressive of the improved condition of California, when moral and honorable men are elected to positions of honor and trust, instead of gamblers and bar-room brawlers; through whom we have paid so high a price for inefficient legislation, and whose actions have for a brief moment cast a cloud of disgrace upon our fair name and fame. Unfortunately, too, this has been done by men of various shades of political faith, so that one party alone can not charge dishonorable personal acts upon the other. The only charge that we have against him is, that he is "single" (!) instead of double, for we think as his first main pride and glory has been never to disgrace his mother and his friends, that, Was born in Monticello, Kentucky, on the 18th of May, 1828. He studied law with his father, Sherrod Williams, of Louisville, Kentucky. Started to this country by way of the plains, in 1849. Reached here in 1850, stopping at Placerville, El Dorado Co., in which county he has since resided, with his family. He was elected, in 1851, to the office of District Attorney, which office he held for two years. Since that time he has been in the practice of his profession until he was elected Attorney General of the State, on the Democratic ticket, in the fall of 1857. [From a Photograph by W. Dickman.] G. W. WHITMAN, CONTROLLER, Is forty-six years old, a native of Greenboro County, Virginia, where he resided until the age of seventeen, when he removed to Chillicothe, Ohio; from whence, after a two years residence there, he emigrated to Wayne county, Indiana, and where, for fourteen years, he followed the trade of a cabinet-maker. After this he studied and practiced law, and for three years was Judge of the Probate Court of Indiana, which office he resigned in the spring of 1849, to come to California. Arriving here via Cape Horn, he made his way to Mariposa county, where he followed mining until 1853, and then removed to Tuolumne county, to engage in mining and lumbering, until his election to the State Controllership, on the American ticket, in September, 1856. His term of office expired January, 1858; but J. W. Mandeville, of Tuolumne county, not accepting the office, to which he was elected in September last, no successor was chosen as provided by law; and although Gov. Weller has appointed A. R. Meloney, of San Joaquin, to the Controllership, Mr. Whitman declines vacating his office until his successor is duly elected. Many reasons may perhaps have suggested this as the better course for him to pursue under the circumstances; and, among others, that the cloud may be effectually removed which, for a time, rested upon his honor and fame by the apparent complicity of his accounts with those of Bates and Rowe. To defend himself against this charge doubtless very much impoverished him; and, having a large family to provide for, he must feel anxious that a double purpose may yet be accomplished: first, fully to establish his former honorable reputation; and next, that his family should not suffer from the necessity he was under of using the means that he possessed, in his defence, which, by right, should have been devoted to their support. From our past personal knowledge of him, we confess that we are much mistaken if some praiseworthy motive is not at the bottom of his action now. years; and, during that time studied law. In 1850, he emigrated to California, bringing extensive machinery across the Isthmus (in company with seven others) for working quartz, and arrived in Mariposa, in July of the same year. Having tried quartz mining with the usual fate of such enterprises-at that early day-the mine was abandoned, and the company disbanded. Mr. M. then settled in San Franciso and became attached to the S. F. Herald as Assistant Editor, and so continued for six years. In May 1856, he was elected Comptroller of the City of San Francisco, on the Democratic ticket, by a handsome majority, when half of the candidates on the same ticket were defeated; and after holding office through the great excitement occasioned by the Vigilance Committee, he had the good fortune to perform his duties and retire at the close of his term, with commendations from the press. In Nov. 1856, he was elected Superintendant of Public Instruction, and although in the heat of the Vigilance excitement, and somewhat obnoxious to many, from his connection with the Young Men's Democratic Club, he received the largest vote of any, on the Democratic State Ticket, from his fellow citizens of San Francisco. His term of office commenced Jan. 1st, 1857, and expires in January 1860.. Among other improvements proposed, to make education more efficient, he has taken strong grounds in favor of establishing a University in California, on the Military plan, and which seems to meet with favorable consideration from the public. His office confers upon him an important mission to the young of our State; and, when his term ceases, it is our earnest wish that every parent may have csuse to say of him "well done." HORACE A. HIGLEY, SURVEYOR GENERAL, [From a Photograph by W. Dickman.] caster, Pa., and St. Paul's College, Long Island, at the age of eighteen he entered the employ of the U. S. Engineer Department, engaged in the construction of fortifications in Charleston Harbor, S. C., where he remained until March, 1849, at which time he started for California, and arrived, by Panama, at San Francisco, in August of the same year. He made his way immediately to Sutter's saw-mill, (then considered the most attractive district in the mines,) for the purpose of mining; and in this business he continued, there and at several other places, In January, until November, 1851. 1852, he joined the U. S. Surveying party, and remained in the same service until April, 1853, when he was elected County Surveyor of Alameda County, at the time of its first organization, and has since been reëlected to the same office. In September, 1857, he was elected Surveyor General of this State, for two years, and entered upon the duties of his office January 1st, 1858. Mr. H. was a Deputy U. S. Surveyor, for three years, under Col. John C. Hays, U. S. Surveyor General. Unfortunately for Mr. Higley and the State, although an excellent Surveyor, he has not yet run the line from single-blessedness to matrimony, as the base-line of Having completed his studies at Lan- a survey for his future happiness. Was born at Pensacolo, Florida, May, 1828, and consequently is now in his thirtieth year. TEHUANTEPEC. NO. II. When I last wrote to you, I was in Tehuantepec, and I am in Tehuantepec still, in good health and spirits. My last, containing a description of our voyage to this place, and the final wreck of our little schooner in Ventoso Bay, I sent by mail, and which I hope you have long since received. I am without books, without drawing-paper or colors, having lost all by the wreck, and there is nothing of the kind to be had here. By the way, some of our enterprising Californians have already commenced operations on an extensive scale. A couple of gentlemen, who came down recently, have purchased the land lying around the Bay of Ventoso, which is the Pacific terminus of the road, and laid it off into a city, called "Commonfort." The Mexican who owned the land is also interested. I look upon this scheme as one destined to be of great interest and importance. These gentlemen, who are the first to undertake the foundation of a city where one is already so much needed, will ultimately be well repaid for their trouble, (and they have gone to no little, as well as expense, in finding out the proper owners, and obtaining satisfactory title deeds to the property; one of whom had to go to Mexico before every thing could be completed.) Most of the passengers who arrived here from California with us, have either left or are about leaving, by various routes-some to the city of Mexico, others to Vera Cruz, Acapulco and New Orleans; having been much disappointed in not finding the transit route in active op- The locality of this embryo city is ineration; thereby holding out no induce- vested with many natural and commerments for them to remain and follow the cial advantages. The plan is laid on the different vocations incident to the travel, bay of Ventoso, the northern portion restwhich they expected; but there is plenty ing upon the Tehuantepec river, which for them to do here if they are only en- here disembogues into the sea; and terprising enough to "take hold, hold on, the south-west upon the bay or inlet of and never let go." A few days since a Salina Cruz, whilst the land extending small schooner arrived from Guatamala, back is level, rich, and covered with the with goods, when she was caught in the most beautiful trees; altogether, the loact of smuggling them ashore; and ves- cality is advantageous, healthy, pictursel, crew and owner, (who is an Ameri-esque and pleasant. The Bay of Ventoso can), were seized by the authorities and is ample and safe, except when a southtaken good care of; the supercargo, how-east gale blows immediately into it, which ever, made his escape. The affair was so badly managed [!] that detection was inevitable. The authorities are disposed to be lenient towards foreigners, and unless an act is committed which is too barefaced, they are disposed to pass it over. I will here state that we have been very kindly received and welcomed by all; and a disposition to encourage emigration is manifested, by the tone and manner of the people towards ourselves. With us, they say that this beautiful land should no longer remain in its primitive state; and that it is high time its abundant resources should be developed; and it will take the Americanos del Norte to do it. causes the landing to be rough; but this rarely occurs, I am told, and although it happened when our vessel came in, I have not seen it so since. The break-water, however, which is to be built by the Tehuantepec road company, will remedy this defect. The company are pushing ahead the work to be done upon the road before its completion, the most important of which are the bridges, and they have already been contracted for, and the workmen are engaged upon them. The largest one will be at this place, Tehuantepec city; the road in every other respect is completed. These bridges will, I am informed, be constructed for the railroad, |