derick in a duel, and
who was years afterward assassinated.

"In these early days there was a contest between Northern and Southern
pioneers whether California should come in the Union a free or a slave
State. Broderick, a Democrat from the city of New York, represented the
Northern sentiment, and was supported by the Whigs of the State. Common
labor at that time was $16 per day, payable in gold. It was more from
pride than from any thing to do with the moral question of slavery. They
did not want to come in competition with slave labor. The Northern
element predominated, and California came in a free State. Its first
constitution was written by George Washington Sherwood, who was a
Democratic member of the New York Legislature from Washington county,
and copied after the constitution of this State.

"California may be said to be the child of the State of New York; her
citizens may be said to have been pre-eminent in its development and
present greatness.

"Abraham Schell was born in Gallupville, and proposes to be buried in
the neighboring village of Middleburgh, his wife's native place, where
he has erected a monument.

"They say that all Forty-niners who remained in California either became
millionaires or paupers. It seems that Mr. Schell was one of the former.
He was an unconditional Union man in the rebellion, visiting the
hospitals of the wounded soldiers, and assisting them by his means, and
the erection of this monument to his nephew for his services in that
war is but in accord with his acts of patriotism at that time."

The above article inspired this undertaking at this time. I expected to
find my friend on at the dedication of the monument, and thought I would
have the manuscript ready on his arrival and submit it to him, and
propose to have him go in partnership with me in its publication, and
have him revise it with me. He was a man of high literary attainments,
and an experienced Forty-niner, who could have added many important
events to it that did not come under my observation. He was wealthy, and
had the means to bring it properly before the public.

DEATH OF A FORMER SCHOHARIAN.

Intelligence reaches us of the death of Abraham Schell, at his home at
Knight's Ferry, California, in the early part of February. Mr. Schell
was seventy-six years old, and was a native of this county, having been
born in the town of Wright. At the time of the gold excitement in 1849
he was in the mercantile busines