SAN FRANCISCO, April 27, 1855.

MR. FREDERICK DOUGLASS: SIR:—"A change has come over the spirit of our dreams," and I am happy to say for the better; and in nothing is this change more evidenced than in the tone of the press, contrasted with what it formerly was. The divisions of the State for the purpose of introducing slavery in the southern section of it was boldly advocated a year or two since by leading journals. Now it is not dreamed of by any paper in the State, with the exception of the and of this city—the administration and slavery propagandist organ of the State—its hostility to the colored people and the anti-slavery cause, is only equalled by the contempt felt for it by every liberal and rightly thinking man. The —the ponderous (as it is called) is the paper par excellence of California. Without this paper, we should feel ourselves in the situation of a mariner on a reef-bound coast without a compass. It possesses a high moral tone, is neutral in politics advocating whatever it conceives to be right and [illegible] and rebuking in unmistakable terms that which in its judgment is wrong in itself, and oppressive to any class of society. Its editors are Messrs. [illegible] and Washburn—the former gentleman was, until recently, the editor of the , the organ of the Methodist Church, (north) and has done more for the colored people than any other man in the State. Mr. Washburn was formerly of the , also an excellent paper, and in tone and spirit, similar to the . He is a brother to the Washburn representative in Congress. The , edited by Frank Soule, ranks high as a literary paper, and is opposed to the introduction of slavery. Of the , it is enough to say, it is in no respect unlike its infamous name-sake of New York.—Literary institutions are springing up on every hand; orphan asylums, charity hospitals, and benevolent societies, are becoming as numerous as in any of the older States.

The Legislature adjourns to-day, after an immense amount of legislation, the most of which the Governor has vetoed, thereby rendering himself very popular with people of all parties; for, in California, the legislators do not represent their constituents. The elections are all farces.

Another bill has become a law, affecting Chinese emigration. It places a tax of fifty dollars upon every person arriving here, not eligible for citizenship, the vessels to be liable in case of non-payment. It is the opinion of many informed on the subject, that this law is unconstitutional.

The Fugitive Slave Law of this State expired on the 15th of April. Proceedings to recover a slave at San Jose, were commenced a few days before its expiration. The Judge decided that the proceedings in the case were null and void as the term had expired.

Assassinations, duels and suicides, are still rife with us. Appropos of suicides, a melancholy case occurred the other day. A young man, a native of Denmark, and the junior partner in a respectable mercantile firm, committed suicide by shooting himself through the head, in a graveyard near the city. He had a note due at twelve o'clock on the day of the suicide. He could not meet it and he resolved to die by

his own hand, when he remembered that his embarrassments were caused by that arch swindler, "Meiggs."

A bill to abolish gambling has been occupying the attention of our august Legislature.—This is a gratifying feature of our State legislation. Gambling has too long been permitted in our midst, to the ruin of thousands that never played a card before they came to California.—The bill has passed into a law, and is to take effect from the 1st of May, 1865. The law is said to be very stringent in its provisions. The gambling saloons of this city are well calculated to entrap the unwary. They are magnificiently furnished. The tables are covered with gold and silver coin & uncouth specimens of native gold fresh from the mines, the deposits of luckless miners; music stealing sweetly o'er the senses; elegantly attired and fascinating females presiding over the games; and rum in all its modifications of juleps, cock-tails, punches et cetera, free of charge. But their days are numbered; and gambling saloons, with all their gorgeous adjuncts, will soon be numbered with the things that were.

Respectfully,

NUBIA.