Colton Hall," in honor of his public spirit and
enterprise. It was during his administration of affairs at Monterey that
the discovery of gold in the Sacramento Valley was first made; and,
considering the vast importance which this discovery has since assumed,
it may not be uninteresting to state that the honor of first making it
publicly known in the Atlantic States, whether by accident or otherwise,
belongs properly to him. It was first announced in a letter bearing his
initials, which appeared in the Philadelphia _North American_, and the
next day in a letter also written by him, in the New-York _Journal of
Commerce_.

Mr. Colton returned to his home early last summer, with anticipations of
years of undisturbed happiness. With a family deeply attached to him, a
large circle of friends, good reputation, and a fortune equal to his
desires, he applied himself leisurely to the preparation of his MS.
journals for the press, and the revision of his earlier publications.
He had published, besides _Deck and Port_, already mentioned, _Three
Years in California_, and had nearly ready for the printer a much
enlarged and improved edition of _Ship and Shore_, which was to be
followed by _A Visit to Constantinople, Athens, and the AEgean_, a
collection of his _Poems_, and a volume of _Miscellanies of Literature
and Religion_. His health however began to decline, and a cold, induced
by exposure during a late visit to Washington, ended in granular dropsy,
which his physician soon discovered to be incurable. Being in
Philadelphia on the 22d of January, we left our hotel to pay him an
early visit, and found the death signs upon his door; he had died at two
o'clock that morning, surrounded by his relations, and in the presence
of his friends the Rev. Albert Barnes and the Rev. Dr. Herman
Hooker--died very calmly, without mortal enemies and at peace with God.

Mr. Colton was of an eminently genial nature, fond of society, and with
such qualities as made him always a welcome associate. His extensive and
various travel had left upon his memory a thousand delightful pictures,
which were reflected in his conversation so distinctly and with such
skilful preparation of the mind, that his companions lived over his life
with him as often as he chose to summon its scenes before them. We
believe him to have been very sincere in all the professions of honor
and religion, and fully deserving of the respectful regrets with which
he will be remember