American Historical Ephemera and Photography Featuring the Civil War and American Militaria Collection of Bruce B. Hermann

BETTER, Mitchell. Autograph letter signed ("Mitchell Better"), to his mother and father. Gold Hill, Sacramento, CA, 1 April 1854. 3 pages, 4to, on blue bifolium featuring full-page lithograph "The Miner's Ten Commandments" with ten lithographs, small losses at old creases, some toning, loss and wax residue from original seal, tape residue to upper edge, previously framed, frame included.

The Miner's Ten Commandments. San Francisco: Sun Print, James M. Hutchings, 1853. Printed on blue paper and occupying a full page of the 4-page bifolium. It features 3 columns of text and ten vignettes illustrating the "ten commandments." Includes such wisdom as, "Thou shalt have no other claim than one," and "Thou shalt not tell any false tales about 'good diggings in the mountains' to thy neighbor." 

The letter is written by a prospecting gold miner written to his parents. He relays that "I got Disappointment. I was working on the North fork of the American River I went into tunneling operation & lost [?] of money by that operation...I was prospecting mostly all winter till now & I was so unfortun[ate] that I did not Strick any think that I could help you at present but I have a claim and I think in less than two months that I will be able to prospect & make something." He continues on with his prospecting ventures and living arrangements. He closes the letter: "I enclosed 1 Dollar Piece in gold in this letter to pay for gett it." (Note: letter text has been slightly edited for readability, original contains minimal punctuation and variant spellings. Lot includes a typed transcript of the letter).