The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-08
The Tax on Foreign Gold Diggers.


The Tax on Foreign Gold Diggers.
must now inform you that at this moment there
quite an excitement here In consequence of reports
received last evening from Sonora l will give you
the news Ia a reliable form. number Of foreigners
al Sonora having refused to comply with the reuus
ners,' time was hxed upon by the collector of H.
ceDse to SUNNI pose of American citizens to pre-
vent them, forcibly if necessary from continuing MI
ming operations. The time xed upon, believe
Vast Monday. On Sunday there was quite an excite
ment among the foreigners. Guns and ammunition
were purchased by them ut Of the they
paraded The streets armed and using threatening Ian
gu"ge The sale OF firearms WAS prohibited by the
authorities and couriers were to the sur.
rounding settlements for renorcenents Of Americans
In the evening, the Sheriff Mr. Work, accosted by
Mexican, who asked him il he was not officer, or
the officer who intended enforce the OF the
license. On replying that he was, the Mexican made
an attempt to sab him, when person standing by,
named Clark with single stroke Of . bowie knife,
nearly severed his h, sd from his bsdy Thirty armed
Americans soon arrived from Mormon Gulch, and the
whole American population the alert all night.
At last accounts there three hundred
Americans at Sonora, under arms, and others
somewhat sbated Hundreds of the Mexieans and
Chileans were packing up and leaving for stockton.
Many of them dseaimed having had any intention OF
resItipg to arms and all evidently less
frightened ut the aspect Of affairs 1t appears that
the Mexicans who took part in the disturbance
led en- by come hottie actd trenchman, lately arrived
from France, Of the red republican order They found
however, that the majority OF tho Spaniards not
disposed 10 join them, and IL IL supposed that the
whole affair will blow without any very serious
consequences The affair viii probably DO a severe
blow TO business, for the present, in Sonora
so~oH.. Sunday, May ~. 1850
As anticipated the advent of the Tax Collector
wah the sspzI Tor trouble and alarm Little, II any
excitement displayed in town until this morning,
when reports reached that large bodis Of Mexican
Cbilisns and Frepehmen were assembled outside the
town, holding meetings and consulting on means to
.vsde the pay Of be imposition OF so per month
No notice taken Of these demonstr atoms for the
citizens Of this place have 50 uniformly treated tor
egpers we'll that we cold hardly entertain any fears
o
About noon. two d'putatous in from the as
. bes 10 see the authorities ana ascertain II any
action uf The overnog could arrest the concentration
Of the contemplated taxation NJ least TO have IL
txpsin, TO them and the Justice Of IL shown TO them
1bCy asserted that it was. impossible that such
amount could be paid that they would willingly pay
ur five dollars per month but that WOULD be out
OF the power than half Of the miners to pay
the sum contemplated grat many digg'rs hardly
getting gold than suiced for mere livelihood
During the discussion, an American, wis wished TO
get Of he crowd. began choosing Lis way nom The
place where he stood when = Mexican or CHILEAN In
front Of him Drew pistol In moments dozen revol
out, and prscpitsto retreat WAS made by
the foreigners. No shot fired. but the MexicsnJ
were alarmed, and the tom wss cleared in Eve mi.
nutst. Our y. see see sd threatened by shout
5CC0 men outside, and no iDoonsiderahle alarm was
created In town. The citizens armed themselves aud
expresses we're sent to Mormon Creek aud Sui
lvsns DiggiDgs from which places about i've hundred
wcl armed A mericans arrived. aud msrched through
the streets with guns and rigss their shoulders
The demonstration sufficient; tho crowds In the
vicinity dispersed, and quiet restored. The
onIy thing TO h. feared is the missuided real OF our
with the discomfort oocssoned by the UNI tax,
that the foreigners should presume TO take
the Law into their hands. and may BE- willing
to allow the sfftir TO rest where u IL.
very serious sfrAy took plsce this afternoon. In
which Mexican was seriously wounded. man was
noticed psrsdbg the street vits two three pistols
aud knife in his belt; tho intoxicated, and
the sheriff arrested him, rather took bis from
him. While In the oct, Mexican came up behind
and nsdc stab at the ofheer with large knife. The
murderovs intent was frustrated by bystsndsr whs
With . bowie knife struck the man, voundng him Sc
verely MI work. the sheriff, vas hsprily untouched
This state Of affairs IL allowed TO last will ruin the
prosperity % the whole sosthern mines and
tovs Of Stockton will DO the arst to suffer thereby
h.rpAr, May "a guard was kept up all last night
but everything Was qsi.t and as 7 said yesterday
believe the danger any vss to be spprehssded has
passed away But the exoitabls fseiisgs Of thu hun
reds Of orleans updsr had TO be isdulgsd
and hearing that camp mostly posed Of foreign
ers cit usted about miles from Sonora had mount
cd Mexican, Chilisn. and French flags, (rbst truth
there In the report know se they have started OUT
this morning to svengs the insult and shssss the to-
erty OF the greasers and outsiders sincerely trust
there viii be good enough In the party 10 refrsla
nom vapton aggression. The Foreigners are sotins
undsr strong excite mt, prevailing nom this sudden
aud p cited call for heavy tar. tcv II any OF
ths m have heard the collectors name, and NOT
y ho authorized 10 collect the tax. They
eomplsp, and most Justly to my thinking. thst thsy
have never received the slightest intimaton 10 pre-
pare them for this action the part Of the govern
nept, before unknown TO them. With aosppsrsst
authority. dsnsnded syment oftventy dollars for
he nriv vii of Ous m N