The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-10-10
oopRESPONDENCE OF THE ERA.
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
SAN FRANCISCO, SEPT. l, 1850.

Ia most CiiCe my iho' iN'NNa ~
the terrible news Of the squatter dithculues,
yy,.d according to order" buckled on belts ana
,..ock sbouldered my musket and was on the
% Sacramento city. The night before, an
.,rres request from the citizens had arrived mere
-, assistance should be sent them, as greater
niles were anticipated, and they had no force
MET them. About hundred and fifty OF US
,hsveI the summons, and started for Sacramento
20 nrotect the outraged laws The steamer oen-
ator was placed at our free use, ana we carrie'
with us stout hearts, strong arms, ana TWO 'hou-
and rounds of cartridges.
We left San Francisco about one O'CLOCK
cheered on our journey by thousand OF our
friends, and steering across the bay, AFTER s'oP,
ming moment at Benicia, entered the oeau'iiui
Sacramento about o'clock. My remembrance
carried me back to the time, nearly two years
since when last sailed over this Hudson oil tne
West Il was in a little open launch, when full
If vouthful hope and gorgeous dreams, was on
Nm, .,y,i. Alden hills of the Sierra Nevada
Then the joGrneY ououfava S,gAt IsSs, Szl s''f'.
-. q. - - - 7's"
surface was unrppled save by the graceful leap
of some sportive fish and the light wave caused
bv our little boat; we sailed between banks COW
cred by thick "tule" grass, through which the
wild deer and antelope were bounding, and mag
nifcent groves of lofty oaks, whose silence was
then unbroken by the echoing sound Of the wood
mans axe A seeming solitude rested upon the
river. and Nature there was still the ruler.
How changed was it now Instead of the little
boat, with its slow waiting, | was speeding like
courser in splendid floating mansion-whose
harsh music had frightened the deer and ante
lope from their sunny haunts. The lofty oaks
we're lying fallen, and the woodman's cabin stood
among them, and the river banks were washing
by the big waves, which our boat threw on each
side of her track Towns and villages had
sprung up as if by magic, and saw, will con-
fess, with certain degree of sorrow, that the
Sacramento of the past was despoiled of many of
~ ri1,$ Ssses-by the rats S-a - W.
Benicia, which when | passed it two years ago
contained some twenty buildings, has grown into
q city with three or four hundqS1 &euses TtI
scenery around it is beautiful in the extreme
The city is situated upon plain, but backed by
lofty hills. These hills and the plain at the side
of them for thousands of acres are covered with
thick growth of wild oats, yellow as gold, and
waving gracefully in the breeze. Opposite Benz
cha, in quiet little nook, is the pretty village of
Martinez, containing about a hundred buildings
Passing Benicia, which lies upon the straits of
Carquinez, We entered the Bay of Suisun into
which empties the Sacramento Above the head
of the bay, and just where the San Joaquin
empties its rushing waters into the Sacramento
on broad level plain, lies the embryo city with
the somewhat high sounding title of "New York
of the Pacifcn There are here some half dozen
houses, and the principal inhabitants of the city
are mosquitoes of enormous size
When within about seventy miles of Sacramen-
TO. we met the steamer Gold Hunter on her down.
ward passage, and were informed that everything
was quiet, that peace and order had been restored
We still continued our trip, however, and reached
the levee at Sacramento city, at / p. NJ AS We
neared our landing place, all on shore was silent
as tho grave; but as our wheels stopped and the
citizens saw US drawn up under arms upon the
hurricane deck, wild shout of joy burst from a
thousand hearts. We waited with anxiety for
the news, and the first we heard was that the
Sheriff of the county had been killed that after
noon, in the attempt to arrest q man, who it was
supposed was one of the party who resisted the
authorities the day previous An attack had also
been made upon party of squstters that after
noon, and four of them were killed
As the report which | sent you by the last
steamer was in some portions necessarily incor-
rect, will give you the facts of this terrible af-
fair. As told you before, since the settlement
of Sacramento city, Suffers title has always been
matter of dispute, many intelligent and good
citizens believing that he had no legal claim to
the land. With this view many of the latter
corners have fenced in and settled upon lots which
have passed out of Suffers hands About month
since, suit was brought before the county court
for the eJectment of one of the squatters and
Judgment being given for the plaintiff the defend
ant desired to take an appeal. This was denied
by the Judge, on the ground that rs the question
Of title was not here involved, the laws of the
State did not allow an appeal This was consid-
cred by the squatters as hard, and handblls TO
the following effect were Immediately posted
around the city:
Outraged Shall Judge Willis be DICTATOR
All true republicans are requested to meet on
the leyee this evening"
meeting was held, some strenuous resolutions
passed, and from that moment trouble commenced
On the afternoon of Wednesday, August l4th,
party Of about forty squatters, armed to the
teeth, undertook to regain possession of a lot on
the levee from which one of their number had
been elected and commenced removing some lum-
Der which had been placed upon it. When about
half through, they were stopped by number of
the Citizens who in the mean time, under the or
ders of the Mayor, had armed themselves. The
squatters then moved in military order up the
principal street, and when they had proceeded q
lew squares, were met by the Mayor, who ordered
them to lay down their arms and dispense This
they refused to do, and Immediately fired four of
Inc shots taking effect upon the Mayor, Hardin
bigeiow, and dangerously wounding him. The
ciuzens then fired, and in the melte, which lasted
some hve minutes, Mr. Woodland, the City As
SCISSOR who stood unarmed beside the Mayor, was
Instantly killed by shot in the groin. Mr.
James Harper wasalso severely wounded. Among
the squatters, the first one killed was Jesse Nor
gan, from Millersville, Ohio The horse of Ma
lony, who was the leader of the souatters was
shot from under him, when he dismounted. and,
endeavoring to escape, was shot by Recorder
Washington. DR.. Robinson, the prime mover of
the whole affair, was very severely wounded, and
uken prisoner. The squatters then dispersed,
S al, one or two others were taken prisoners.
Inc city was Immediately placed under martial
law, and expresses sent to San Francisco and TO
the Governor at San Jose The Lieutenant Gov
erhor started from Benicia, and brought IN the
mex, next day quantity Of arms and ammunition
lth
On the afternoon of the 5th after the burial of
Assessor Woodland the Sheriff Joseph McKin-
hey' bearing that number Of the rioters of the
eay Previous #sFe IN a house at Brighton, about
iour miles distant, started for there with a party
VI twenty men. Proceeding to the house of man
Iilaeu Allen, they found ten or twelve men, IN
uer arms The Sheriff ordered them to lay down
1neir arms and surrender this they refused 10
~, ana Immediately commenced fring--mortally
"ounding the Sheriff At the first shot Three
sfpaters were killed, and three taken prisoners
;. .nen himself was severely wounded, but managed
70 escape and made his way to Placer willie, in the
fnnn = 49,.