Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-11-12

isoohA iCcbiy iiHttt'cu, thc euiPii'
jccted to the forms of trial, and in hide
Gus mockery he was adjudgcd guilty, an
: sentence of death pronounced upon him
, This rapid process met with the acclaim
ation of the people; and with scarcely
moments preparation to the unhapp,
wretch, they hanged him. Subsequently
a more refined system of unlcgislated equi
ty was instituted. A large number o
citizens of San Francisco, conceiving the
process of criminal law too slow for th'
ends Of California justice, in June last or
ganized themselves into a Committee o
Vigilance" and proceeded to act in al
criminal cases, in place of the reguiarly
constituted authorities. These sage expo
nents of civil rights, and administers o.
law on the voluntary principle, fndin!
themselves sustained by the voice of tht
people, soon reduced their system to sucl
an essence as to make gracious disposition
Of all cases requiring judicial investigation
-allotting trials of minor consequence to
the proper authorities, and reserving tc
themselves the judgment of high and cap
ital offences Under this system, several
persons have been pu. to death for murder
and other crimes. This lawless body have
received the public counsel and sympathy
Of Rev Flavel S. Mines, an Episcopal
clergyman, who has openly denounced the
character and conduct Of the officials, and
expressed his determination to cooperate
with the Committee to the extent Of his
power. His letter has called forth a caus-
tic and merited rejoinder from several
members of his congregation, exposing the
enormity of this clerical delinquency,
and deprecating the evils to which such
examples would lead. The Governor has
called upon this body of civil insurrection-
lists to disband; bat they decline to sur
render their usurped prerogatives, while
they have the countenance of public senti-
ment to encourage them in their course.
More recently, they have acted auxiliary
to the civil authorities, but hold themselves
in readiness to adapt their organization
to any conceivable exigency.
While the criminal law enforced at San
Francisco has been the astonishment of
more civilized communities, the action of
Judge Farwell, few weeks since, in a
domestic case before the District Court at
Coloma, will be no less surprising. The
wife was the complainant and her coun-
sci attempted to prove that an agreement
to separate had been entered into by the
parties, on coming across the Plains but
that afterward, the defendant had refused
to carry out the agreement. The Judge
charged the Jury thus :" Marriage is civil
contract, and subject to all the conditions
of other civil contracts; and can be en-
tered into, and broken, at the pleasure of
the parties themselves. If the jury arc
of the opinion that an engagement was en-
tered into on the Plains to separate, and
the defendant afterward refused to do so,
they must find for the plaintiff" g." The
Jury, under the charge, found verdict
for the complainant : inasmuch as it was
evident that it was her pleasure to break
the contract. "If," says our informant.
t such interpretations of law are to prevail
in California, all the gold that is discovered
on her soil can not compensate for the
degradation into which her people will
fall. Such is the moral tone of sentiment
On the Pacific coast Neither immigration
nor secular education, business activity
nor increasing wealth will rectify these
evils; the only remedy for this moral disease
S the Gospel.
w. Rehy;ousIy.-When occurrences Of
uch startling interest invited SO many
thousands to the Pacific coast, it was
question deeply agitating the minds of the |
eligious portion of the community, as to
What provision should be made for the !
piritual necessities of SO vast body of
men. The very object that called them
here, rendered spiritual attention the more
and to give health to the moral
ense of California, and take care of the /
ouls of the reckless and endangered, car
'estly and actively engaged the energy of
,hristian men. The various benevolent |
ocieties comprehendipg home evangelical
ion within the scope Of their efforts, adop- /
ed instant measures to keep pace, as far
3 possible, with the tide that swept toward /
he golden shore. A measure of the activ- !
ty which attended the eager adventurers,
ras infused into the Christian public and /
means were no: wanting toscnd forth the trea-
ures ofe.ernal life to be placed in contrast ,
sith the wealth that perisheth. Regions
rhich few weeks before were reckoned |
mong the last for missionary effort, from
heir paucity of population and remoteness
f locality, were now invested with surpass-
ng interest; aud it became a matter of
nxious concern to establish the institutions
f the Gospel, where the peculiar culture
f the public mind would render it most
usceptible to moral deformity. Therefore,
nth the stream that set in toward the Sac
amento, went the Bible and the missiona.
y, and the elements of Christian character.
PREVIOUS to this agitation, however. Provi-
ence had sent his Name and his Word to
hat desolate coast, as a precursor of the
Mighty revolution which was soon to be
ffeeted in its dark character. A few
aonths before the discovery Of gold, the
American Baptist Home Missionary Socie-
y, impressed with the necessity Of evan.
elical effort in our newly acquired terrific
y, appointed the Rev. o. G. Wheeler,
Missionary to California, who commenced /
is lonely labors in the vicinity of San