New-York daily tribune., 1851-08-27


Customs. &C.
sAN Francisco. Tuesday, July Is, 1851.
To the Editors Of The y Tribune.
hope the day is not far distant when
shall be able 10 write YOU good report of this land
Since my last, We have had no desoatlng IRE TO
rayape the cty but the fire OF violence and lawleSs
ness RACES fercey IN city and state In this place
We are now under the control of the Committee OF
Vigilance, which assumes unlimited authority over
the persons and lives OF citizens and which has IN
many cases superseded the regularly constituted
tribunals AIN not disposed 10 dwell on me palntu
subject, and must refer you TO the newspapers Tor
particulars Let me say, however, that a large num-
Der Of citizens dsapproye the aforesaid iawiess pro-
ceedings, though their voice not heard amid the
excitement of the popular storm. Their numbers,
however increase. The moro diopu'sionate ana ie-
fectipg of the Vigilance Committee are beginning to
fater, and to think II time to acknowledge the ex-
ls,ance and authority of law. It's probable the or
eanizaion viii shorly change is code so AS 10 CO
operate v ilh the Courts and Police. II So II can do
great good without the admNture OF wrong and
evil essential 20 its past and present course What
ever excuse the emergency OF circumstances may
have afforded for It's formation, and the mldnigh
execution of jenkins on the Plaza, no such excuse
selfcons,l,uted and irresponsible tribunal holding
IT'S sessions secret exercising The power OF invading
domiclles without form Of Law. and trdmpllng under
foot the trial by Jury The haoeas corpus, law ana
constitution. The influence Of such an organization
Oh our character and credit abroad must be Lament
ablc But | believe the crisis ha, passed, and that
things Will now tend to orcer and improvement.
such condition OF society Is not likely to recur IN
this country.
There Is no doubt that both the men whom the VI
GLANCE Committee have hung were desperate villains
and oldconyicts stuart, the last executed, con
fessed TO a long career OF crime, and implicated a
number of the officers OF Justice accessories IN
some Of his robbenes. There can be no doubt that
reekjng mass Of mafesanCe and corruption has long
been concealed beneath the mask OF Courts and law
There l. no doubt that crime has stdlked abroad un
punj>hed. and that gold has protected even the ROB-
ber and the murderer But in this the people are but
reapiug the reward Of their own works. They have
been IN the practice Of putting bad men IN power
When tie election approaches, moral considerations
must give way TO party splnt. The candidate OF
PARTY must be chosen al whatever cost. The cleo
lions have IN many instances been lett IN the hands
OF groe.s shop politicians. When people place bad
men IN rover. with theH eyes open, or when they
allow such men 70 be placed III power, wha! night
for Official ncumOeni> should be IN direct proper
ton to ther own indifference or Teckiessness before
tie election. IL is commonly IN Hrerse proportion.
Tie worse the men they knowingly place IN power,
the more censOTou> and harsh are theif judgments
against ,hcm should they prove fatidess, as there
yas every reason 10 anticipate.
Hereafter there WILL be more care IN lhe chOict OF
officers. There VII De greater vigilance ana energy
a. enforcing the laws. There VIII be more honesty
and honor III Judges and Courts There Viii be oet-
ter order among the people.
Won viii ind our papers Of today filed with nam
ug accounts OF the murder OF Francisco Guelfefo,
aweal,hy ard influential spanlari once Alcaide OF
hi, cIt. TIE next mail NJ contradict tne Story,
ard represent tie teaih of Guerrero a. a. accident
>uch y as really the case. chance to De intimately
acqua med with lazy ana gentleman "h1 "e!t
the only witnesses O. tre Transaction, ana no Il"
lie Spaulara fall iron As horse while the Q'Aer man.
d Freuchman, was II advance Of hiin- Ihey were
racing and whipping each Others hOrs rs. IN sport
II : prCbsb.e both were drunk. month ago GueT-
zero wa IeaT being k..-ed oy the "hee!ssi wagon
running over HIM He was then Gute intoxicated
snd l.y Insenslne for hours-as myself ".'Aes'el.
The tTenclMan above mennoLe- oeha'ed III . >.-4y
and ulaccCu4 table manner a--el me acc.-eAt' anu
tals let 20 suspicion aud ai, arrest III lhe pieseA'
feyered condition Of the public Wnl' the "0ist sus
YlcIClS aTC entertained. ai.i every coAL3i @tio an
cyely Cca'h a. far as POSSIBLE. ust oe dsCIDeA -
deSl-u Tie sydney lOt> are tle moss ODOA4ouS'
ard q there room 70 ca, tle sshle>l ,i'i V-"i oii
ore Y. t1tuI. he may loCA ou. for MS nec-.
BAc a., cur rc.! condition l. - .Ofsll- the4e =
ersae security Oi Iie dn1 properly nan ou' ~ lo o"S
reper- rerre-.lf-ihere iese Df)ery IN cotIu.-
Ton among COZ r. ard oLclais-,Aefe l. iess crime
amoI- tte people. Our e-lioi, are hAieB a"a't VI
ff, resiiil. ..f ile.rowu atoT>. They resent WIN
great inclsnat cn charges Or inpuiaiions comm
NON abroad and present p-cinr zen 'in's oiacAsf
than that Hhlca they cl,o"A. iA.sl I, ePi I's
F,.r,,Dg p-,r~ lie oulv paper thai has stood
ses> Ire roru ar cgfrt ~ and cu;ce ceinheo nc con-
crrt u tne V,cilarce committee. o. TIE itG CGii-
},Yf4a. c. vica ilsre vas Teeso. . cApecL oc,tsF
tlug> esrecaiIv af;er Is >eye.e attach oa Iif IT,
barf cr vtr,t-,r- lie hat thtttne taOrn an ere
foLc.u- 10 Lyrch !qv. Aa> been foremost 70 pfomp1
TIE law loss proceei.ncs and 10 keep Up Vicious e1
element. t. Corr.sr Aas nO"l,d Tor o-Ooi " tfle
hote>l ,ef-tau stsie.
TLai .cr-oa ol the ate Ia.' DESTROYED oF -fo fse-
tult il some rart. lu- d., -l ct.cr, -t O. tttt
TtcuI.l.. o.. IS -Cmes4-, e.rt-.t =, f'se-.. d.
Bows. ILca,2i,s Df i.r 4t ass si .o.' ''-- 1'''
c.Caufed slrre ;fe deIno lpon Q! taer cens. sOni'
10 ave ELSEWHERE by stealing aDd gamC.rhs many 70