Grass Valley telegraph., 1853-10-27
Written for the Grass Valley Telegraph
CHARIVARIS.


CHARIVARIS.
Mr.. EDITOR Il suppose since being en4
sconced in your sanctum, up here in Grass
Valley, your ears have been saluted often bv
certain nocturnal noises, produced bv yari-
GUS tlnkling cymbals and sounding brass, tin
pans, sheet iron, yells and screeches, and the
coarse voice OF the church bell. sounding bass.
That is what some are pleased to call char
aUor', intended to annoy, insult or honor
persons who get married in town. No matter
which way they take it so they treat But not
few consider these demonstrations intolera-
Die neusances, and insufferable outrages.
performed only by the 60ser sort, and think
IL Is high time they be discontinued. | am
decidedly Of that opinion, and as Grass Val
ley IS 0eTy moral place? feel confident
to suggest what / think.
In the first place outrages of no diminu-
tive character have been committed in using
the church bell on such occasions 1t is
claimed, as the miners helped buy the bell,
they have right to use it for such purposes.
SO they helped build the church, some of them
literally too, but if they should conclude to
have bust, tandangO, or hold miners
meeting, have they right to use the church
for such purposes? Equally as much right
as they have to carry off the bell from the
church premises, to annoy peaceable citizens
with.
The truth is this The bell as much belongs
to the trustees of the NJ. E. Church as the
house does. Not being able. or neglecting,
to have it hung as it should be, it has been
left on the ground. Some time ago, certain
ones supposing it would make considerable
noise IN a chGriUGri went and took it in Cal
y0Tnid style, and used it. On similar occa-
sions, others thought they had the same
right; and now it is considered so much
matter Of course, that others aUW hare at.
They think all they have to do is to take
somebody's Wagon and tote it off, For
some months past the present pGrs0n of the
church, knowing no better way of correcting
the evil, has been in the habit of watching
when they came for the bell. stating the facts
to them, and persuading them not to take it.
: And many who regarded justice, and were
not lmpelled by laWless spirit, have refused
to take it-have acted like MEN. But some of
the 6rarer sort, who clamor for the miners
rights, and who have not contributed the
value OF cigar, and had no more right to
take the bell, than the parsons purse, Cf he
had one) have told him not UerY pleGSantiy
either, to stand to one side. and putting the
bell into the Wagon. ran off with shouts, to
the scene Of confusion.
Nor is this all. Not long ago when certain
parties were married in the church, it was
hoped that, it being Sunday evening, and the
ceremony performed publicly, no persons
would be so at7gentlemanlg, not to say hea-
flemish, as to aid in getting up the usual
noises. But it was soon discovered that GER
tain ones were desperately dry, and that they
must have the bell to ring out some rot-gut
to swallow. The parson, finding persuasion
of no avil, concluded, by the help of certain
sober thinking citizens, who supposed it wonld
sound badly to hear the same bell, on the
same night, call some to church. and others
to treat the rab6le managed to get it inside
the parsonage. He breathed freely then,
never dreaming but that the right Of proper
ty would be regarded. But no such thing.
There were those who had Just courage
enough to force open the bolted door, after
others had left, and tumble out the bell, to
the no small surprise and dun1founderment
OF the parson, and the fright of his little wife
and baby.
Brave lads were those. Much honor they
reflected upon their parents. and their coun-
try. And yet how mOkest they Were-wopld
not so mach as look up but even kept their
manly faces covered with their slouched hats.
A few more such noble sons in this free Cali
Well, l suppose here in the mines. this was
just a little bit of fun. But some might con-
slider it violation of the right Of property,
and would have felt like using their revol-
vers in defence of their rights. But as the
parSOn is a cOtUardly kind Of man, never felt
like shooting at any body in his life, and as
there is no lar here for the protection of such
cO1Ddrds and their property, they will just
have to grin and bear it, When their houses
are forced open, it will pass as one of the
queer things that happen in this queer country.
But space would fail us to speak of the
other outrages connected with these disgrace
ful performances. How they violate the
peace and quiet of citizens, disgrace the town,
compel persons to purchase the privilege of
resting peacably in their own houses, at an
enormous price. many times to violate their
consciences. How they grab and thrust their
noses into whisky glasses like swine into
swill-tub. Then how they swear and black
guard, and go yelling and bowling through
town, like idiots or savages.
In short, these performances, as now car
ried on, are intolerable outrages. They are
deserted by the respectable, and are the cabals
of the low and vulgar And if there is moral
force enough in the village to put a stop to
them, it ought, for our credit abroad our
peace and quiet at home, to be brought into
active requisition.
What say you, Mr. Editor? You have a
voice, part and lot in this matter. Let us
have a message through your Telegraph on
the subject GOOD ORDER