The union Democrat., 1855-10-13
First Fortnight Of +" the Referm.n

First Fortnight Of " the Referm.n
Two weeks will have elapsed tonight since the
know-nothing party assumed the anxiously CO.
veted reins of our county government In this
time we have had public fst-6ght in open court,
by the district attorney, and mob hanging match
under the nose of the sheriff. We are far from
being influenced to record these things through
spirit OF exultation. In the administration of
the law, We deprecate violence as sincerely as
the most conservative of our adversaries in the
detest that littleness that laughs at misfortune.
But, as our particular admirers, the know-noth-
ings, came into power with SO many refreshing
promises Of reform-armed and equipped with
an antidote for all the abuses that had made per-
son and property unsafe in Tuoumne county,
their need of mercy should be tempered with
stripe of justice. When men, unaccustomed to
bearing the burthen of public duties, set about
reforming the world, they have little conception
of the magnitude of the job they undertake-and
to our county officials there is precious little
world outside of Tuolumne, at present. They
thought Mahomet, Luther, Milton, Shakespeare,
and several other men of respectable intelligence
were well enough in their way, before America
was discovered, but they themselves-we mean
our county Officials-were reserved for crisis
Anxious for the approach of the hour for their
installation, they imagined the sensation their
advent in the courthouse would create was as
generally subject of thought in other minds as
it was a perpetual theme in their own. And
they did " create sensation" Among the first
arguments used by the district attorney upon
whose lip yet fingered his oath to sustain the
law and preserve the peace, were those of
knock-down character. On the second day of
reform rule, the lie was banded in open court,
and disgraceful hair-pulling isticutf followed,
in defiance of law and insulting to the Court.
The scene made up by the incidents of the
occasion, has elected pretty general remark, and
afforded, as might be expected, wide range for
gossip. Mr.. Jump, a right meritorious artist,
of whom we boast has immortalzed the event in
very ludcrous caricature. We never believed
much in political caricatures-they convey kind
of sarcasm which is too liable to reverse its
direction. Still, Jumps picture is really laugh
able; and if the event which gave rise to it could
be passed by as pleasantly, the ermine though not
stainless, would bear blot the less.
In regard to the mpunty, we might say
defiance, at which the authority of the sheriff and
deputies was placed at Columbia on Wednesday
night last, when in their presence Barclay
violently executed by the populace for the muir
der of Smith, We will only remark that although
the officers, We are satisfied did all they could to
preserve order and execute the law-had there
been much anxiety manifested on the part of
their peculiar friends to aid them in their
endeavors to maintain the supremacy of the law
as there to clothe them with official power,
we should not be compelled to record such dis
graceful termination of the bloody affray.
If these things are to be received as evidence
of the reform SO prodigal.y given out before the
election, heaven save us from that security which
is to reestablish mob rule and convert the halls
of justice into prize-ring, for the amusement e.
bastard fillibusters. 1t is insttuting system OF
higher" law at which both moral sensibility and
republican dignity revolt The Judge very pro-
perly sentenced the bellgerants to fine of fifty
dollars each and three hours Imprisonment