The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-09-24

A California correspondent Of the New York
Journal of Commerce furnishes to that paper
graphic description Of the vigilance committee,
its purposes and mode Of proceeding, which we
condense for the benefit of our readers He
states that the committee owed its origin to the
exigences Of the times, the gross abuse Of Of
fetal power, and the corrupt perverslon ofjus-
/ tice, and designed to Grid the community of the
murderers, rowdies, ballot-box suffers, and
such like men, who have stolen the birth-right
and made slaves and hirelings Of those whom
they by force have driven from the polls at the
mouth of the pistol or knife; and who have con-
trolled the elections by the use of false bottom
ed ballot boxes, and foied the known and ex-
press will Of the people," The leading acts of
the committee comprise the hanging OF four
murderers and the Punishment Of some twenty
legs, and there is now confined in the cells
Of Fort Vigilance" the hon. David 5. Terry,
| Judge Of the supreme court Of California, Tor
violent assault on one Hopkins. The commit
Tee is secret body, the members being sworn
to keep secret all their proceedings, to obtain
information and communicate it, and to afford
mutual protection to each other. The executive
committee is composed Of forty members, be-
sides two secretaries. The president of this bo-
DIV is understood to be VIM. 7. Coleman, esq,
a merchant Of high standing. The others are
! L. &c
merchants, doctors, lawyers, ship carpenters,
| blacksmiths, brckmasons, ETC.; perhaps two
thirds of the whole are composed ofmercantlle
! iobbers. The general committee is composed
ofabout 5000 persons, whose names, occupation
and places of residence are duly enrolled, and
signed to the constitution. This committee is
divided into thirty five divisions or companies,
three, of artillery, two of cavalry, and the re-
mainder of infantry. These are commanded
by efficient military men, appropriately officer
ed and weekly drilled. Each company take
turns for mounting guard and doing garrison
duty. The whole force is divided into battal
ions and commanded by grand marshal, who
has seven aids. There are 100 men constantly
on duty, day and night, withoutpay, fee or re-
ward-all voluntary-fours hours off and on
during the % hours. One company on duty
during the day, another at night. The police
is commanded by captain and three lieuten
ants, and are all under pay. Rations are fur
nished to all on duty in the garrison. The ex-
ecutive committee are subdivided into commit
tees, who have their secretaries. The latter
only are paid. There is commissary depart
ment and quartermaster's office. The armory
and magazine are kept in perfect order and ev-
erything ready for action. The moment the
alarm bell sounded, two taps of the commit
tee bell will in thirty minutes call out $1,000
men, night or day, armed and equipped as the
law directs. The expenses of the general COM
mittee are paid by voluntary contribution by the
citizens. The total and entire expenses exceed
$4,000. All the munitions and arrangements
essential for equipping an army, and making it
effective, either to act Extensively or Extensively,
even to being provided with artillery and cav
airy, appear to beunder the control of the com
mittee, which comprises pious laymen, clergy
men, lawyers, printers, physicians, merchants,
bankcrs, mechanics and artisans, III fact fully
nineteen wentieths Of the best and most hon
ored citizens of San Francisco. All the public
journals, except the Sun and Herald, approve
and endorse the acts of the committee In the
trial of an offender, the executive committee
act as a jury, and majority vote is required to
decide a question. From this body an appeal
lies to board Of delegates, composed Of the
commanders Of each division and two persons
chosen from their respective companies, which
make altogether court Of 112 members. A
two-thirds vote of this appellate court is neces
sary to pronounce verdict Of guilty Or acquit-
tai. Ofthe clergy, the writersays: -..l
II have said previously that there were cler
gymen in the committee, probably twenty in
number mostly methodists, but few of other
denominations. In nearly all of our churches
protestant pastors have spoken and preached
approvingy Of the committee and their acts
may enumerate the ight reverend bishop Kip,
Of the Episcopal church, the reverend Messrs.
briggs ana IH0maS, OF the MelnOdiSt cnuECHes,
reverend Mr. Cutler, of the Unitarian, reverend
Mr.. Willy Of the New School Presbyterian,
reverend Mr.. Lacy, Of the Congregational, and
reverend doctor Anderson, of the Presbyteri-
an, (old school, and many Others whose names
I do not now recollect. The reverend doctor
w. a. Scott, (late pastor ofthe 1st Presbyteri
an church, New Orleans, I believe is the on
1y clergyman who has refrained from abiding
to the subject in his pulpit He is, however,
not friendly to the acts Of the committee and
the elders and trustees of Calvary church made
formal request that he should not bring the
matter before the congregation, but simply
preach Christ and Him crucifed to his hearers.
/ have no doubt that had doctor Scott been in
the city at the time Of the organisation he would
have spoken out boldly against it =
The organisation Of the vigilance committee
and the power it welded, not only in San Fran
cisco but throughout California, is one Of the
most singular and remarkable incidents to be
found in the history Of any government. The
fastest steamer from California brings inteli
~ n 4 We Il