The Nevada journal., 1856-07-04
OsE WORD MORE ABOUT THE VIGILANCE

COMMIT1EE nat Tue cause lor tne or
ganization of the Vigilance Committee was
just and sufficient, the popular voice o:
the people has decided. That Casey and
Cora richly deserved their ignoule fate
few have the hardihood to deny. Had the
Vigilance Committee accomplished but
this act Of fetributive justice the whole
State would bave applauded the deed, as
the whole State did. Fsw would have
been found tP deplore, ana some to de-
nounce the precedent set for coming time,
but tho massss though they might regret
the necessity of settiJg at naught the
forms of law, would have rejoiccd that vice
by some process, Illicit though it nigh.
be, had at last found its punishment.
The act of banishing score of individ-
uals at time, is more questionable, be-
cause the crimes of each are not so appa i,
rent to the people. and because, by con-
demning SO many there was a reasonable
possibility that ono innocent man might
suffer with the guilty. Still the notorious
reputation of the expatriated and their as.
sociations, from which their characters be-
camc established, was convincing proof to
every one not wed irrevocably to law how
ever much violated, or order though q
misnomer for anarchy, that they were
unfit to mingle in a community whose
moral sense they had outraged, and whose
laws they had de6ed. Though the ban
ishment of these men, was, as We have
said before, more questionable act than
the execution Of the murderers, whose
guilt was open and undeniable by none,
the people were glad that the state was
purged of such dishonorabIe characters.
Again when he who should wear his er.
mine unsoiled committed the fauz pas of
folly and indiscretion of going to San Fran
cisco, leaving the seat of justice to mingle,
and take part in grave proceedings, upon
which he would doubtless be called to
pass judgment in his official capacity; and
when, worse than all, in attempting to
perform impessibilities he shsathed dag
germ the flesh of an officer performing
duties in accordance with popular author
ity, and was taken into custody by the
same authority, public sentimen. condemn.
ed the judge, and demanded justice from
its acknowledged dispensers. An er parte
statement of the unfortunate affair flashed
along the wires, and the mountains echoed
back the voice of the excited multitude in
San Francisco, for redress and retribution.
But another and counter statement has
gone forth which is entitled to some con-
sideration. Keeping in view the excite
ment of the times, both versions of the
story should, perhaps, be taken with al
lowance, for the mediums through which
the two parties saw the tragedy were LA
bic to distortion and coloring. At all
events the evidence which has been brought
to light is conflicting and unsatisfactory
The Vigilance Committee arose to vindi-
cate the majesty of violated law, and to
ensure its future observ ance, and we de-
nand of any gentlemen versed in the law
of evidedce if enough has been furnished
the public to convict David s. Terry BY
the law, in whose sacred defense the Vigi.
lence Committee stand, of capital crime.
1t is far from US to plead the high official
station of the prisoner as an interposer
for mercy in his behalf. It cannot extern
uate crime. All the people ask is i'm
partial justice msted out inaexibly, alike
to the high and the low. They do not de-
sire, nor will they sanction, the enforce
ment of the bloody code of Draco. The
time for ler taiionis has passed away
If the imprisoned officer has done deed
worthy of death in the eyes of enlighten-
ed nations, let him suffer like any male.
factor. But the tumultuous murmurings
and demands without, like the winds of
yore around the cave of Eolus, should not
swerve the Executive Committee one hair
from the line Of justice as defined by the
statutes whose purity and efficiency th ey
are constituted to restore.
Several ofthe journals Of San Francis
CO, assuming that the evidence is full and
conclusive of Terry's guilt, have constitu-
ted themselves sole arbitrers Of his fate,
and demand bis death whenever his victim
dies. Goud God! has it come to this, that
the passions of men have become so enfu-
rated as to demand the expiation of crime
Of any and every grade, on the gallows:
Is then the boasted elevation of PROSTATE