Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-07-04
The Revolutlon in California.


The Revelation In California.
In the earlier days of the settlement of the West
and South West, before civil society had been organi
zed in the new territories it frequently became
cessary for the pioneers themselves to institute
equitable although informal arrangement for the
punishment of delinquents and the protection of life
and property-hence the linchers." originally COM
posed of the best men OF the incpient communities,
and intended only to exercise their functions until
their places could be taken by regular and duly
stituted authorities. But the odium which gen.
orally attaches to "lynch law" and lynching-n
fat the whole train of ideas connected with the
terms, shows The tendency of all sush things TO abuse
and the conviction in the public mind that such ten
dency had prevailed in these cases. Starting from
supposed necessity, lynch law has always proved it.
SELF in the end terrible curse and it is questionable
whether sing instance can be shown in which the
evils it has ultimately produced have not been greater
than those it has redressed, in which the rregu-
larites to which it has given birth have not far
ceeded those it has restrained.
The present state of things in San Francisco par
takes somewhat of the nature Of lynch law, differing
rom it mainly in being dangerous than any
previous illustration of that code, and also in being
not simply informal, but openly revolutonary-not
designed to act substitute for regular govern
ment in the absence of the latter but to sur ersede,
overthrow and trample under foot such government
Such is, in fact, the present position of California for
we presume that the San Francisco "Vigilants u
have their branches, agencies and ramifcations
throughout the State. This Vigant Committee may
contain great many very respectable persons, but
for our own part we would rather live under any
defined and known despotism than under the unde-
fined, unknown and irresponsible desposm of
self constituted rulers and Judges
The body polite may, at Times, suffer under evils
which are susceptible of by violent means, but
this is very doubtful, original proposition,
and still when viewed in connection with
the effects of such violent in producin. worse
evils than those supposed to be remeded. 1t is at
least certain that the lis to be thus remedied must
be of the most patent character, almost like killing
mad dog--there must be no possibility of mistake
oil bout them. And even in instances of this kind
here self-constuted authorities undertake TO ac
1r the punishment of known crime or the remova
ia known evil, they apt while their hand is in
10 continue the reformatory rocess,by putting down
what may seem to them evils, or what NAV not
square with their notions, preudices or interests
and thus nsensiby as were, reign of terror is in
troduced, under which man is free, under which
no law is respected but the will of the terlorists
| The vigilance men In San Francisco may all bt
saints, perhaps they are, but the fact that men SCI
themselves up for " unco gud,' is no certain assur
&c that they are so much better than their neigh
ours and, indeed, it would appear to US that sucI
a ssumptlons ought TO weigh in the adverse scale.
Casey Cora, Sullivan and some others are or wer
great scamps and their being put out of the way is
good thing, but is ii not dearly purchased at th
price of total subversor of the social order ant
political system of whole State, an overt rebellion
against the laws and the constitution, amounting Il
revolution it stands, pointing TO ultimate dis
Union and anarchy, if net just now, at some earl
day; for the example just set has shown how easil
tn State authorities can be overthrown and DIES
3otlsm of committees set up and the example thu
set will be improved upon