The Placer herald., 1856-06-28
AUBURN, JUNE %, 1856.
Events in San Francisco.


nature have thickened upon us in manner
to CRAFTY the most morbid taste. We were
consoine ourselves with the idea that the
ugly business at San Francisco was about to
die an easy death, without further agitation
when the telegraph Of Sunday evening threw
the entire public into an excitement, by the
report of the stabJing Of Hopkins and the
capturing of Terry, and subsequently the
arrest of Durkee upon the charge of piracy
&c, DC, the particulars of all which will be
found in this paper,
If facts were wanting to prove the neces-
sity Of a thorough moral and political reyolu
ton in this State, we think the transactions
of the last seven days, have furnished them
beyond doubt.
We have before had occasion to allude to
the officious intermeddng Of Judge Terry in
this business, and we have now only to re-
mark that we regard his present position, as
the legitimate result of his violent dictatoria
rashness To say that his mission to San
Francisco, as some assert, was a pacific one
will not 60 down with those who are ac-
quainted with Judge Terry. The olive branch
never had much popularity with him, his
favorite arguments being the doube-barrelled
shotgun and bowie knife. His respect for
law and order has never prevented him in
the use of this very peculiar species Of elo-
quence-eyen in the presence Of Court.
Such conduct may be considered chivalrous
by some, but the moro sober and common
place characterize it by different term
Neither can we regard the meeting together
at the rooms of his particular friend, DR..
Ashe Of so many of his faithful clansmen,
as mere matter Of chance. One or two Of
those men we should consider very poor
society for a Judge Of the Supreme Bench;
and taken as a council would look for any
thing but pacific measures from them. There
was concert Of action, and an arsenal Of arms
ready at hand These facts do not indicate
a mission of peace, but preparations for an
offensive move.
However, let justice be done. He has
drawn the ermine into the ditch and befoul-
ed it with violence. For this he stands con
demned before the people Of California, for
upon this point they are the Judges. II,
stabbing OF Hopkins, upon calm and delibe-
rate examination Of the facts, he be found to
have acted in selt-defence, as his friends in
sist that he did, then touch not a hair Of his
head. Let no outside pressure induce diff
ferent action on the part Of the Vigilance
Committee should they bring him to trial,
Let him be treated as a man, without regard
to his position; give him the benefit Of rea-
sonable doubt, for no public will support you
in q different course no matter what present
appearances may indicate, Meet folly and
violence with prudence and wisdom.
The arrest of Durkec upon the charge Of
piracy, is marked indication of the respect
these men have for law. Durkee by direc-
ton of the Vigilance Committee, and for no
private gain Of his own, selzes quantity
of arms which the law and order men pro-
pose to use in subdung the Vigilance Com
mittee, and turns the same over to the Com
mittee, safe and unnjured. He does not
propose to sell, use, or destroy this property,
it is a precautionary measure Of the men
under whom he is acting. Where is the
felonious intent2 the wicked design that
makes it robberyl Bah. There is not an
unbiased mind in the State, but sees in this
move Of those great apostles of law, a vicious
trick-a using Of the law in violation OF lis
spirit, for the qualification Of their small re-
venge
If Durlee suffers let them ndict the two
or three thousand men who assisted in taking
the muskets from the armores on Saturday
night. If Durkee has committed piracy or
the high seas, they have committed robbery
on shore, the offences are identical, the only
difference being in the place of the act,
These men use the law as boys do a football
now tossing it from their path, and anon
pushing it full ia your face. Whether Gov,
johnson has had any hand in authorizing the
movements of the past week, does not ap
s,ear, but if not, we may reasonably look for
something of a pacific nature e1uinating ifon
his Office The people demand it under the
state of affairs, and it is his duty to con
.cede il,
In these distracted times it becomes
him rather to cast oil upon the troubled
waters, than to issue his orders as a conquer
sns dictator to subjugated people.