New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-07-15
Ne6 Orlfans Dailp Gresfeut.
TO THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA

- @1AA rLOFLG Sf' CALIFORNIA
Inc Committee Of Vigilance, placed in the position
ey now occupy by the voice and countenance Of the
vast majority Of their eIIowctizens, as executors of
sraad T ~ aesIe 70 define the necessity which has
iolGsu .nls people INTO their present organization
orous remedies. The people-long snfering under a.,
rgahzea tas asso5sIn which has invaded their lber
te5-S4uahGered their propery-usurI their Offices
OF trust and emoument-endaneered their 1ives~
prevented the expression Of their viii tlrounh the
baot-boX, and corrupted the channel4Sof Justice.
nave no" arisen IN virtue Of their inherent right and
power. All POLITICAL religious and sectional differ
ences and Issues have given way to the paramount
necessity Of a thorough and Fundamental reform and
publication Of the social and political body The
voice Of whole people has demanded union and OF.
ganlzaton az the only means Of making our laws ef-
fectlVe and reganing the rights of free speech free
vote and public safety.
For years they have patiently waited and striven,
in peaceable manner, and in accordance with the
forms OF law, to reform the abuses which have made
our city bye-Word; fraud and violence have foiled
every effort and the laws to which the people looked
tor protection, while distorted and rendered effete in
practice, to shield the vile have been used as
powerful engine to fasten upon US tyranny and mis-
rule.
As republicans, we looked to the ballot-box as our
safeguard and sure remedy. But so effectually and
so long was its voice .snothered the votes denoeed
in it by freemen entirely outnumbered by ballots
thrust in through rand at midnight or nullified By
the false counts of judges and inspectors Of elections
at monday that many doubted whether the majority
OF the people were not utterly corrupt.
Organized gangs Of bad men, of ali political parties
or VINO assumed any particular creed from mercenary
and corrupt motives, have parceled out our offices
among themselves, or sold them to the highest
bidders
Have provided themselves with convenient tools TO
obey their nod as Clerks Inspectors and Judges Of
election -
Have employed bulies and professional fighters to
destroy tally lists by force, and prevent peaceabe eti
Zens from ascertalnng, in lawful manner the true
number of votes polled at our elections;
And have used cunningly contrired ballot-boxes
with 1aise sides and bottoms so prepared that by
means Of spring slide spurious tickets concealed
there previous to the election, could be mingled with
genuine votes.
Of all this we have the most irrefragable proofs.
teons from other lands and States, and unconvicted
criminals equally as bad, have thus controlled public
funds and property, and have often amassed sudden
fortunes without having done an honest days work
with head Or bands. Thus the fair inheritance of our
CITY has been emhezzled and quandered-our streets
and wharves are in ruins, and the miserable entail
ment of an enormous debt will bequeath sorrow and
poverty to another generation.
The Jury-boX has been tampered with and otlr iurv
trials have been made to shield the hundreds of ur-
derer5 whose red hands have cemented this tyranny
and silenced with the bowelnife and the pistol not
only the free voice Of an indignant press, but the
shuldering rebuke of the outraged citizen.
To our shame be it said that the inhabitants of dis
tant lands already know that corrupt men in office as
well as gamblers shoulderstrikers, and other vile
tools OF INSCRIPTIONS leaders, beat, mai and shoot
down with mpunity, as well peaceable and unoffend-
ing citizens, as those earnest reformers who at the
known hazard OF their lives, and with singleness of
heart have sought in a lawful manner to thwart
schemes of public plunder to awaken investigation
Embodied in the principles of republican govern
ments are the truths that the majority should rule and
when corrupt officials who have frauduIentIy seized
the reins of authority designedly thwart the execu
ton OF the laws and avert punishment from the noto
rously guilty, the power they usurp reverts back to
-fa6 l;,;,
these truths and confident that they were CARRYING
out the will of the vast majority of the citizens OF this
county, the Committee of Vigilance under solemn
of the responsibility that rested upon them have
calmly and dispassonately weighed the evidences be-
fore them and decreed the death of and bahish
ment of Others who by their crimes and vilanies had
stained our fair land. With those that were banshed
this comparatively moderate punishment was chosen
not because gnomnous death was not deserved, but
that the error if any, might surely be upon the side
OF mercy to the criminal There are others scarcely
less guilty. against whom the same punishment has
been deceed but they have been allowed further time
to arrange for their final departure and with the hope
that permission to depart voluntarily might induce
repentance. and repentance amendment, they have
been suffered to choose, within limits, their own time
and method Of going.
Thus far, and throughout their arGuous duties they
have been, and will be guided by the most consce1i-
tlous convictions OF imperative duty; and they ear
nestly hope that in endeavorng to mee out mercifu
justice to the guilty. their counsels may be so guided
by that Power before whose tribunal we shall all
stand that in the vcisstudes Of after lfe amid the
calm reflections of old age and in the clear view of
dying conscience. there may be found nothing we
would regret or wish to change.
We have no friends to reward, no enemies to nun
ish, no private ends to accomplish.
Our single, heartfelt aim is the public good the
pu1glng from our community of those abandoned
characters whose actions have been evil continually
and have finally forced upon the efforts we are
now making. We have no favoritism as a body nor
shall there be evneed in any of our acts either par
tlay for or prejudice aganstany race sect party.
While thus far we have not discovered the part
OF our constituents any indications of lack Of conf
dence, and have no reason to doubt that the great
majority OF the Inhabitants of the county endorse
our acts and desire to continue the work of weed
ing out ilreclaimabe characters from the community
we have, with deep regret, seen that some of the
State authorities have felt it their duty to organize
force to resist 1t is not impossible for to real
ize that not only those who have sought place with
view to public punder, but also those gentlemen
who, in accepting offices to which they were honestly
elected, have sworn to support the laws of the State
OF California find it difficult to reconcile their sup
posed duties with acquiesCenCc in the acts of the
Committee of Vigilance, since they do reflect that
perhaps than threetour Of the people of the
entire State sympahze with and endorse our Efforts
and that as all law emanntes from the people, so that
when the laws thus enacted not executed the
power returns to the people and is theirs whenever
| they may choose to exercise it, These gentlemen
would not have hesitated to acknowledge this self
evident truth had the people chosen to make their
present movement complete revocation, recalled all
the power they had delegated and ressel it to new
| agents under new forms.
Now, because the people have not seen fit to resume
al the powers they have contded to executive or leg
isative officers it certainly does not follow that they
cannot, i'll the exercise OF their inherent sovereign
power, Withdraw from corrupt and uaithful servants
the authority they have used to thwart the ends of
justice.
Those officers whose mistaken sense of duty leads
them to array themselves against the determined ac-
ton OF the people, whose servants they have become,
may be respected while their errors may be regretted
but can envy the future reflections of that man
who whether in the heat of malignant passion or
with the vain hops of preserving by violence posi-
ton obtained through fraud and bribery seeks under
hrcling sodcry in the service of the State or urges
of civil the reign of balloboX suffers sbolners
of Witnesses and tamperers with the jury box.
The Committee of Vigilance believe that the people
have entrusted to them the duty of gathering evidence
and after due trial, eXpelling from the community
the peace and good order Of society," violated the bal
lot-boX, over-rdden law, and thwarted Justice.
Beyond the duties incident to this we do not desire
to interfere with the details Of government
We have spared and shall spare no effort to avoid
bioodshed or civil war, but undeterred by threats
opposing organizations shall continue, peaceaby il
which we have pledged our lives, our fortunes ant
our sacred honor.
Our labors have been arluous our deliberation:
have been cautious, our determinations firm, oul
counsels prudent motives pure /; and while re
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