Butte record., 1856-06-28


that the merchants and shopkeepe,s of
San Francisco are not only the State
but the only people in it who have any
of the rights Of the governing class
They insult all other portions Of the
State, and treat the people Of the other
counties as their vassals.
Neither can these men escape scrutiny
into their motives. They are not purely
those OF the public goud There are III
the Vigi ance Committee some merchants
OF wealth and business integrity There
are host Of others on the verge of
bankruptcy. There are men unable 10
make remiitances before this commotinn
began, and who are now urging its pro-
longation, because it affords them plau-
sible excuse for not stnhing per mail
innds which th.'y are unable to remit.
No one wishes 10 take tut an attach
Influential member of the Vigilance
Committee. As 10 him the courts are
practically closed. Capital is timid, and
shiinks from insurrection, civil comino-
ton and the conflict of arms, but the
man who trades on borrowed capit9l ami
IN an untred hour is little more aft ct,d
by The losses IF his cr' ditors and land
lord than the barricade Frenchman whom
he hires to deyastnte the city An
ocean of fame burns nothing that he can
ca his own What right have such
ren 10 kidnap one Of the Judges OF the
Supreme Court-a gentleman whn is tn.
soul of honor and truth How dare
these traitors thrust Dr. Ashe into tb, ir
dungeon, erected at the expense Of their
cr-ditors-a gentleman who has COM
milted no offence, and upon whose intcg-
rity the mildw of ealumny has never
for a moment rested
Are the people uf California desc"nd>
ants of men who can guard liberty with
their swords, or so lie bastard race re-
ducrd to slavery on the shores of the
Pacific by shopkeepets and MERCHANTS
When sh IL we al be sold in m .rker to
pay II! If debts in New York and Bos-
/ ton
No one who has clos>Iy observed the
proc edings of the Vigilance Commits
for the LIST few days can doubt that it
has sunk into a mere political machine
Ev, if the association should not have
the nerve TO proceed with the revolution
and overthrow of the govern ent, it is
manif st that for he last three weeks it
has been but a mere party engine The
leading spirits outside and in belong 10
certain itical combination, and are
well known and marked for their torme:
politcal assoc a ions AMI a;iinities. They
cann4t disguise tIrir selfish and uniloly
amb tipn. Their purpose is various
-some wish for separ ton from th
Cni"n-others to ronti''uc the associa-
ton unt after the November election
for mere party purposes. They think
!hev see in it "A patent lever for control
ling the elections in California.
am well aware that ''33, Sal" have
published denial of these prof cts
Traii ors never admit th'ir treason in
the outset. 1t is quite as easy for "33"
to deny the purpose until the plot is
ripe; but it is well known that many o.
lis prominent members have advocated
new government on the streets. and tba,
others have avowed the purpose Of keep
ing up the organization until aft.r the
! election, because it was such u capital
thing wi h which to beat their political
opponents. When the proper time ar
rivcs these things will b. fastened upon
them by irrcfragiblc proof. Until with
in few days, the plan of the most mod
erate among them was to disband in
form, forego their military displ,y, re-
tain their arms in some convenient pla-
ces, so that at the tap of the bill they
could meet, inlimi1lte the citizens, over
awe the authorilirs and control the cl
tons.
Nrtaing can with safety lie received
as evidence of an intention 10 dsband
this dangerous organiz ,tion hut the de-
livery OF their arms and submiss on on
the part Of the twenty-nine, arrests and
trial by the civil authorities. 1t is well
known that not long since Urge quan-
tity of Grargc L Nv muske:s were ship
ped to San Francisco on speculatIon to
NV Va tuC HiNi'btiS VI iHC SOMHit Ter.
These muskcts were purchased or s,.iz: Il
by the lnsurrectionisis together with all |
others in he market on le They ais"
seized the only two pieces of ordn nee |
belonging to the State, and have taken |
or purchased all others in the market. =
These men should not be permitted 10
di i-band nominally. and yet retain their |
formidable arsenal. After the tr, ason !
and violence which they have manife.t-
ed, they cAnnot rctnin tbe,e without
danger 10 the p'blic peace and security.
| cannot doubt that he people Of Cal
ltornia will rally to the support Of the
constitution and the laws. To think
"therw's' would be to regard them as
slaves in feeling, as well as vassals in fact
1t is not in the nature of things that
Americans will supinely witness their
z 'vernment overthrown-their laws and |
liberties subverted, without striking |
blow to prevent it. They will not se..
tn. lives Of some of their most valued |
citizens sacrificed to the vengeapce ofl
traitors without attempting 10 rescue
them. They will not SEE the dunpeous