Butte record., 1856-08-02
AFFAIRS IN SAN FRANcIsco.-The inf,


AFFAIRS IN SAN FRANcIsco.-The inau-
ence of the Vigilance Committee does not
/ appear to be very efiicacious in preventing
blooodshed in San Francisco The late an
nouncement by Telegraph of the killing of
DR.. Randall by Hetherington, seems hardly
to have startled the people in the least
The public mind is prepared apparently for
almost any announcement from San Fran
cisco. 1t was received almost as matter of
course 1t is fact that viii be admitted by
all, that the reign of the Vigilance Com
mittee has excited the passions of men, and
led them to excesses, violence and blood
shed, rather than the contrary one Of de-
terring the vicious and evil disposed from
the commission of crime.
The Committee have now been in session
two months, and have been the supreme
power in San Francisco, and we desire to
askithe public, whether crime has been di-
minished under their rule' Whether life
has been rendered moro secure un6er their
regin If so, why was Ford shot down in
the streets-why was Dr. Randall assaulted
and killed in one of the public hotels: The
particulars of the assault will be found in
another column.
\ Telegraphic announcement in our issue
of Saturday morning. informed us that
Hetheriugton was in the hands of the Vigi-
lance Committee. A despatch of the 26th
announces that Judge Terry has been ac-
quilted by the Executive Committee, and
that his case is now before the Board of
Delegates. What this last Board is We know
not-it may be one that has the power to
send lnen out of the country only, without
power to intiict capital punshmcnt-or it
may he the whole body Of 5000 pure beings,
who require no law 10 govern their own ae-
tions, or a safe guard to the people they
rule with the bayonet. But the events Of
the past few days show that the Committee
have another chance to exhibit their Ghoul
AMI Vampire-iike ferocity. and the little ex
citement created by the announcement that
DR. Randall had been killed. will soon be
quieted by another announcement that his
murderer has been hung by the Vigilance
Committee
Simultaneous with this announcement
comes another, to the effect that judy e Ter
ry has been acquitted by the Executive Com
mittee. What do these announcements de-
note, if not the fact that the Committee de-
sired blood, and blood alone But Il day
before, it was announc ed that Judge Terry
had been secreted away, so that a search
warrant issued by the U S. Court could not
find HIM But suddenly murder is com
united an opportunity is offered for the
Committee to crafty their thirst for blood,
and 10! Judge Terry is acquitted by the
Executive Committee What would have
be~n The fate of Terry had not Hetbering-
ton been sent Il vctim--lkc the Ram at the
sacrifice of Isaac.
1t would almost seem that the Executive
Committee desired Il sacrifice to appease the
outside pressure, and that Judge Terry
would have been retained, had not Hcther-
ington foo ishly sacrificed himself 10y the
murder Of DR.. Randall.
To what do these things lead The law
remains powerless because people neglect
their duty as law-abiding citizens, and mur-
der hollly stalks forth in the streets of the
Metropolis. The People arise in their might
and, setting aside all forms of law, attempt
to drive crime from their midst, but the
power of the People Is found inadequate to
the task Murler still rears her horrid
front in the streets of San Francisco. 1t re-
quires more than law laxly administered to
expel crime from their midst--it requires
more than the power of the People alone.
1t wants more than all these to regenerate
San Francisco 1t wants good citizens
men who combine and will uphold and main
tain the with power Of the People the majesty
/ of the laws.