Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-05-24
! vox Populi. Vox Del.


ing the assassination of James King OF VIII
lam real editor of the San Francisco Ere
ming Bulletin, by one James Casey, fight
ing editor of the S. f. Sunday Times.
In consequence of our issue being only
weekly, we have not before had an opportu-
nifty to express our sentiments with regard to
the action Of the sovereign people in the pre-
misses. We are thus necessarily behind
many Of our contemporaries, but feeling that
it is a solemn duty incumbent upon every
public journalist in the State to meet the i'm
portant moral issue that is presented we
must ask the indulgence of the reader while
we briefly present our views.
Municipal law is a rule of civil conduct,
commanding what is right and prohibiting
what is wrong The constitution and laws OF
a State are laid down as the bulwark of So
cial and political rights and privileges
Without law there is no such thing as ber-
erty. 1t is therefore the duty of every true
citizen to cherish, sustain, and support the
laws, not only by his acts, but also by the in
fluence of his voice, his pen, and if necessary
by the strength of his good right arm, even
should his life be endangered Blood thus
spilled is an honorable legacy to his children's
children.
No one deprecates mob violence more than
we. The wrong-doing Of an excited and en-
furiated populace, whereby justice is dethron-
ed and the law trampled under foot, will al
ways receive prompt and decided condemna-
ton at our hands. In cases like this, no mo-
tive Of personal policy should influence
newspaper the breadth of single hair
This much have we said, in order that our
position respecting mob law may not be mis-
construed.
Now for the action of the Vigilance Com
mittee of San Francisco A portion of the
press have stigmatized the Committee as a
mob This is an ungenerous misnomer. Its
organization has been pronounced popular
outbreak This is Misrepresentation One
journal has gone so far as to say that three
thousand ouilaws are nnder arms in San
Francisco" This ismonstrous. None of the
elements that are necessary to constitute a
mob have entered into the organization of
the Committee; there has been no evidence
of that which is usually understood by the
term outbreak; and to pronounce the three
citizens under arms outlaws, almost
amounts to denial Of the sovereignty Of
the people themselves There is a vast diff
ference between mob, or a popular out
break, and general uprising of the people
in behalf of justice and social liberty. Those
who are so tender-footed as are some of our
should remember that the
people are the source of all power; and we
hold it as a principle beyond controverSion
that the superior power has the right to exc
cute its DEGREES, when its appointed agents
rom any cause fail or refuse to perform the
luty assigned them If this is not sound
doctrine, then there is no such thing as law; {
or those who are entrusted with its execu- {
ion would have the means within themselves j
If setting it at naught. {
We hold that the citizens of San Fran
,isco have maintained the laws--not violated
hem. We make no assault upon the legal
authorities there. Perhaps they have done
he best they could But San Francisco has |
ong been the charne house of corruption, ,
perjury, and bribery. Murder, rapine, vio- ,
ence and theft have stalked abroad, and de-
led punishment. Cut-throats, robbers and
gamblers have reigned supreme. This out '
,reak,D as it has been styled, is not simply |
because Jim Casey killed Mr. King 1t is
that within six or seven years,
everal hundred murders have been committed
n that city, and yet only two of the crimi-
lals have received the punishment prescribed
~ statute at the hands of the law. We
would repeat that we make no charges against
he authorities; the District Courts Of the
Fourth and Twelfth Districts are presided
over by as good men as can be found in the
State; yet history proves that they have
been powerless for good. The gambling,
Misunderstanding, pistolshooting and Bowie
Snife influence has thwarted the ends Of JUS
lice and controlled the government of the
,ity. Juries are doubtless more in fault than
Courts, sheriifs, or policemen; still the one