The weekly Columbian. [volume] (Columbia, Tuolumne Co., Cal.) 1856-1???, 1856-06-28
COLU MBIA, CAL.
Saturday, june %, 1856.

The catalogue of news for the week, seems
principally to be made up of murders, Of shoot
ing ARRAYS and of cutting and fighting general
" And yet we are said to be living in an en-
iightened and intellectual age-at time, and
In country where men are governed by reason.
rather than brute force; by law, instead of be-
ing controlled by anarchy and confusion. Still.
murder is almost.a daily occurrence, and theft
and highway robbery are subjects with which
we have actuelly become familiar!
Are such things to continue among us? Is
there no redress, no means by which an intelli-
gent, and powerful people can free themselves
ofsuch enormous and danning evils?
There was time when men had no abiding
interest in California-there was a period in the
carly settlement of this country, when all that
men had to do was to take care Of themselves!
No families were dependent upon them neither
had they homes to protect from the violence of
hlghwaymen or assassins. But it is not so at
the present time. We now have homes to pro-
tect-Wives, daughters and mothers whose viz
tue, and happiness depends upon the mainten-
ance Of law and order; and not only have we
these accumulated responsibilities resting on
us, but we have the honor of a noble State rest
ing upon our hands, composed OF citizens whose
boast is that they are Americans! 1t was the
pride of our Fathers that they should leave for
their offspring the Inheritance of free and
happy Government, one which would amply
protect every one in the enjoyment of his inal-
icnable rights while ''none would dare to mo-
lest or make him afraid. How we'll we have
profited by their example can now be seen in
the anarchy that prevails throughout the State.
Shall we longer disgrace the names of Ameri-
can citizens? Shall we longer neglect the sa-
cred obligations that bind us to the protection
ofyirtue and morality? Then let your inhu-
enee be felt on the side Of justice and reforma-
ton. Be the firm advocates Of every cause
soaich you h7low to be productive Of good and en-
during results to community. Encourage your
officers to a redoubling of their diligence in
the punishment of crime, and if those officers
prove derelict in their duty. Show them by
.Oul actiOfiS, mat you are ''tile aTDitcrS OF
your own fortunes"-that you can unnlake as
well as make and that under all circumstances
you will hold them in strict accountability for
every official act. Had this policy been rigid
~ observed: there would have been no cause
for the present organization OF the Vigilance
Committee at San Francisco! At that piavv
we see a fearful illustration of neglected duty.
Officers did not comply with the obligations of
their sacred oath while the people neglected to
bring them to an account for their rascality.
A revolution was the necessary and unayoida
bic result and surely the consequences have
been fearful indeed to tie evil-dooer! Now
that the work is in fall progress, let it be thor
ough we demand that it be also just
Our readers are undoubtedly familiar with
the arrest of Judge Terry, one Of the highest
officers in the State, on the charge Of murder.
In the investigation of his conduct, let the Wig
lance Committee bear in mind that the eyes of
the State and of the world are upon them