Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-30
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

The State Of San Francisco.-To no one
can the state of affairs in San Francisco at the
date Of the advices from thence last published
give greater pain than to Us; for no one else
entertsins greater horror of mob law Yet as
the Committee of Vigilance still continue to
conduct their affairs, We sincerely believe that
the change violently brought about was not
only absolutely necessary for the public safe
ty, but it has so far worked happily for the
public interest. The fact that they have felt
compelled to arrest Judge Terry, we regard
as an unavoidable and deplorable circum-
stance which that gentleman brought on him
self. We know him we'll personally, as a man
Of great legal learning and scrupulously high
and irreproachable character. Yet we also
know him to be one of the most impetuous
men with whom long residence in the South
west threw US; and as a gentleman whose
Judgment out of the immediate line of bis pro-
fessional duties was not regarded as by any
means co-equal with his professional reputa-
ton.
The case may be briefly stated as follows
viz: twelve hundred homicides lad taken
place In San Francisco within two Years, and
but two of the murderers had suffered the
penalty of the law, both of them being per.
sons too poor to fee counsel, or to command
the description Of friends who have controlled
the results of trials before the courts there so
greatly to the injury Of all the true interests
OF society. Rufians, thieves, blacklegs and
swindlers, by means of bsllot-box stufing,
had VIGOROUSLY filed many of the Offices
State and municipal-with functionaries high
and low, owing their election to the Infamous
frauds and violence of such parties bound to-
gether only by common desire to plumber
and riot at the expense of the honest, peacea-
bic and industrious portion Of the community.
No mans life was safe from the knife or re-
VoiVer OF the assassin, nor was any mans
property safe from the effects of the periuries
OF the assassin's cOmrades-the false swesrsrs
In the witness stand, and the packed iuries
VINO invariable turned deaf ear to the WOES
and wrongs Of society outraged in eyerv
possible way in which such men az the Ned
McGoWans, Dan Aldricks, Wooley Kearneys,
james r. Caseys, Charles Coras, and Yankee
sullivans of the State, with entirely unchecked
license, might please to inAict upon il.
There was no legal remedy for this terrible
state OF things, because it was the regular bu-
hness OF the leaders and protectors of the
oahos OF villains to STUFF their own crea.
lures into ofhce on all occasions Tho bon.st
citizens might poll majorities Of ,bou..nd.
against them but by the simple application
Of fraud and perjury, the decision % ~.
pie according to law was set aside.
The revolution really to be dep,ored x.,
that by which, v9der pretence of execut;ro
the law murderers and robbers were inyaria.
bly, screened from punishment and the res,
action Of the people at the polls as invariabI,
set aside to continue the merciless rule Of th,
bands Of villains who had got the upper hand
In the city, as described above
What was left for the people of San Fran
cisco 10 do, but to continue under yassalap,
In which to continue would be to prove then
unworthy Of the high privileges of Amer
lean citizenship, or to s1psl the leaders anG
chief tools through whose macbination. ~
were in a condition so dsplorable? Like tine
hearted men they chose the latter alterp.
tive, which involved an eutirs \snhvs,.;o. ;,
the authority of the mock officers of N. Ia :
that had been invariably found ready to pro