The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-29

lords of San Francisco. They had not enjoyed
New York experience for nothing. When the
first steps were made toward the organization OF
a system Of administration of justice, they were
among the foremost to support them. They were
in favor of law, in favor of judicial authority, in
favor of police, in favor of plenty Of magistrates
Ever ' one else being in favor Of them, too, they
were established without difficulty, and the era OF
re ,pular Government commenced at San Francisco
Then the yagabonls began to renew the scenes
they had practised and seen practised in New
York. They packed the conventions; they hiied
the poll-houses. They manufactured the regular
tickets on both sides. Quiet citizens soon grew
diseusted with the trickery and the violence and
the brutality which marked elections, and ceased
to take part in them. They ha their own bust
ness to attend to- it was profitable; they consoled
themselves for their culpable indifference and
apathy with the reflection that they would soon
lie rich enough to leave California, and return to
more peaceful State. Most earnestly did wise
men exhort them to abandon so fatal course.
Day after day the consequences of this desertion
of the public veal by the most distinguished
citizens was pointed out to them, but they per-
severed. The number of persons taking no part
in politics increased every year; AID proper
tionately the influence Of the rowdiss became
greater.
At last they made themselves complete mas
tiers Of the place. They nominated the mags-
| trates and elected them. The officers OF the
government were their friends. They had con-
federates among the police, secret aecomplces
| on the bench. The whole government OF San
Francisco was in the hands of gamblers, rogues,
| vaeabonds and rowdies, mostly from New York.
When this point Of decline was reached, a revo-
| luton became inevitable. Either total anarchy
must supervene, or the political elements OF So
| ciety must resolve themselves into their lowest
expression, and the social ediice be built anew
| on new foundation. That is the performance
| which we have just witnessed. Society in Cali
| fornia-or at least in San Francisco, for the
movement has not yet been thorough elsewhere
has spontaneously dissolved itself The only
authority recognized when the steamer left was
a selfconstituted autocracy Of respectable citi
zens whom the peril of The moment calledinto the
| field on the one side, and on the other the appa
rently reviving, but still practically nugatory au
thority Of the Governor.
| The lesson is useful, though painful one ol
u.s. 1t is not to be disguised that we in New
York are pursuing the same course as San Fran
| cisco We are not SO far advanced as the Sar
Francscans, for the reason that here there has
| always been substratrm, an under current o.
authority, TO which even the vagabontls have de
| ferred But We difference between the two case
! is growing less. Every year our elections, oul
| nominations, our government, is more and more
1 in the hands Of the class to which Cora and Ca
sey belonged. Where we must end the history 0
| California teaches US. And thas end cannot bu
be FASTENED by the approaching return from Cali
| fornia of the men who made the revolution ne
| ceszity there.