Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-07-04
THE EXCITEMENT IN CALIFORNIA.
To The Editors Of he Enquirer:

To The EdhoFS 81 NE Enquirer
san FRASCIsCo, May 81, 1856.
Y, d,ubt ,sfnro this reaches YOU the Old Domin-
inn viII H., Hooded gith papers, tcemins with ac-
commits of the exciting sc.Lcc enacted III our lnl'!st
during the last two weeks. HAVING been an eye
witness @; mos; of, and an active participant IL inary
,,s the terrible events transporting IN our city during
that ;ir;n, | deem il not inappropriate in me 10 give
Won, as far c: | can, II clear, succ;nct, unbiased nc
count of the whole matter, from the beginning TO me
presen; time. l will not sny 10 the end Tor Inc emu
Is not vet. Although, az 1 have saE!: a participator
in many of the acts of the so.cal!ed Vigilance Com
mi;tee, l have no reason, and most certainly no i'll
cl;ua,iuu to vary from Il true, unrnrnished account OF
events rs they have occurred. | am no apologlst nt
the V,pilance Committee. They need none. Their
nc:s vindjrst. them. 'By itS frui,5 shall ye know a
;rc.." But to prevent misapprGhension, ! remark
here. that Notwithstanding the abuse and mIsrePrc'
sea;atiun Of u venai, q shameless, vlndici!fe, hireiinS
uress, the Vigilance Committed acting tor ana Wi'h'he
nannle. have been guilty OF no Violation OF law
Their action has been to s -bserve The ends Of good,
Wholesome laws, and wholly against laSicss, law.
breaking ~rutians No good man but who approves
of their action in every respect: no patriot but who
is with them in heart, ana no virtuous woman IN our
midst, but who wishes them God speed. Only cfiini-
nn!s tear their action, and only law breakers arc now
g, vino ..law and order" But to the facts. On the
liam, Editor Of the Evening Bulletin, was quietly
pur-uiug his way Lcine 10 his family, he was ray
laid tmark the term!l il: the street, ana without d
word of warning, shot down IL: cod blood, IN the
EJvl. Di uly, III Inc very u VI IA wy -
fisn. known here for The last three years as Jim Ca
sew. n notorious bal,ot-box siu:cr a;c ehoS!cer
striker, fresh from a two years resiaeuce ~ Ins,
S;ny State prison. i'll New York. AT once q !arGe
and eycit.d crowd gathered around the spot, ana
nn,;d cr;ns uf chang him. steer the assassin TO
pieces" &c, proceeded To the city prison "hsre !ne
murderer had been, taken; bat the authorities tearing
an attack ON that place, Immediately remover hl'i U
the county Jail, a much stronger ouiia'ng' ~ ~ns
lron,ht ont and placed in q hack, a tondfd p'SiN IN
t,rh Laud, to iniinidate the crowd who were utter
him. and the horses put on u run Tor tie jail nv
m.diately q large cuncoursc Ga'heTe" "l"unn "a, ~,
mil, aud many were for al attack on tue ou''"''S a'
once. Better counsel prevailed, und no dehohS'Fn'
.iou was made that night. 4 posse was summoned,
mr. else volunteered az 81 l.guefd, among whom were
s,ne of the most notorious characters II! lhe Guy
no better, certainly, than the murderer casey cen
fined within. This served still iurtiinr 10 excite me
iuLiupatiou of our citizens. Thousands were on the
street until a late hour, but no action was TAKEN III
the mean time, a call for Il meeting OF the me'noers o.
ia. old Vigilance Committee was Circulated hnC sooh
had i've hundred signatures. The next gay 'Ne eA'
c;,a,n.nt. ar feeling | should say, was stu stronger.
The Herald newspaper having. spoken very i,%hfiy oil
the affair mud callud it IN "aEroy between Mr.: Jos.
=. Casey end Mr.. Jas. King OF "Ii!Ia'n' ana re-
Trimmed from commenting IN It from EnCtlPce OF cell
cscy," wiz: a dislike TO the murdered man, ~ aa'
y.riisinp subscribers Withdrew III a body their pa
tronape, and The very next morning tine, the oldest
established paper ON the Paci. C coast, II l mistake
not, except one q: t"o, had to come "ut nay $40
and ia now q small, third-rate sheet, a ut emblem
nj il, clitor--a most %scathing, whitening reouke
tn Inc mean, vindictive spirit Of ills editor
Tn. Chronicle also lost much patronage ny lS
course-ia editor also having a mean spite
against Mr.. King-aud, as | verify believe Sc
! crc!ly rrjoiced AT his ASSASSINATION. Inc al'a, ""'sH
boldly aud manfully spoke OF the occurrence III ia
true light, aud called things by their right names
yniued over n ihnnsand Subscribers. All the paper
e1ccp, the Herald, Chronicle and Sun, I've nave Il
i,ust of Others came out in the right spirit ana de-
ri t,n,n ,a,. mar
nnuaced tle murderer. The slrahIest scehe' per
! hips the world ever Witnessed, was tranSp;rllt
around the rooms of the Vigilance Committee: Al
immense crowd had collected, and an little TAIN ha'
the people Cor relief from the evils which aiilict us
by process Of law, and so strong were tnelr h"Pe'
cenir.d in this committee for Immediate and ultimate
r.l,nf, that they crowded in until the jam BECAME boil
unplcesa:t and dangerous almost, from snfioce'ini
and broke riDs. At;ur long working, ! m.nng"d 10
get carrjrd IN by tho moving mssa. when nlEh
| came. more were disappointed in getting ID thhn sht
lnrr. number who succeeded. This lasted for three
| riays. mud ut the close many hundreds were disap
painted in enrolling their names. Montgomery Stree
was alive with an nnSi"is crowd VII" hoVeren hron"'
the Bulletin and Ala Off :es where every lew hours
bulletin wa. put up announcing Mr. hinS 8 cohd''ioh
AT every fnvorahiy sign a feeling Of relief was txi,r
| rienred, plainly expressed On the couEtenanceS OF i!'
multitude. On Friday, when It was anhoI:!''rh 'hs
hs condition was criiich! a gloom seemed 10 F1f'h az
tina whole city. Ali business had been sisishdCC
from IN. first day of the occurrence. Each counte
manc. reflected loon, and asked, when words were
wanting, ISIS there no hop"?" On Saturday lie hat
much improved, and strong hopes We're cAtertai1-.
OF hs recovery; every one breatica easicr. ihe , L
yiiancc Committee continued ~ meet day anu hiGh!
gathering strength a. it went. On FRIDAY night i
was formed into companies nt 100 men each, niiiiper
iur some twcuty.siI companies. a Iot OF musHf's
from 9, 50H to BUN, were chartered. On SATURDAY
night we drilled several hours, and met early oun"a.
mrrnius, when We continued The work. lie dlrec
,ion of the business had been entrusted to an eS"cu
five ommitte Of ~, composed nf the Leading ou
s,ness mrn aud property holders Of the city.gno1
honest men, heads of families. and Cah!"rn!ans tor l''
they To lead AMI ,!irect-lhe main body of the com
m;ttee to carry gu; their plans. L: was resolved by th'
executive committed that nc prop!e must have the Gus
,odv of the assa,sins OF Mr.. King and Gan. Richard
son. United States Marshal, viz: Jas. Casey aht
Cba,. Cora. Accordingly about ~ O'clock Sunday
MAY 18th. the different companies left 'hGlr head quar-
,.r.,,j wore marched up town 10 the Jru, Ia til,
rnnbcr of 300 m,n, armed vita muskets, oayohe's
r.vnlyers, rifles, &c. An immense concourse witness
I'd the movements. of the companies ihe n"'e'
VIVA conducted in quiet nnd order. no soumu wa
heard save the heavy tramp Of the cltlzeh soiu!ery u
they moved in silence 10 the scene OF Gcuoh. AsM
naarsd the iajl We passed q church. Inc congreea
tiun had lust been dismissed, and Inc s,reelS . III
vi with men, women AMI children. NO la'ui va
felt. No terror depicted on the countehauces VI ~
throur which surrounded us. Ii vas q soieiuh, q SUI
line sight. Three thousand Freshmen risen IN arm
apparently in opposition to the law-ready 10 carr.
out its spirit aud intent. Three ihousauu loe"n.'
risen to assert their rights and avenge their w!unSs
Three thousand freenen who had suffered until Tor
benrance ceased TO b. a virtue, now risen to act.-
Tment.y thousand of their best citizens looking on up
provingly, and ready when wanted to aid them. D
quietly had the business been conducted that the con
gtegaiions OF the many churches were not aware O
what was going IN in The streets until they were dis
missed and left the buildings.
Arriving at the jail We were stationed in compa
MES in front and around it. A large brass field piec.
had been placed Immediately in front ufthe door point
ing towards it, and the torch lighted. 4 deputs,ion from