Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-07-08

by legal methods to render them efficient This
is the elementary principle of our institutions,
and should ever be resorted to, if Practicabe.-
Others differ with US, and that our readers may
see what may be said OH the other side we pub
lish the following well-written article from the
Citizen Some of its remarks are good, but the
true appeal is not to Vigilance Committees, but
to the laws and then to the ballot-box.
ELYNOH LAW AND VIGILANCE
COMMITTEES.
The only law in San Francisco is Lynch law
on one side, and martini Law on the other. The
civil law is placed in allegiance For thepresent
natures Law is paramount. 1t has taken its
course, and proved its yigor in the case of two
victims, Casey and Cora. Another one has
fallen BY his own hand from sheer terror of the
extreme penalty. This is truly law that Gulhls
what it threatens.
When society becomes ACCOMPLISHMENTS
cd into the original elements Of which it was
composed, the rules which governed it, in its ar
tilicial state are necessarily impoent and worth
less It needs new regime to produce any
thing like order out of the chaos. Society in
California has, by gradual but sure progress
sion in crime, become disorganised. The law,
which protects the rights of the individual, has
been, through the instrumcntasity OF gang OF
ruffunS, transformed into shield for the Grim
linal. The administration Of justice has for .
long time been in the hands of parties whose
election was controlled and brought about by the
very men who were notorious for years at the
polls Of New York city for buliyism; men VINO
acted as the hired rufians of that political party
which paid best; add disposed the ballot boxes
to suit their employers
Law therefore, in San Francisco is n body
without spirit, demon that Knocks and turns
back with scorn those who seek redress at its
shrine. Under the shelter of its wing murder
and robbery stalk abroad unmolested. y por-
ton of the population, intent on accommodating
gold heed not the growing horrors about them;
the rest-the gamblers, prize fighters, and cleo
ton builics-cxult in the success Of their plans,
and reap splendid harvest of gain out Of the
general confusion. To cap the climax, Know
Nothingism sows its seed in this congental soil,
and it bears fruit a "true American" Gov
ernor is elected, Mr.. j. Nicely johnson, who
winks Mt all the infamy.
At length outrage becomes so rife, and law so
manifestly a delusion, that portion of the citi-
zens in self defence revive the Vigilance Com
mittee, and inflict summary punishment upon
some of the murdcrers. Who can blame them:
The obligations WHICH bound them to obey the
laws of the State are violated by State authOri-
ties. There is no longer protection for the citi-
zen but in the citizen's right arm-thc scales OF
Justice are balanced by the rowdy and the black
leg, and neither property nor life are any moro
secure
Such is the picture OF California life present
ed to us by the last few arrivals. Now, not
Icven in the eleventh hour, but after the clock
has struck the note of anarchy and revolution,
the Governor steps in with his proclantions OF
martial law, and undertakes to put down" the
only body of men (the Vigilance Committed
who have done anything towards keeping the
peace of the city. 1t is true their measures
we're violent and not according to law; but we
i - L.. 4
ed over to the bullies, gamblers, and Know
Nothings, it is fit and proper that respectable
lcitizens should take the matter into their own
hands, and protect themselves, much as the nc
cessity for such thing may be deplored.
The last act of the Vigilance Committee was
to arrest number of parties well known in
this community, yankee Sullivan" dutch
Charley and host of others of that illS. 'Sul-
livan," as he was called bat whose real name
was Francis Murray, evaded the vengcnce of
his captors, and expiated all his crimes by ta-
king his own life in prison. lie cut the flesh Of
his arm at the elbow joint with table knife,
severed the brachal artery, and died speedily
from loss ofblood. sullivan" was perfect
specimen Of an English bully of the ring-onc
Of those in whose society sporting noble lords
and gentlemen of England so much rejoice. By
his dying confession we learn, what was not
known before of his antecedents, that he was
convicted of an infamous crime in his native
country, England, and sentenced to fourteen
years transportation for the same; that he es
capped from the penal colony and made his way
to this country, where he has since been strik-
ing example of the purity of the ballot boz.
Society would be deeply indebted to the Wig
lance Committee If they would rid the world
of few more such Tascals rs yankee Sulli-
vap;" but it is greatly to be feared that the rest
of his brethren arrested there will be bauisel
from the State, as another batch were before,
and consequently turned loose on this city or
New oalcans.
There is deep and Sdlutary lesson 10 be
learned from the present condition of San Fran
cisco, which it behoves the citizens of all large
cities to lay to heart, What city can boast that
its executive officers-its magistrates and police
arc free from the influence that has Teigned
supreme in San Francisco? While elections
are controlled by professional politicians Of the
most worthless class, what guarantee have we
that like anarchy will not fall upon US any mo-
mcnt? Look ut New Orleans the other day,
when blood was flowing in the streets, and the
freedom of election tranpled amid tlie wild cries
and riot of demoniac faction what was the
conduct of the police? They resigned MeiF OF:
nee the day before the election, in obedience to
the commands of their lodges, and left the citi-
zens at the mercy of the Know Nothing bullies
to be knocked senseleS5 with s'brass-knuckles,'
or cut up with bowie knives. (See a COMMUNE
cation on the subject in another column.) How
valuable would vigilance Committee" be
thcrel And let US take heed chat the evils now
rife in California do not creep even into our
I own system, with our model mayor and we'll
drilled police. There vas much wisdom in the
words of Judge CaPron to the Grand Jury the
totner day He warned us that unless "theire-
! spectacle classes -(H eayenpardou US for using