The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-03
Few Facts I'm Defence OF the Vigilance
Committee OF San Francisco.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
In your paper Of yesterday am sorry to perceive
that you are inclined to take less favorable view
of the action of the San Fran cisco Vigilance Com
ntee than you have heretofore done, and regret
il the more as the character Of your paper is known
to be independent and unnauenced by partisan
feelings, and consequently all well wshers OF Cali
fornia must be sensitive to your opinion upon this
matter. have resided and done business in San
Francisco for the greater part of the last six years.
and have at the present time business in operation
there besides being interested in real estate in that
city. Therefore any views which may take of the
action of the Committee cannot be based upon q
disposition leaning to riot and disorder, as all my
interests point to different course. This uprising
Of the people, you aware, is not the first which
has taken place there. In 1851 the original Vigil
lance Committee called into life and action by
tie necessity Of rdding the city Of thieves and
murderers, who had become bold and fearless that
no citizen was safe even in broad daylight in the
public streets. In one instance a merchant was at
tackled and nearly murdered in his open store about
seven o'clock In the evening, by ruffian with
slung shot, for the purpose OF robbery. Nearly
every confagraton Of that unfortunate city, it is
| well known, was caused by incendaries whose only
object in committing such terrible havoc was what
ev booty they could carry of during the excite
ment.
1t was to lid the city Of these scoundrels whose
persons and characters were well known, that the
first association of citizens was formed under the
| now we'll known name of Vigilance Committee.
Although fully convicted, not of these wretches
| had ever been summarily punished when in the
invariably either enabled them to escape or, at the
| worst, to undergo very short imprisonment. 1t
in this state of affairs that the citizens took the
| well known. None suffered without fair and i'm
partial trial, and long as have resided there
have never yet heard complaint that their action
was not pralseworthy and founded upon strict jus
| purpose they quietly disbanded, returned to
their business avocations, and surrendered the
execution Of the laws into the hands Of the
proper officers. The atmosphere was pnr
| fed; honest and peaceful citizens felt that
they could live in security hundreds who
had never before dared to do so now sent for their
families, and the character of California improved
in the eyes of the world; scarcely robbery muir
der was perpetrated, an appearance Of stability in
sued and foreign capitalists sent their capital there
/ for investment ALI good citizens felt proud Of the
| land OF their adoption, and had q warm interest in
| her good name and success.
This improved state continued for year two,
| when yilany began again to rear its head. Mining
was not quite 50 profitable as formerly. The gam
blers, who formerly could make fortune in month
now found that all had become more considerate in
the use of their means and the period for such rich
harvests, so easily reaped, had passed. They then
bent their steps to the cities and took the chances
for political office and patronage with those who
already partly occupied that field. These COM
| bined elements did not form body which was at
all scrupul0us in its means, and by artfully securing
| among its number the Offices Of inspectors and
judges of elections, they openly in the market
and offered for sale to the highest bidder every
Office, from Governor down.
will now refer to the election held in the fall Of
1854 for county and city officers for San Francisco,
the manner in which IL was conducted being fair
illustration of all those which have been held there,
and being one in which was broa ut face to face
with all the in0uities of the system.
Every ballot box in the eight wards 81 the city Of
San Francisco probably in the hands Of the class
of persons above described during that ee tion Some
of the first citizens San Francisco applied to the
Mayor aud other authorities to have one or two
spectacle citizens placed inside OF the poll rooms,
| with no power to exercise any authority over the
ballot boxes, but merely to guard them against in
| vasion and corruption by those who had charge Of
them. This request was peremptorily denied, and
in number of tie wards the inspectors aud judges
| took every precaution to close every aperture
though which the citizen could perceive what was
transpirng within. Three respectable business men,
who were part Of committee appointed to watch
the polls made affidavit that during the night
ceeding the day Of election they saw one OF the in
spectors OF election in the First ward break
the seal of the ballot box, remove from
IL a handful Of ballots and replace them
with about an equal number Of others.
These witnesses were not politicians. They were
examined separately under oath, and all agreed 10
their account OF the transaction When the new City
Council met, objections we're made to the al ssion
OF the members from that ward. form OF investi-
cation took place before the Council, and The men,
hers were admitted. The returns OF the election
from the Eighth ward not made for eight days,
while they could have been made In less number
Of hours. Every Intelligent citizen was well aware
that this for the purpose OF accommodating the
returns to the demands made from deficiencies In
other wards. Also, a respectable citizen testified
that at IL o'clock OF the night after the election
rs Il was held for only one day. OF course, after toe
voting was completed-large numbers OF tickets
printed in the Office or building OF one OF the pa crI
which now Is most strenuous In its condemnation OF
the course Of the Vigilance Committee. During that
election, as at all Others opposing candidates were
in the field for the Offices OF judges aud inspectors
OF election; but no one presumed that any outside
candidate could succeed, long these scoundres
we're filing the Offices, through whose hands oil the
ballots passed. and who had absolute power u return
themselves a. elected. Theirs was a secured Office,
which they could hold permanently, and could place
their ffienos in any other Office.
When san Francisco was incorporated, her landed
property placed her in the position OF one OF the
wealthiest cities of the world. With prudent and
judcious manage nent her income from this source
would have been sufficient TO defray all her expenses
without any taxation upon her citizens. The rcck-
essness Of those Ia Office had squandcred her wealth,
20 that OF her vast domain she had scarcely foot
Of grotn nd LETT, and that little encountered while the
funds in her treasury had been repeatedly attacked.
Not only bad she lost all but she was deeply indeb;
her citizens we're taxed an amount double that Of
any others In the world. They could not pay suoA
enormous assessments; their business nor equal
10 this demand. The State management OF finances
bad been little or no better. The state Legislature
and City Councils were voting moneys which were
not in the treasury, and which prudent man could
believe ever could be paid. Most Of her citizens,
whatever may be thought to the contrary, feel real
attachn ent for their State, and with deep
tem the class Of rDen who controlled her finance
plungiDg her deeper and deeper into misery
As American citizens, the first thought Of the
people OF san Francisco was, there IL but one vay
TO right ourselves and purify our governm ut.
Vigorous efforts made reform movements were
set on foot-thousands of votes were polled; and
yet 70 the dsmay Of all good citizens the same class
" corrupt officials succeeded in foisting themselves
uron the public. Considerate men began to think
that a majority OF the people Of San Francisco mlst
he degraded indeed wnen they retained such COZ
rupt officers: hut by degrees the true state Of the
case became known and az Il became known the
only alternative presented itself that they should
either submit TO being defrsuded Of their rights,
their property, and perhaps, their lives; or a
form could not be effected through the ballot box.