Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-08-08
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
WILMINGTON, N. G, MONDAY, AUG. 4, 1856.
The Revolution In California.


pass that they can no longer be tamely endured
without danger to the Union. Already the Governor
of the State has been forced to apply to the Federal
authorities for assistance against domestic lnsurrec-
tion with which the civil authorities are unable TO
cope Already the dangerous tendencies OF secret po
litical organizations have received terrible ustra-
ton in the total subverson Of all law and order-ln
the commission of acts of piracy and murder-ln the
threatened resistance TO the Federal authorities, and
a CONSEQUENT dissolution of the Unon-ln the sus-
naneion Of trade-in the loss of confidence among
business men-in the capital furnished 10 the advo.
Gates of monarchy and arlstocracy, who from this,
will draw arguments to prove the unftness of the peo
pie for seIfgovernment. 1t is painful and humilia-
ting reflection that at this day. in the last half OF the
boasted nineteenth century, in the full blaze OF light
and liberty, beneath the starry flag OF the Union,
men should set up a secret irresponsible tribunal,
having no parallel but in the Vehmic courts Of the
dark ages, beneath the tyranny of King or Kaiser,
malclad knight or robber baron. There is no excuse
now, as there then. The thing is wrong and I'M
worthy on the face OF it.
This world is not perfect world nor is every
in ii good he might be- so that if errors or
imperfectons arc to be assigned reasons for the
forcble overthrow of governments, then none could
stand, society itself would be PROSTATE the Church
in ruins, and primitive barbarism and brutal nfdeli
ty the only alternatives Imperfect as human gov
ernnents and human society are, associations like
the vigilance committees Of San Francisco need never
be long without plausible excuse for their inter-
vention They can easily find some wrong 10 be
rghted Some evil to be redressed. In nine cases
out of ten, such societies controlled by designing
men, with whom the ostensble public obi ects are but
coaks for the ultetior private and selfish Such
things generally, indeed almost always, move at first
for the accomplishment of desirable object, al
though their mode of accomplishing it is wrong be-
cause subversve of the sanctions of law, upon which
rational liberty can alone have any permanent de-
pendence 1t is necessary that they should do so, In
order to obtain that public confidence which is ne
cessary to the consolidation of their power: and the
ultimate success of their personal schemes The pre-
sent revolutionary movement in California is no ex-
cepton to this rule. At first, people in the Atlantic
States regretted the necessity of the case, which ap
peared to demand and almost justify resort to lynch
law but found lille OF no fault with the committees;
many indeed, praised them and sactioned their move
ments.
But subsequent accounts show the terrible lengths
the State Armorles and SEEING the arms of the State
in erecting in the heart of the city of San Francis
co a regular fort, in which are confined as prisoners
all who are bold enough to stand up for the constr
tuted authorities or who, without any alleged crime
are objects of suspicion. Among these prisoners
were at the latest accounts, Judge Terry of the Su
preme Court
The circumstances OF this last outrage are these.
DR.. K. P Ashe, formerly of this place, is Captain
of Volunteer Company organized under the legal
authority of the Governor portion of his COM
mand including man named Maloney, had been
dispatched to the other side of the Boy in pursuance
of the Governors orders, bring to the City certain
arms belonging to the State, for the use of the State
forces. The sloop in which these arms were being
brought, was pursued and taken in the waters of the
bay under the jurisdiction of the United States, by
a superior force of the Vigilance men, who thus laid
themselves open to indctmentin the United States
Court on a charge of piracy. Maloney and a man
named Philips witnesses to this act of piracy,
and the Committees determined to get them into their
hands and thus suppress their testimony.
A man named Hopkins detective of the Commit.
tee, came pokng around DR.. Ashes naval Office af-
ter Maloney, wko acting under the Dr's orders
the Dr. ordershim out Soon another guard arrives, and
without any legal warrant claims Maloney. The
Dr. claims his soldier and warns the Committee men
of the consequences. The latter await reinforce
ment. The law and order men. including Judge
Terry, prepar to prevent this papable violation OF
law-they arm themselves and conduct Maoney
for safety to one of the Armories On their way
Judge Terry is struck at, fired ats clinched ant
Empowered by Hopkins and others, and 10 save bis
own life he is forced to use his knife. For this he is
treated as feOn. DIR. Ashe has been arrested ani
is only out parol and all hold their lives al the
mercy of this worse than Venitian secret tribunal
With barely an exception, the press OF San Fran
cisco is under the influence subject TO the fear
the Vigilance men, and no reliable or truthful detail
can be obtained from it. The Herald alone stand
out boldly. From it we extract the following:-
A COUP D'ETAT.
ARREST OF JUDGE TERRY THE SUPREME COURT
One of the Vigilance Police FOUNDED.
The excitement which prevailed on Saturday almos
beggars description In the whole course of our lif
we never saw such general upheaVng of the mass
es. In the early part of the day, everything wa
very quiet. Very few persons were in the streets
This calm, however, as the sequel will show, wa
only the precursor of the storm which afterward
ensued. About three o'clock the alarm bell of tn
Vigilance Committee rung. Immediately tn
streets swarmed. The members of the Vigilanc
Committee rushed pel-mell down the streets leadin
to the head quarters of the VehmiC council. PeopI
rushed to the doors, but nobody could be found
give an answer to the general inquiry of g What
the matter now Z" In short time rumor began
gain circulation that Judge Terry, of the Suprem
Court of this State, had killed member of the Vigi
lance Committee, and that he was to be mme liatel
arrested and executed. In relation 10 the time plac
and cause OF the commission of the deed no two &C