Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-01-31
The Settlers of Sacramento County.

Since the connrmatlou Vi tho SU''Oi
grant to lands lying along the east bank
of the Sacramento, between the American
river and the mouth of Feather river,
the settlers on said landsheld meet
ing, which took decided grounds against
the business of said claim. preamble,
articles of faith and resolutions were
adopted expressive of the sense OF the
meeting, boldly denouncing the claim as
forgery, equalling the attempted Lin
antour swindle, and that its confirm
alton was obtained by perjury. The fol-
lowing preamble was followed by nine arti-
clos of faith, a synopsis Of which will be
found below.
Whereas, Believing that selfprotection
against wrong and I'M ustice is the first and
noblest principle of preservation open to the
action. of man;
Resolved, That we as body collectively
and conformity, do hereby avow openly and
above all other considerations, pecuniarily
or persuasive, subscribe ourselves unto the
following nine articles of faith herein sub
mitted for the purpose of elf-protection
against the unlawful usurpation of our
homes, our lands and possessions, through
and by the agency of land claimants. styled
and known as the ''Sutter party,
embracing lands we now occupy and reside
upon, and CLAIM as United States Govern
ment or State lands.
The first article protests against the right
and ownership of said lands by Robinson
Fowler, Gillespie, and Sutter, and divisors
originating under and from said claim, and
that the survey of said claim was made tC
suit the private interests of said party, and
to swindle and rob the actual settler.
Article second protests that J. A Sutter,
and J. A. Suffer, Jr., never received com
plete grant of said lands under Micheltorena
Governor of California, and that John A,
Suffer, in his proper person testified in open
court held in Sacramento county, State Of
California, that he owned but the onesgrant
known as the Alvorado eleven league grant
and believes that said Suffer was induced
to lay the twenty two leagues by and with
the advice and means Of interested parties
that the original papers, purported to be
destroyed by the fire of 1852, were never
seen except by one ohm S Fowler.
The third article protests that the words
Five miles South of the American River to
a laguna,' were improperly and purposcly
inserted into the petition, for the dabolical
purpose of covering the localities of Suffer-
Vile, Suffers Fort and Sacramento City
and that the IS degrees, 40 minutes 81 sec
onds north, at the mouth Of Feather River,
twenty five miles distant from the above
southern boundary, and no doubt exists that
if any or all grants Of said Suffer are good
that the mouth of Feather River is the true
southern boundary
Article fourth protests that the twenty
two league grant never was located, but
originated with parties using the name Of
John A Suffer Jr. by aid of the Mexican
Forgery Grant Company. who no doubt
forgot that the correct photography and
discriminating points of five miles south OF
the American river and 36 degrees 40 min
utes and 81 seconds north latitude; and "los
tres pecas'' would ever be known to the be-
nighted yeomanry Of California.
Article Fifth protests against settlers on
said lands purchasing or acknowledging any
other right or title than that of the United
States Government and the State of Calf n
mia.
The 9th article protests against third par
ties buying Spanish titles to lands occupied
by settlers, and pledges mutual support to
each other.
Article seventh protests against the rul-
ing of our courts of Justice, cjecting settlers
from off their possessions prior to the issu-
ing of patents by the U s Government
and expresses the belief that the power to
reject or confirm Spanish grants, cannot be
exercised by the judiciary of California I'M
til conferred by legislation of the Congress OF
the United States.
Article eighth protests against the mis-
representations made by Spanish claimants
that the settlers are rude and barberous
band of squatters; and asserts they have
reclaimed their lands from a wild waste Of
unbroken soil and brush, and made i'm
provements unsurpassed in any country, by
heavy expenditures and labor
Article ninth and last, pledges the for
tunes, lives and honors of the settlers to
support right and justice, and in their might
and majesty suppress wrong and injustice,
lands without the right to purchase good
and lawful titles to their improvements md
possessions upon fair and equitable valua-
ton, in case they are included within the
boundaries of said grant