The Placer herald., 1857-08-01

has STICK to suit the remainder OF his
dress, the only uniformity required consisting
of certain length, strength and weight in
the weapon carried.
"The Athletes and Assistants so armed
are trained to mingle with crowds, stand
or walk here or there as ordinary specta-
tors, but on given signal to collect, or
act separately, as necessary, with the pre-
cision Of disciplined body. The whole
corps is divided into squads consisting of
five Assistants-each squad being under
the command of an Athlete, who is called
a monitor Four squads form class
under the lead of teacher (captain;) and
four classes or one hundred men, school,
or company otherwise regiment,) under
the orders of a deputy When on duty,
everything is entrusted to marshall whose
commands are law-Assistants, Athletes,
monitors, teaches and deputies being all
sworn to obey him without question or re-
monstance Over all the members and re-
sources of the league within his district, each
marshal exercises supreme and unlimited
dictatorship.
1T is the principle of the league to avoid
unnecessary exposure or publicity. None
but the Supreme executive know anything
Of its total resources, strength or plans.
When one man can accomplish a task, he
goes alone: where two only are required,
three must never be sent Every squad is
distinguished by number, every class by a
letter and every company by word which
is their sign Of recognition, and has, there
fore, to be frequently changed, If thous
and Athletes and Assistants are congregated
on the sidewalks or in a courtroom, any
squad of six men leach drilled to act with
and rely on his associates) can be called in
to action by a word, letter and number in
troduced, apparently without design, into
the speech of some orator or lawyer initia-
ted into the mystery and endowed with
the requisite power. These six will then
act as preconcerted, the rest of the leag
uers present remaining uncommitted specta
witnesses, if need be, in defence Of
their comrades-but ready at any mo-
ment to aid gradually, partially or entire
jy with their whole regimenta force, as the
commanding Marshal may direct.
"This Pine Tree League dates its present
form and organization to the extradition of
Anthony Burns, but the idea and nucleus
of it run back to the Latimer case under
the old law, So "advanced' are its mem
bers that they regard the Garrisonian Wig
lance Committee as highly conservative
and rather siIyer-grayish sect; and the chiefs
of the new association affirms that the
citizens of Boston may thank Messrs. Gar
rson, Philips and Parker that no bloodshed
followed the steps Of the professions that
conducted Thos. Sims and Anthony Burns
to Long Wharf.-The fiery zeal of the Pine
tree men, it seems, having been overpower-
ed and broken down on both these occas-
ions by the responsibility and purse of the
non-resistant Vigilants. This statement
will be news, we make no doubt, to those
who have always considered the Vigilance
leaders as the boldest "frebrands" in the
party.
"Since May, 1853, however, the League
has matured its organization in its present
form, and spread itself through every town
and village in the State Of Massachusetts,.
Colored men are excluded form its ranks
and the total number of members is known
only to the five who from the Executive
Directory. But its strength may be judg-
ed from the fact that its leaders now defy
the General Government to capture slave
in the Bay State outside the range of the can
non of the Navy Yard and federal forts in
Boston. They have arms, ammunition and
ships-two schooners certainly--for the
transport Of fugtives to Canada; and they
allege that several depots of State arms are
within their grasp at any moment they may
choose to seize them. They have also pre-
pared more than one hiding place and am
munition store amongst the hills and island
of Massachusetts,. Their motto, as we said
before, is Everything for the cause;' and
their motive seems less one of sympathy to
the flying bondman than desire to preserve
the sacred soil of the Puritans' from being
converted into "a human hunting ground.
"For the present we content ourselve with
stating these facts without any comment or
application.