The Nevada Democrat., 1858-04-21
NEVADA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2l, 1858.
Payment Of the vOlunteers-Triumph OF
Law and Order.

Law and Order.
A bill was passed in the Assembly on Friday
last. authorizing the Board Of Examiners to
audit and allow the claims of the volunteers
called out by order Of Governor johnson, in
1856, to suppress the insurreetion in San Fran
cisco. The sum Of fifty thousand dollars is ap-
propr lated for The payment of the claims. The
Republican members from San Francisco op-
posed the bill. Their opposition was expected;
one Of the principal planks in the platform Of
that party in this State has been to approve
the acts of the San Francisco vigilance commit
tee. They have always contended that the tur-
bulent Inhabitants have right to rebel against
the government and set the laws ct defiance,
and that the calling cut Of troops to suppress
insurrsction, in accordance with the plain pro-
visions Of law, is an assumption Of power on
the part Of the Executive. Fer this reason they
object to paying the volunteers, who answered
to the call Of the Governor and enrolled them
selves to suppress the insurrection in San Fran
cisco.
A number of Democrats in the Assembly also
objected to the bill, on the ground that the
Board of Examiners ID net the proper body to
audit the claims. They centended that the ac-
counts should be submitted to the committee on
claims and be audited and allowed by the Leg
islaturs. This position is doubtless correct,
and the fact that the proper form Of allowing
the accounts was disregardsd induced number
of Democrats to vote against the bill. We re-
gard il, however, as Of little consequence what
particular form Is adopted in settling the claims.
The volunteers should be paid for the time they
were actually in the service Of the State, and
we have NO doubt the Board Of Examiners will
take good care that unjust claims are net al
lowed. Let the Senate pass the bill, not only
Is an act Of justice 10 volunteers, but as an ex-
ample for what may be expected Ia future. Wig
ilantes will then think twice before they attempt
again to set the laws ct defiance and should
occasion ever again require, there will be no
lack Of volunteers to answer the call Of the Ex-
eoutive for the suppression Of mobs and insur-
rections,
We well remember when vigilanceism was at
its height, and the Governor was endeavoring
to enlist volunteers to suppress the rebellion,
that every vigilance paper In the state was
warning people against enrolling themselves
with tho volunteers; telling them that they
would never even be thanked for their services.
These representations no doubt had their effect,
and the few whe turned out in obedience to
the call Of the Governor, did so more for the
purpose Of maintaining the supremacy Of the
laws than from any expectation OF being re-
warded for their services. Their services II is
true were of no avail, but that was not their
fault nor is 1t any reason that they should not
be paid what is justly due them. Let the Leg
islature recognize the justice Of the claim and
precedent will be set which cannot fail TO
have beneficial effect in preventing mob vio-
lence and instructions hereafter; while the law
as It stands on our statute book will be equiva-
lent to o seal OF condemnation placed by the
people Of the State upon the proceedings which
occasionsd its enactment.