The Shasta courier., 1859-03-26
The Shasta War.


duction of petition of citizens of this county,
relative to the Chinese, made the subjoned
scathing remarks There is a vein of merciess
sarcasm running all through them-but, while
mcrciless it is at the same time, most persons
will admit, perfectly just. We commend these
remarks to the dispassionate, careful and pray
erful study of the parties concerned. We quote
from the Union's report:
Mr.. STREET. had rfot designed to say one
word in regard to the late disturbances in Shasta
county, but as the subject has been brought be-
fore the Legislature and spread upon its Jour
nails, and as the matter leads to an inquiry into
the character of the persons whose names are
attached to this memorial, and as | was absent
from my place when the subject was before the
ISouse on Saturday, hope that will be per-
Isitted to say, briefly, few words ON the sub
ject. This memorial and other memorials that
have had the honor of presenting to the House,
contain the names of more than half the legal
yoters of the county Of Shasta, composing some
of the best men in that county; men engaged
not only in mining, but in agriculture, merchan-
dising, and in all branches of industry; men
who are identified with the country; and men,
sir, whose obedience to the mandates of the
civil authorities has never been called in ques-
from the existence of Chinese population
among them, they attest their devotion to the
laws by doing that which every citizen of any
Government, even the most despotic, has right
to do-they petition the Legislature, the law
making power to grant them relief; to remove
the evil in quiet and peaceful manner. The
great mass of the American miners in Shasta
county are composed of industrious, intelligent
and high-minded men, and it is as humiliating
and repugnant to their feelings to be compelled
to work along side of, and on terms of perfect
equality with, the degraded slaves of Chinese
mandarins as it would be repugnant to the
feelings of members here to have degraded Chi
nese take seats along side of them and help
make the laws of the State. Against this evil
an evil though great now, is destined if no
check s put upon it to swell into alarming mag
nitude-the people Of Shasta enter their earnest
protest, and they come and ask in the most re-
| spectful manner that the evil may be removed,
and they will continue to ask it until granted.
| When the other day the member from Nevada
! introduced his resolution calling Oh TIE Gov
ernor for information in regard to supposed dis
turbances in Shasta county, made no opposi-
ton TO the resolution, for thought the Legsla-
ture, in fact the entire country was in want of
correct information, and that knowledge of the
| facts in the case would disabuse the public
mind of the wrong opinions they entertained in
regard to the extent of the difficulties there
The widest, most extraYagant and exaggerated
reports have been circulated over the country
| through the newspapers, and otherwise, msre-
presenting and falsifyng the whole history of
the matter. From these reports one might sup
| pose that civil war ragged in Shasta county !;
| that large bodies of citizens were up in arms
against the civil authorities that detachments
of men with arms in their hands and bayonets
glittering in the sun were marching and coun-
| termarching at the sound of drum and fife over
Shasta county, laying waste the country, massa-
creng the men, women and children trampling
the laws and civil authorities under foot. These
blood and thunder stories have gone out over
the country, and blood and thunder editors, sit
ting in their easy chairs, have worked themselves
| up into terrible pitch of excitement in the
midst OF uncertainties and airy nothings; the
ghosts of Vigilance Committees rise up in their
imagnations with holy horror they seize their
goose quills and discharge vollies of ink at an
imaginary enemy, breathing death, destruction
and damnatlon to the riotous miners Of Shasta
county. Terrible times Grim war stalks a.
broad; the clash of arms and wild alarms are
ringing through the country, and all the military
cusses in the country are expecting to cover
themselves all over with glory by annihilating
the rebels of the North. The supremacy of the
law must be maintained at all hazards-the mob
must be put down. Terrible tmesl Well what
is the result of all this Why, there is not
man hurt; there never has been conflict be-
tween the authorities and the people, and ven
| ture to say there not ten men in Shasta
| county who will, under any circumstances, come
| in conflict with the Sheriff or those acting un-
der him, SO long as he acts in strict conformity
with the powers and duties with which the law
clothes him. Sir, after all these warlike de-
| monstrat;ons transportation of arms, movement
OF soldiers, and hard fought battles, as set forth
in the newspapers of the day-and understand
in the dispatches from the seat of war-it is re-
markable, very remarkable, SIR that those dis
patches make no mention of the dead and
wounded, the slain in battle. This is q sad
omission; pardonable, however, in the Com
manding General considering the tremendous
responsibility resting on his shoulders. The
last telegraphic dispatch, however, states that
one Chinaman had been wounded. A border
rufan of a miner had with savage barbarity
| actually cut off the Mongoians cue close up TO
his head, but he is said to be conyalescent. This
is the last dispatch from the seat of war at the
North. L was not present the other day when
the communication came in from the Governor
on the subject and have not heard it read, but
understand that it conveys the gratifying in
telllgence that the war at the North is ended
Col. Lewis has done nobly and proved himself
gallant and brave general. Within the short
peflOu OF elrnl uayS ne mas transported arms,
ammunition and stores to the distant province
of Shasta, gathered together his armies, fought
nnumerable battles, achieving victory on
every OCCASION and completely yanquished that
rebellous people. The laurels of victory encom-
pass his brow as he once more enters the Cap |
ital hero and o conqueror. His name sir, must
and shall go down to posterity covered all over
with glory and renown. Shades of Hannibal, |
Napoleon and julius Caesar, hide your diminish
ed heads. Why, sir, the miners of Shasta have
done no more than has, time after time, been |
done in every mining county of the State. In |
certain districts, where their presence was OBJ
noxious, they ordered the Chinese to leave, and |
they left; but there was no bloodshed; not a
Chnaman was hurt there conflict, nor
none intended with the civil authorities After
all this martial array and transportation cfarms,
Mr.. Speaker, you can bury under your thumb
nail all the dead men of this war. ! vii, con-
c!ude by deneuncing, as monstrous calumny
and falsehood, the declaration that has gone
forth to the wcrld, that Shasta was disloyal to
the Govcrnment-that her citizens are rioters
and imbued with the spirit of mobocracy. The
men who were arrested during the late disturb
anee have all had their trial in Court of JUS
tice, and impartial jury of their countrymen
pronounced them not guilty. The great mass
OF the mining population of Shasta county are