The Shasta courier., 1859-03-12
Sheriff Stockton's WarI
MIDDLE CREEK. March 7

MEssRs. EDIToRs: The " great excitement is
over. The rioters" have been tried according
to law, and, to the great modification of Chinese
sympathiSers, have been acquitted And now
ask, what becomes of Sheriff Stockton's asser.
ton that the laws have been broken and the
officers de6ed?" Does he call defending our
property from the ravages of the Chinese. break.
ing the laws or does he call giving ourselves
up to the proper authorities defiance of the Of
fcers ? Be it one or the other, or both he is
wrong.
And here ore thing suggests itself to nv mind.
What lucky thing it was that those guns did
not arrive before that trial commenced know
that some men become very chvalrous when
dressed in little brief authority"-more es-
pecially when they are backed by body of SOL
diers. If Captain Stockton had been marching
up and down the street and guarding the Court
Room, what commotion it would have pro-
duced in that otherwise peaceable assembly, but
fortunately they did not arrive in time
If am to Judge from his address to his posse
on Thursday, he is desirous of seeing a coils
ion between the miners and the authorities. The
question now is will he dsband his forces and
send his guns back to the Governor, who ought
never to have sent them, or will he distribute
them through the refractory districts for the
better protection of the Celestials? If the lat
ter, would say to him that it ia entirely enne-
cessary. If the miners are willing for the Chi
fo min Oh
ing army for their protection. If the miners are
opposed to their working the mines, the Sher-
ifs guns will not force them into acquiescence.
Besides when you talk about g standing armies, .
our taxpayers look grave, and thrust their fin
gers down their pantaloons pockets, and make
rough calculation of what taxes will be next
year. Another thing is, this force will never be
called into requisition, because miners are not
going to rush into a collision with the authori-
ties There are other ways to q choke dog, ,
&c, &e.
The best thing the Sheriff can do is, to go nc
farther than the law requires. The extermina
ton of the Chinese race in California is only 1
question Of time and the sooner it is commence,
the better it is for them as we'll as for ourselves
No two races, so dissimilar in every particular
can live quietly together on equal terms
| The Republican of last week says: "Thi
question between mobocracy and law and or
der must be speedily settled here The issu
has been distinctly made in this county 1t vii
be met to the bitter end" | believe that are be
long to the law and order party this time; a
least, We abided by the law, and kept very goot
order during the late trial. The Sheriff and hi
posse were about the only ones that were dis
satisfied with the result
suppose, if those guns had arrived a weel
sooner, Captain Stockton would have received
great credit for the peaceable progression of the
trial, and an article something like this would
have appeared in last weeks Republican:
Considerable excitement has existed in oul
town during the week. owing to the trial now
pending between the People u.s. Shin and 9th.
ers, for the crime of riot Considerable dispo-
sition has manifested itself amoung the miner:
to take the law into their own bands and release
the prisoners, but owing to the s. gacity anc
foresight of that very efficient officer, Sheriff
Stockton, in having procured arms and men, the
o'S"'ty auu nidJesly vi lhe law nave oeen nam
tained. Great praise is due the Sheriff for tn,
cool and determined manner in which he mel
the crisis. In fact both officers and men have
conducted themselves worthy of American cit
izens."
However far my "powers of composition may
fall below the worthy editors, all will at once
admit that they might have expected something
in substance tire same.
Yours respectfully, J. H S.