The weekly union record., 1864-03-26
Meeting of the Pitch Gatherers.

At meeting of the citizens of Butte
County, engaged in the business Of gathering
pitch from the trees on the public lands held at
Dogtown. on Wednesday. the llth of March,
A. d., 1864, for the purpose Of taking action
in regard to the act recently passed by the
Legislature Of the State, called an Act to pre-
vent he destruction of timber on the public
lands within this State, the following proceed
ings were had:
On motion Of Mr.. RANDALL, d. c. DowxER
Esq, was appointed Chairman, and Mr. MER
TINEAw Secretary.
committee of three were appointed by
the Chairman to draft resolutions expressive
of the sense of the meeting. The following
resolutions were reported by the Committee
and unanimously adopted.
WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State Of
California al its present session, has passed an
Act entitled an Act to prevent the destruc-
tion Of timber on the public lands in this
State" which act is in violation Of that equal
AID exact justice which should characterize
acts intended 10 be general in their operation
and
WHEREAS, The Legislature of the said
State. did at It's session Of 1868. pass an Act
awarding q premium for the manufacture Of
Turpentine in this State. which T'urpentine
could only be obtained by tapping or girdling
the trees on the public lands of the State
Therefore
Resolre1 Isl, That it is the unanimous senti-
timent Of this meeting that the law prohibit
ing under penalty the gathering of pitch on
the public lands, Is in violation of those prin-
ciples Of right and justice which should per
wade the laws Of the State-and we do EN-.
phatically and earnestly, but respectfully pro-
test against the said law, because it reflects
uniusty on those. who under an implied pro.
lection by the State have embarked their Ia
hor and capital in an honorable business,
which is now made crime by the highest
legislative tribunal of the State.
Resolred ID, That we believe the mauufac-
ture of Turpentine in this Strte to be equally
important in q commercial and monetary point
Of view, with any other business connected
with the trees on the public lands which said
act purports TO protect.
ReS0ired 81, That we will use all honorable
and peaceable efforts to have the said law re
pealed or modified, and if that cannot be done
then we pledge ourselves to use every effort to
have the validity Of the said law tested by the
highest Judicial tribunal of the State
Rssolred 4th, That all those in other coun-
ties engaged in the pitch business, are request
ed to hold meetings cooperative with the pur-
poses OF this meeting, and expressive of their
sentiments in regard to law referred to in the
preamble Of these resolutions
On motion, F. L. CARY was appointed by
the meeting to present to the legislature of
the State, a memorial of the pitch gatherers,
residents of the County of Bate, setting
forth their grievances under the act referred
to in The resolutions.
Ga motion of P. LoyGLEY, finance com
mittee of FIVE were appointed, consisting of
the following gentlemen: Messrs. MULLEN,
SIMPSON, kIxsoS CARY and BUGH; and an
assessment of one dollar for every one thou
sand pitch boxes, owned by those engaged in
the pitch business was levied.
On motion, ii was ordered that the proceed
ings of this meeting be published IN the Orc
vile UNION RECORD, and the Sacramento
Unlon. Meeting adjourned to await the re-
port of the commissioners sent TO memorialize
the legislature of the State.
D. c. DOWNER, Chairman.
FRANCIS Y. MARTINEAw, Secretary.